The Nightmare that is DMV

HotRodHoney

For many of us, DMV can be a total nightmare. You’ve purchased a car, you can’t wait to register it and then you collect what you’re pretty sure is all the items you need to get it registered and titled, so you head over to your local Department of Motor Vehicles…

After what feels like an eternity, they FINALLY call your number, you bounce over with a spring in your step and merrily hand the clerk your paperwork. He/she takes one glance (barely) and in a most condescending manner informs you that you’re going to have to go get [insert item here] and try again. …Oh and of course you will have to take a new number and wait in line all over again. *sigh*

While many DMV offices have become slightly more efficient in the recent years, (thank you computers) there are still plenty of headaches out there. I’ve put together a few tips to be sure you’ve included everything you need. Read them after the jump!

Waiting...waiting...waiting

This is a list of basic items you generally will need in order to register a vehicle in the state of NY, for other states, check HERE for links to their websites.

1. NYS Driver license- seems like a no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many people forget this one.
(oh if you recently arrived in NY and do not have a NY driver license yet, you will need to ensure you have what we call “6 points of Identification” A NYS driver license is worth 6 points, but an out-of-state license is only worth 2, you can see a list HERE of the other items you need to present to the DMV to prove your identification without a NYS driver license.)

2. Vehicles 1973 and newer*- Title to the vehicle that you would like to register (most common problem with this, is it gets signed over incorrectly and in NY that means you get to pay the title bureau $50 for a new one! So be sure you read the title VERY carefully before writing anything, one tiny mistake can void that title!) *If your vehicle is older than 1973, then you will have to present the registration card as they do not issue titles to vehicles any older.

3. Correct insurance cards with a barcode on them. Make sure you scrutinize these things, in NY everything MUST match down to the last detail, otherwise DMV will oh-so-politely inform you that you need corrected insurance cards before they will process your request….(and you better hope your agency is open.)

4. Registration/Title Application form- In NYS we call this form the “MV-82″, here’s another form that MUST be correct down to the last detail otherwise you’ll be filling out another one. The ONLY section you’re allowed to white-out or cross out is your address lines, you CANNOT change anything else. But no worries, the friendly DMV clerk will remind you of this.

5. Bill of sale- whether it is on an official NYS form or a hand scribbled piece of paper, you must include this so the State of New York can get theirs and charge you the right amount of taxes on your vehicle purchase. Unless you’ve paid taxes on it in a previous state (i.e you’re new here in NY and want to change over your registration, plates, and title to NY) then you’ll need THIS FORM to show them the sales tax paid in your previous state.

6. Money and lots of it. An average NY registration is going to be over $100 (and this is before you add in the taxes, oh and tack on even MORE if you’re registering an SUV. The more your vehicle weighs, the more fees you’re going to be hit with. Check out the chart. If you’re buying new plates, that drives up the price also but you’ll save a bit of money if you transfer your old plates; however if they aren’t in your name, than you cannot transfer them.)

For more details on registering your vehicle in NYS, go HERE and hopefully you’re next DMV visit will go a bit more smoothly.

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Posted at 2:15 am in DMV

Comments

provino
Sep 9, 2010 at 12:27 am

The DMV sent letters out requesting 4,240 people who applied for drivers licenses and ID cards on Wednesday, August 25 to return for a new photograph.
Leanspa

kathlixa
Aug 11, 2010 at 10:00 pm

the discretion of the person at the DMV as to if you would be taken in at that time DMV can’t take you in but there are police on the grounds that could .It all depends on the seriousness of the outstanding charges.
Cho Yung Slimming Tea

___nes___
Aug 3, 2010 at 12:39 pm

I have never ever been inside the DMV for more than an hour and a half at the most!

davect01
Jul 31, 2010 at 6:24 am

The lines there are often worse than the lines at Disneyland.

Here in AZ, much of what you need to do is available online but sometimes a trip is unavoidable.

GTwildfire
Jul 30, 2010 at 8:49 pm

Pennsylvania is, in this respect, much better than states with bureaucratic DMV infrastructure like this.
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We got Auto Tag places, run by regular people who are Notaries. The waits are shorter (if not, go down the street to another). Probably 5 tag places within 15 minutes of my front door, and PA’s DMV website is great for obtaining a copy of a lost title, getting a photo card for a license renewal, etc.
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On the rare occasion I have to go to an actual DMV office, it’s about 10 minutes away and I’m walking out with my new photo license in usually less than 30 minutes.
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now if they would only eliminate vehicular safety inspections and only require emissions every 2 years like NJ is about to do…

Steve Little
Jul 30, 2010 at 10:09 am

bulldog – Well i renewed my license about 3 months ago (which the $ was a bitch since i have a class A CDL with 2 endorsements and the license is for 8 years), didn’t wait long, wasn’t to busy or anything. It maybe took an hour to do it all which was waiting and then doing what i had to do to renew it which was just an eye and sign test. Only problem is that they don’t take credit cards/debit cards anymore so i had to go to an ATM at a gas station to get the money out, luckily it was one at the station basically across the street so wasn’t a huge deal just something i didn’t think i should have had to do because i swear i used my debit card the times before. Also they just started with the whole thing where they send you your license while you have a paper version until it comes in, only took a wee or 2 but before that they would make the license right there which would take about 10 minutes.

bulldog_1995
Jul 30, 2010 at 8:47 am

also whats up with them not issueing a tital for pre 1973 rigs how are you supposed to prove ownership or transpher(?) it?

bulldog_1995
Jul 30, 2010 at 8:44 am

here in WA it’s like in NC where we have 2 seperate agencys to deal with only the plates stay with the car and most vehichal licenceing places are closed on saturday there is one not far from where i live that is open till 5pm and i go there and am in and out in under 5 min. however i just renewed my DL and it toke me 4 hrs! I think they must hire the people who were bullied in school and they are getting back at the rest of us lol

Steve Little
Jul 30, 2010 at 5:51 am

Here in NC the DMV doesn’t even deal with titles and registrations. Here they only deal with licenses, it’s a separate place to go to for titles and registrations. Sometimes at the DMV you do have to wait but usually not to long, not any longer than you would at a doctor’s office or clinic but if you have an appointment for something then you don’t have to wait at all. At the license plate place that does titles and registrations you never wait more than 5 minutes usually but also depends on how long the line is. Most i remember waiting is about 10 minutes, but lately when i renew my registration (license plate renewal) i just do it over the internet to have the sticker and registration sent to my house.

johnactn
Jul 30, 2010 at 2:50 am

the dmv in new jersey made a serious error on my abstract…basically i was told that they “would not/could not erase any error contained in the abstract, even though it was one of their personnel who entered the incorrect info”…

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