Mass RMV and Drivers license Renewal 2022

Salem was 30 mins for me, no appointment
Don't try this in NH, at least at Concord. The wait can be 3 or 4 hours.

I just had mine renewed in Salem, getting a real ID in the process (the concept pisses me off but I fly a lot, like to have 2 ID forms in case I lose one during the trip , ie to get home hassle free).

Yes I was out in 40 minutes. But here's what boils my blood. Haven't gotten around to writing a letter to bitch, but one is coming.

Online they say to make an appointment along the lines of "if you are renewing your license out of sequence", ie if it's not expiring. Mine was to expire, never had to make an appointment before, I assume they don't even want me to make an appointment based on what they publish.

I got there, luckily it's slow. But I'm informed since I didn't make an appointment they will only serve me if nobody else is there who made an appointment, ie in perpetuity if someone shows up with an appointment I'm bumped behind them. So I wait with 3 other people, they get called first, 2 other people show up 10 min behind me, also called first - keeps going on like that until eventually nobody with an appointment shows up. Lady at counter said sometimes with no appointment you end up there for hours and running out the clock and they close.

Prime example of someone stupid and feeling entitled in the government, making ridiculous policies. Probably is historically tied to covid crap somehow too. Even at a doctor, dentist, salon, etc - places where reasonably they need appointments (and the DMV does not) they squeeze someone in between who shows up unannounced.
 
Well, I just got through on the AAA website and was able to make an appointment that will only leave me driving without a license for a week. No trip to Braintree for me tomorrow. I figure since I am already a "Felon in Waiting" I might as well add a temporary "Misdemeanor in Waiting" charge to the mix.
 
You guys are rookies. I've spoken a few times on other threads here about the absolute insanity I've experienced at the registry over the past few years. I wont go down that road again here but I will say even though they say appointment only I've seen many clueless idiots get broomed in without one. If you have the time just walk in and play dumb.
 
I had some extra time today and decided to give it a try and "look dumb" and walk in at the Braintree registry. I guess they didn't fall for my charade and recognized my intelligence and told me "You will have to make an appointment, we are not accepting walk in license renewals".

On another note: When did they start hiring armed private security at the RMV's?
 
I am at the F****ing end of my rope here. My birthday is this month and my drivers license is up for renewal. I have tried to renew online and have to go in person for some reason. I tried to schedule an appointment and the closest I can get is the end of next month (did I tell you it is up this month). No walk ins to the RMV. AAA has no appointments available. Looks like I am going to have to risk it and roll without a drivers license for a month or so until my appointment comes up. Knowing my luck, I will get pulled over the day after my birthday. If I get pinched can you guys help out with canteen money? Why do I have the feeling that the Martha's Vineyard 50 will get their first license before I can renew my license that I have had for 38 years?
You are the money maker for the Commonwelth. The non working people and hacks thank you and hope you have to go the the court system if you are caught while driving without a valid license and are nickel and dime by every municipal city, town and county gets there fair share of your money, while unlicensed drivers get a $50 dollar ticket and a court summons yours will be hundreds if not thousands of dollars. OH yea HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
 
Update: I didn't get pulled over in the few days I was driving illegally.

At my appointment the young girl at AAA was taking verbal appointments over the phone. During this entire fiasco that's the one thing I didn't try is call on the phone for an appointment. The time I walked into AAA they never mentioned to me that I could set an appointment over the phone or right then in person. I will now send my emails of disapproval to both the RMV and AAA, but I am sure nothing will come of it.
 
I went to AAA, took 15 minutes to get to the desk. Lady went on about appointment blah blah blah and said we can do it today in about 40 min. I was running out of time so she booked my appointment for oct 19th.
The guy looking for a paper atlas took up a lot of time in front of me.
2 women came in and got new pictures for passports
I must say the 2 people working that counter where pretty darn good. I lay any blame on the “slow service” on the customers.
 
I am at the F****ing end of my rope here. My birthday is this month and my drivers license is up for renewal. I have tried to renew online and have to go in person for some reason. I tried to schedule an appointment and the closest I can get is the end of next month (did I tell you it is up this month). No walk ins to the RMV. AAA has no appointments available. Looks like I am going to have to risk it and roll without a drivers license for a month or so until my appointment comes up. Knowing my luck, I will get pulled over the day after my birthday. If I get pinched can you guys help out with canteen money? Why do I have the feeling that the Martha's Vineyard 50 will get their first license before I can renew my license that I have had for 38 years?
Hey "Last Min. Larry" if you have been going through the motions for the past 38 years then you should be NO stranger to understanding how the dysfunctional MASS DMV process works. Do like I did when applying for my Real ID and start the process 2 months in ADVANCE. No stress.
 
If you have AAA try them. Be prepared with all the documents needed. They are forcing the real id which is why you can't go online. To get an appointment at RMV check at midnight and be prepared to go the next day. People cancel appointments so you can snag one. You actually can just go in if your prepared to wait.
 
i was gonna be a cocky bastard and get my license, due in november, renewed without a hitch so i could come back here and say "see, no problems." i went on line, filled in the data required, and when i hit enter, my info cleared and it sent me back to the beginning of the process. several times this happened. i was so bullshit, smoke out the ears, everything. i called the rmv, told them their system sucked and i demanded she take my info manually now so my new license would be ready for november. the lady said she could do that but since i wasn't expired until next november, i'd have to call back in a year. jeezus, i can't win sometimes. [angry]
 
I was at the Vermont DMV in Montpelier the other day getting my new plates, two old women, easily in their 80's, sisters, came in. One of them needed a new driver's license because she lost her old one, and it had expired anyway. They woman in the lobby said "Do you have any ID or an old license, or anything?" She said no. They took her anyway, and the two old women went to a counter, and she walked out of there with a new license in hand. I simply can't imagine what hoops and hurdles she would have had to navigate at the RMV in those circumstances.
 
Required NES 'Is she hot' reference.....

I was at the AAA in Marlboro yesterday and even for RealID, it was more than reasonable and
as a bonus, the 2 Brazilian babes working the office were smokin' hot !!
 
Are you kidding me? Those days are a dream in compared to what is going on now. First of all I have been jumping on AAA's website since mid August checking on availability with no luck. I go on the RMV's website to do it online and I guess I ran out of online drivers license renews so they book me for a month after my license expires. I take the advice of a NES'r and just popped in at the AAA in Burlington today and they tell me that "they don't take walk ins for license renewals at all and I got to check the website for an appointment". I asked about walk-ins at the RMV and the AAA girl said that it is up to the individual RMV's to take license renewals without appointments. So my question is, do I travel up to Haverhill RMV and hope the manager isn't pissed off because he got served with divorce papers the day before?

To answer your question Cobra, the good old days of going into the RMV and spending all day there sitting next to an Indian that hasn't bathed since he left New Delhi, and me armed with the knowledge that I had at least a 90% chance of success sounds like easy living.
You do realize that at some RMVs like Revere, they have a photo booth kiosk and you can do the renewal yourself right? Walk in, scan your license, put in your credit card, snap a photo, done.
 
After some name BS. I got everything I need for the real id. Made an appointment this past Thursday and my appointment is in mid November. Lol

No need to rush as my license is not going to expire soon.

And I guess until I get it, they won’t let me into a federal court or federal prison. Lol

Wait… why do I want this??
 
After some name BS. I got everything I need for the real id. Made an appointment this past Thursday and my appointment is in mid November. Lol

No need to rush as my license is not going to expire soon.

And I guess until I get it, they won’t let me into a federal court or federal prison. Lol

Wait… why do I want this??
Real ID isn't 'required' until May next year anyway, and thats if its not delayed again
 
Real ID isn't 'required' until May next year anyway, and thats if its not delayed again
Yup. I just had a name issue. Got that part taken care of. So just ticking off this as a to do item.

I just renewed my passport and got a passport card.

So this is just fluff
 
What's the advantage of having a Real ID vs a 'not for federal ID' driver's license? Wouldn't you want the one without the gubmint tracker chip in it?
 
What's the advantage of having a Real ID vs a 'not for federal ID' driver's license? Wouldn't you want the one without the gubmint tracker chip in it?
Mostly for air travel.

Joking aside, you need one to get into a federal building (hence my jokes above).

I’m sure once it’s official, there will be other reasons to have one.
 
Mostly for air travel.

Joking aside, you need one to get into a federal building (hence my jokes above).

I’m sure once it’s official, there will be other reasons to have one.
Don't fly all that often nor step into a federal building. If I planned to, would have my passport with me. Might be one of those things years down the line where you get judged for not having a "Real" ID. For now, the convenience of renewing it and getting the new one in the mail vs scheduling a day to visit the RMV zoo seems worth the difference.
 
Don't fly all that often nor step into a federal building. If I planned to, would have my passport with me. Might be one of those things years down the line where you get judged for not having a "Real" ID. For now, the convenience of renewing it and getting the new one in the mail vs scheduling a day to visit the RMV zoo seems worth the difference.
I don’t think I should have to use my passport to fly within the us. Makes me think of papers please. Do I get a stamp when I land in Vegas?

Plus I don’t want to loose it or forget it.

So this while a bunch of BS, might make my life .0005% easier for little risk.

I’m on most lists. So what’s another?

ETA: I always have my license on me. So this simplifies things (for me)

And NO. I don’t like all this government BS.
 
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