Department of Motor Vehicles

What can I say, it’s a DMV. And a terribly inefficient one at that. I am currently sitting here for going on 2.5 hours waiting for a simple license replacement which was their fault originally. They never sent me my license after paying for it, they mailed me a paper that I had missed (was supposed to miss) said sign in front of DMV official, so THEY missed that page, mail it to me I sign it and send if off thinking I should see my new license in the mail in a week or two. Two months later no sign of license so now j get to wait almost 3 hours because of their mistake?! Greeaaaaat
And their sticker/​number system is completely screwed up I just watched 20 or so people go in a row with «f» cards that literally didn’t have time to sit after getting number? I have been waiting for hours? And no it’s not for different/​simple tasks, I just watched a gentleman with the exact problem and paperwork, a renewal for a lost or stolen license, he was in and out in about 15 min. This is unacceptable and I will do whatever I can to never come back here/​deal with these incompetent employees.

Kinda funny to write a review for dmv since really they all suck but Avoid going here this is the worst! I have spent HOURS here because for some reason that they can’t figure out I don’t get any of there mail. No registration renewal invoice, new tags nothing! I’ve lived here 3 years and every year twice a year I have to go into the dmv and wait to pay for both my cars. This never has happened since I started driving 20 years ago!!! I’ve gotten tickets for not having updated tags as a result of waiting dmv to mail to me. The people that work here are so slow and rude. There is no reason I should have to wait 2 ½ hours for 5 minutes of someone’s time. Insane!!!

Rude obnoxious and slow. I’m writing Governor Brown about my experience.
I’m appalled at the rude behavior.
Antiquated and ridiculous. Avoid at all cost.
Really very disturbing.

My wife had to go through this gauntlet and I have officially changed my mind to give this place the lowest possible rating. Usually I only reserve this rating for a place that has failed to provide a service for me, yet still took my money and did not give a refund after being asked. But after thinking a bit, this place doesn’t even provide a service — it’s more like a tax.
I’m all for making sure vehicles are up to certain standards and that people are capable of driving them in a safe manner. The DMV should exist, but it can be way better than this. As noted in my previous review, they are still using pen and paper for most forms. Also, they are always understaffed and have wait times in the hours.
The thing that has now put me over the top is their lack of customer service. Both my wife and I once came in for what we were hoping to be a one stop visit to get our license and vehicle registered after having moved from another state. Both times, they told got us started on getting our California licenses. That process went smoothly, but then after that they didn’t ask the simple question «Can I help you with anything else?» I had to personally bring it up that I was also here to get the vehicle registered — heck their appointment maker even asks you how many things you want to do, so they should know!
I had already done as much of the legwork as possible to get the vehicle registered for my wife, but apparently they needed her to be there in person to get the rest figured out. And then she fell into that same trap of thinking you were done when you really weren’t. Now she has to go back to get everything finished. So there isn’t this clearly defined process to get everything checked off to get what you need (at least that is made known to the public) and they’ll make you wait in line all over again if you don’t personally press on until you get what you want.

I think people have a tendency to only write reviews when they have a negative experience. So, I thought I’d share my good experience. I went in to get a California DL (recently moved here from another state). I made an appointment before going. I’d highly suggest this! I was in and out of there in about 40 minutes, despite the huge number of people there. Everyone who works here is highly efficient, and they really get through a lot of people and processes very quickly. Folks were friendly and even cracking jokes about how bad DMV experiences are supposed to be. So, give these guys a break! Ask how their day is going and commiserate, because they work their tails off and still manage to get you your important documents as quickly as they can (sometimes with a smile and a wisecrack!).

This DMV lives up to the DMV stereotype. Sad. Wait time…3 hours.
They aren’t even trying to improve their image.

Inefficient. Rude. Apathetic. All of these are the nicest things that I can say about the DMV. The employees are not helpful in any way whatsoever. All I wanted to do was renew my license. That should never be a 3 hour process, but at this place, that time is almost a standard. Bring a copy of War and Peace with you to this DMV. You’ll have plenty of time to finish the book and read it a couple more times. The only positive is that they played a good radio station. 0.5 Stars.

UPDATE
Have to be fair and objective. Totally different experience today. Made an appointment for today and had a very productive and pleasant experience. Last time = awful. Today however, after being in the short appointment line, I was in and out in about 25 minutes; no problem.
Thank you DMV. So the moral of the story, make an appointment (
) in advance before you even think about going there. Also, keep in mind, if you are a AAA member you can handle most of your routine DMV business at AAA and avoid the lines and the wait all together. Good luck.

Worst DMV in California, with the longest wait times possible. They must think people have days to sit. Appointment or not your going to wait for hours on end regardless of the reason you’re there.

If it was possible to give zero stars, I would. However, there was one very sweet woman, the main person who sorted everyone out, that can have this one star all to herself.
Story short… Took my third daughter in for her drivers license behind the wheel exam. Appointment at 1:45 PM… Finally got in front of the intake man at 2:30 PM who berated us for being «late.» I politely assured him we had been waiting in the appointment line since 1:25 PM and were most certainly on time. Scowling, he asked my daughter a series of personal questions that felt unnecessary and argumentative. She was already anxious and he was anything but helpful. Finally, he sent us out to meet the Examiner which really meant waiting for another 40 minutes in the car.
Examiner looks at the paperwork that was signed off inside and asked my daughter wear her glasses are. She said, «what glasses?» I don’t wear glasses. Examiner says well it’s on the paperwork. I can’t give you the driving test unless you’re wearing your glasses. Again, my daughter doesn’t wear glasses. After a tense discussion, I took her back inside where we were told to wait again in the appointment line which was now twice the length as before so she could have her eyes tested. I pushed my luck and went back to the sweet lady who greets everyone… She remembered me and when I explained what happened, she went and talked to the supervisor and got permission to give my daughter the eye exam herself. Of course, my daughter passed with flying colors (again, she does not wear glasses).
We had now been at the DMV for nearly 3 hours… we went back out and met a different Examiner for the driving test. He said to my daughter, «are you the one that had to go back inside because you forgot your glasses?» Gritting my teeth and plastering on a smile, I assured him, she does not wear glasses and she passed the eye exam.
My short story has gotten too long but basically she took the test and failed for driving too slowly. This is my third daughter… Truly, she is an incredible driver. We started her driving on country roads when she was 12 years old and she is far more competent than many adults I know.
As my tearful daughter and I drove away, I thought about all of those tax dollars I pay each year… it’s a shame. The lack of courtesy and civility was shocking today and I am sad my daughter had to witness this.

There is nothing pleasant about this DMV. That includes the entire staff. Every time I have to come here I come with a smile as I do everywhere I go. The staff always is unpleasant and seemingly like they absolutely hate their jobs and are barely tolerating being here every day. Here’s my issue, everyone has jobs and most of us don’t really enjoy them. However on the upside they have GOVERNMENT jobs! Gaurenteed jobs that have zero competition so if they aren’t being merry sunshine they still won’t be fired because a different DMV rep at a different company is doing better customer service. It’s disappointing and quite frankly a little depressing to have to visit this place, as the staff make sure to make the experience for you as miserable as their job seemingly make them.

Debbie at the Capitola DMV was so helpful and pleasurable it made a usually long and trying day so easy. As always going to DMV’s can sometimes be trying but this was the easiest and best experience thanks to her.
Debbie you rock !
Ron

The Capitola DMV is the best one in the county, so I really can’t bash it. DMVs, in general, aren’t going to get much love anyway due to the fact that their employees don’t seem to believe time is of any essence.
But when I come to the Capitola location, I can’t complain by comparison. I do, however, want to ask all DMVs what their standards are for issuing drivers licenses because I swear the entire county cannot drive. It’s like everyone’s making up their own rules as they go along. Driving brail like it’s something you’re supposed to do, texting, treating four-​way stops like free for alls. It’s madness out there. Defensive driving is definitely required.

I know people love to complain about the DMV, but on Tuesday I had a really terrific experience with Gina at the Capitola DMV that merits a review. Here’s what happened. I shipped a vehicle to my farm in Hawaii in 2011 and registered it there. Should have been the end of the story, but the Hawaii & California DMVs screwed up and didn’t record the transfer properly. As a result, the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) reached into my bank account (yes, they can do this) and withdrew «back registration fees» for 2011 &2012, and then sent me a notice saying that if I didn’t pay they were going to invade my bank account again!
I went to my local DMV office with this letter and explained the situation, and Gina went out of her way to correct the problem on the spot, calling the FTB, finding the right person, cleared up the mistake and got the FTB to refund my money. This could easily have been a process that took months to solve with lots of forms & letters to multiple agencies, but because an *actual human being” got involved, it was corrected quickly.
I am glad that there are good people in government who take initiative to fix problems that arise from our computer systmes dominated culture.

Debbie was fast, helpful, and informative. She made the dmv enjoyable instead of dreadful. Thanks Debbie!

The Capitola DMV is well known as the best DMV in the Bay Area. It’s where I went to take my driving test, even though I live on the other side of the hill, simply because the people testing you are patient, understanding, and a lot more relaxed than other test givers might be. I’m giving it four stars becasue though it’s excellent, it’s still the DMV.

Very bad experience. The person who took my behind the wheel test was extremely rude just because I came all the way from San Jose. He was like, you guys are coming from a different county, we locals are not getting any appointments due to it. If that is the case, I booked my appointment by calling the DMV hotline. Why was I not informed about this rule? I even doubt if there is any such rule that you need to take the test in your own county? Or the guy just made this up. Even while driving he was not at all cool. He kept on saying «if you fail, don’t think that I have set you up just because you came from a different county», all the way along. Ultimately I failed (I guess that’s what he wished for!) and he kept on saying that he did not set me up.
Never to this DMV again in my life.

Woof! Went in there to renew my driver’s license and the man at the front desk was so agro, I felt like I was checking myself into jail, not to the DMV.
Things got more pleasant when the woman assigned to help me was no friendlier, as she barked at me like a criminal during the finger printing session as part of the renewal process. Hold your finger DOWN the WHOLE TIME! HOLD IT DOWN!
Uhh, is this even constitutional, folks? Finger printing you before you have even done anything wrong? Maybe I was delusional that day and had checked myself into jail.
To top off the experience, there was a man in there waiting with his gf, loudly bit$ch-ing for ALL to hear and see, about how LO-​ONG the wait is at the Capitola branch! And how in SALINAS, it’s ONLY te-​n minutes! Okay, well go there next time douche bag, and make a freakin’ appointment, if you don’t want to just sit there and watch everyone with an appointment go by.
Can’t WAIT to go back!

Four star because it’s still the dmv. But definitely happy with the service. The wait is crazy long if you don’t have an appointment. So just set one up. Easy as that. Otherwise expect to be standing in the sun for a while.

I can’t believe I’m actually giving a positive review to a DMV, but it looks like I’m not alone.
When I realized that my license expired in a week I jumped online to make an appointment at any local DMV. There was nothing before the expiration date. D’oh! So I looked around and considered my options.
Using the appointment time estimator online, I looked to see which one was the least busy in the morning (pretty smart, huh?). It was by far the Capitola location that seemed able to keep up with the flow of traffic (pun intended).
I went at 7:15am for the 8:00am opening. Only one person ahead of me in line. There were about 20 by 8:00am. But I was in by 8:05am and going through my steps by 8:20. Two of the three people with whom I interacted were pleasant, which is about 200% better than what I expected.
By 9:30am I was done, two tests completed, paperwork in hand, pretty painless as far as these things go. I’m a believer.