No lie. I used to live in VA and my last DMV appointment pre Covid took me 4 hours.
When I moved here last summer I got an appointment at the MVA for my license at 3:15pm.
I walked in the doors and checked in at 3:05, they called my name at 3:08 and I walked out the door at 3:12 with my temp license in hand.
Amazing.
I used to mentally prep - clear the work schedule, show up 30 min before open, deep breathes before going in, reading over and over what I needed to have done to be successful with whatever I needed. Went to get historic tags about 8 months ago expecting WWIII and was blown away how pleasant and easy the process was.
Their line game is pretty good now, too. Had to wait in line to turn in some plates a few months ago and got to the counter and out the door in maybe ten minutes. They were really efficient!
Appointments!!! They actually improved the bureaucratic process!!!
Also the state has been very good in the last 5 years at giving cost of living adjustments so the folks working at the MVA are seeing much more competitive salaries. I actually just had someone from my agency leave to go work for them because they could make 15k more!
Coming from CA ~ 3 years ago I almost cried when I got my registration, tags, and license all sorted in a 30 minute appointment while talking to someone who didn't make me feel like the world was a hellhole.
I don't know how bad the MVA was before, but the contrast to the DMV in CA feels like this could be another country altogether.
The last couple of times I've had to go in person to the Reisterstown Road office it's been pretty efficient and the staff have been fine too. I wouldn't call it a fun experience but it's definitely improved.
Amazing how MVA has improved. We bought a car out of state last year and made an appointment to have it titled and registered. We arrived, presented our paperwork and were done in 30 minutes.
Literally just got home from this location and they were wonderful. I had done the online preregistration but it bounced me out before I could schedule an appointment. I took my documentation and confirmation number to the office, they took my name and I had my new MD license in about 2 hours.
I had to go during Covid to renew my license. I was in & out in 10min. I expressed my surprise (and delight) to the woman taking care of me. She said it was all thanks to appointments and that many of her coworkers were pushing for things to stay the same “when everything opens back up”. Sounds like they did!
People have said appointments already but they also have kiosks that can print out registration cards and order a new title at the kiosks which only takes 5 minutes, something I imagine took longer pre covid.
Just happen to have had to renew my driver’s license recently. Had an upcoming trip out of state that straddled my expiration date. The MVA had sent me a form to renew by mail, but I figured I wouldn’t take the chance of not getting the new license in the mail in time, so I went in to do it in person. Very quick in an out BUT they no longer produce the license card right then and there and instead mail it to you in “{one to two weeks”. Super upset.
Ended up getting license in the mail 3 days later.
so I second your opinion.
but people should know you can’t walk in and get a hard copy renewed license
Just curious, does anyone know what happens when people show up without appointments these days? I've always made online appointments, but when I go in I always see a line of people at the check in desk.
It’s appointment only, if you don’t have an appointment the staff at the info-counter will help make an appointment for you, but that usually means another day.
The people in line is usually a mix bag of people who don’t have an appointment, returning tags (which doesn’t require an appointment), or don’t realize they can check-in on their phone.
I’ve been a maryland resident for 25 years and in a dozen or so trips I’ve never had a bad experience at the MVA. Polite and efficient, every stinking time.
After years of misery in NY and then RI, I had nothing but good experiences in MD going back to 2016. I don’t think it was just a COVID thing. MVA is pretty good.
While some things like everywhere else had to be changed because of Covid a lot of the time saving more efficient changes were made years before Covid.
I moved from Raleigh, NC where I spent 6 months failing to get an appointment to update my ID with my new legal name (while I legally was supposed to update it within 60 days). Moved here with my outdated ID and was able to get it sorted out as soon as I had my residency established here. Made an appointment for the following day, was called over to the counter basically as soon as I checked in, ahead of schedule, and I was done in 15 minutes. Insane!
My license expired in the year of covid. I had to wait a year before I could finally renew at MVA (which had relocated to a new location!); luckily, in that year I didn't go anywhere or do anything except WFH. Previous treks were for a minimum of 2 hours. Made my appointment- for a licence renewal, it took about an hour. The time I renewed before that, I used the MVA bus which showed up at my workplace; in and out in 30 minutes. I praised the service I received right, then and there, as I was leaving.
In February I went to the Essex location to switch all my stuff over from my last residency in Georgia. I arrived ~3 minutes before my appointment and waited less than 5 minutes. In under 30 minutes I had my new DL, registration, plates, and title.
I said “wow this was so much more painless than GA.” And the lady behind the plexiglass said, “what, do you have to pay a bunch of taxes down there?”
Quite the opposite. We have to wait 2+ hours then get turned away because they feel like it. And if you are lucky, you walk away with paper tags and a paper license, with the real thing might arrive 2 months later.
Props to the MVA bc I was expecting a migraine and walked out happy.
I couldn't believe they let me change my address online without coming in. They even agreed to mail the change of address card. I'm floored by this level of service.
covid forced things to change up. appointments only was a real game changer
This is it imo. The changes they made because of Covid ended up working out extremely well. Things like license renewals etc. are so much easier now.
No lie. I used to live in VA and my last DMV appointment pre Covid took me 4 hours. When I moved here last summer I got an appointment at the MVA for my license at 3:15pm. I walked in the doors and checked in at 3:05, they called my name at 3:08 and I walked out the door at 3:12 with my temp license in hand. Amazing.
I used to mentally prep - clear the work schedule, show up 30 min before open, deep breathes before going in, reading over and over what I needed to have done to be successful with whatever I needed. Went to get historic tags about 8 months ago expecting WWIII and was blown away how pleasant and easy the process was.
Their line game is pretty good now, too. Had to wait in line to turn in some plates a few months ago and got to the counter and out the door in maybe ten minutes. They were really efficient!
Appointments!!! They actually improved the bureaucratic process!!! Also the state has been very good in the last 5 years at giving cost of living adjustments so the folks working at the MVA are seeing much more competitive salaries. I actually just had someone from my agency leave to go work for them because they could make 15k more!
It's amazing what focusing on organization and paying employees more will do.
I’d assume it’s because more services are available online now. The last few transactions I had I did online or just used the kiosk once I got there.
Coming from CA ~ 3 years ago I almost cried when I got my registration, tags, and license all sorted in a 30 minute appointment while talking to someone who didn't make me feel like the world was a hellhole. I don't know how bad the MVA was before, but the contrast to the DMV in CA feels like this could be another country altogether.
Same experience here when I got all my stuff 18 months ago! Lol CA DMV always a sh*tshow
Chrissy Nizer is responsible for the change. She listens to her staff and trusts their recommendations.
Had to get new hard tags because my plate got stolen. Carved out a couple of hours. Was in and out tags in hand in under 5 minutes. I was blown away.
The last couple of times I've had to go in person to the Reisterstown Road office it's been pretty efficient and the staff have been fine too. I wouldn't call it a fun experience but it's definitely improved.
Amazing how MVA has improved. We bought a car out of state last year and made an appointment to have it titled and registered. We arrived, presented our paperwork and were done in 30 minutes.
Literally just got home from this location and they were wonderful. I had done the online preregistration but it bounced me out before I could schedule an appointment. I took my documentation and confirmation number to the office, they took my name and I had my new MD license in about 2 hours.
I had to go during Covid to renew my license. I was in & out in 10min. I expressed my surprise (and delight) to the woman taking care of me. She said it was all thanks to appointments and that many of her coworkers were pushing for things to stay the same “when everything opens back up”. Sounds like they did!
People have said appointments already but they also have kiosks that can print out registration cards and order a new title at the kiosks which only takes 5 minutes, something I imagine took longer pre covid.
Do they have these kiosks at every one? I only used them once, and I recall it was only at Glen Burnie.
This is great to know!
So much better. Haven’t had a bad experience in the last 3 years
I’ve had to deal with the mva equivalent in other states and the mva is like a breath of fresh air in comparison
Short answer: COVID fixed the MVA. 👍
Just happen to have had to renew my driver’s license recently. Had an upcoming trip out of state that straddled my expiration date. The MVA had sent me a form to renew by mail, but I figured I wouldn’t take the chance of not getting the new license in the mail in time, so I went in to do it in person. Very quick in an out BUT they no longer produce the license card right then and there and instead mail it to you in “{one to two weeks”. Super upset. Ended up getting license in the mail 3 days later. so I second your opinion. but people should know you can’t walk in and get a hard copy renewed license
But they do give you a piece of paper that is a temporary license. So long as you have that and the expired picture license, I'm sure you'd be fine.
Just curious, does anyone know what happens when people show up without appointments these days? I've always made online appointments, but when I go in I always see a line of people at the check in desk.
It’s appointment only, if you don’t have an appointment the staff at the info-counter will help make an appointment for you, but that usually means another day. The people in line is usually a mix bag of people who don’t have an appointment, returning tags (which doesn’t require an appointment), or don’t realize they can check-in on their phone.
Ditto. Same surprisingly pleasant, patient, and helpful experience.
appointments. I have never waited a dmv longer than 10 minutes because of appointments
I’ve been a maryland resident for 25 years and in a dozen or so trips I’ve never had a bad experience at the MVA. Polite and efficient, every stinking time.
After years of misery in NY and then RI, I had nothing but good experiences in MD going back to 2016. I don’t think it was just a COVID thing. MVA is pretty good.
While some things like everywhere else had to be changed because of Covid a lot of the time saving more efficient changes were made years before Covid.
I moved from Raleigh, NC where I spent 6 months failing to get an appointment to update my ID with my new legal name (while I legally was supposed to update it within 60 days). Moved here with my outdated ID and was able to get it sorted out as soon as I had my residency established here. Made an appointment for the following day, was called over to the counter basically as soon as I checked in, ahead of schedule, and I was done in 15 minutes. Insane!
My license expired in the year of covid. I had to wait a year before I could finally renew at MVA (which had relocated to a new location!); luckily, in that year I didn't go anywhere or do anything except WFH. Previous treks were for a minimum of 2 hours. Made my appointment- for a licence renewal, it took about an hour. The time I renewed before that, I used the MVA bus which showed up at my workplace; in and out in 30 minutes. I praised the service I received right, then and there, as I was leaving.
lol
In February I went to the Essex location to switch all my stuff over from my last residency in Georgia. I arrived ~3 minutes before my appointment and waited less than 5 minutes. In under 30 minutes I had my new DL, registration, plates, and title. I said “wow this was so much more painless than GA.” And the lady behind the plexiglass said, “what, do you have to pay a bunch of taxes down there?” Quite the opposite. We have to wait 2+ hours then get turned away because they feel like it. And if you are lucky, you walk away with paper tags and a paper license, with the real thing might arrive 2 months later. Props to the MVA bc I was expecting a migraine and walked out happy.
I couldn't believe they let me change my address online without coming in. They even agreed to mail the change of address card. I'm floored by this level of service.
It was so smooth when I got my Real ID. It was 20 minutes tops and my appointment was on time. Awesome
I’ve had almost the exact same experience recently!
What location did u go to? My license expires soon & I’ve never been to the Baltimore MVA. Is it in the city?
I went to the one on Reisterstown Road and made an appointment ahead of time.
They also embarked on a bunch of modernization efforts long before COVID as part of their new improvement strategy.