Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Thank you DMV, I love a good run around...


So let me just tell you how much I despise the Utah Department of Public Safety. There are so many things that I would gladly do before I would ever want to renew my driver's license again. What? You need me to shovel horse poo in 90 degree weather? Done...
Let me explain. Renewing a driver's license shouldn't be that big of a deal right? Well ever since the state changed its rules of obtaining the renewal, it has been a big deal for a lot of people. Me in particular today. I did everything RIGHT. Or so I thought. I checked online and made an appointment. However, the only appointment available before my birthday was in Orem. Not a big deal. Driving to West Valley would have taken longer anyway. Online it tells you to bring your birth certificate-check, driver's license-check, two proofs of current address-check, social security card-check, application filled out-check, oh and marriage license-check, well sort of. Did you know there was a difference between a marriage license and a marriage certificate? I apparently did not. I grabbed the first thing that I saw that looked like a marriage license and headed on my way to Orem. Well everything went really well once I got to the office. I was seen right away because I had set up the appointment. Well after a few minutes the lady assisting me tells me that they need the original marriage license. What I had brought was the marriage certificate. Whoops. Like I said I didn't know there were two different pieces of paper. I was confused why they even needed the license to begin with. My driver's license has my married name on it. Do they really need to prove again that I was married? Well after a few minutes of pleading with the woman, I was still sent on my way to get the correct documentation. She tells me that I can take the certificate to the county building in Provo and get another copy. I tell her that I am from Salt Lake County and ask her if they will still give me a copy? She assures me that they will and off I go. Well I get to the building in Provo and go up to the third floor where the licenses are and see a sign that says, "Marriage Licenses are located at the other building West of here in room 3600". Of course she told me the wrong building. So I grumble and gripe and make my way to the next building over. I have to wait in line and watch BYU fresh, too young to get married couples gleefully show their IDS and pay their 50 dollars... You can sense I'm irritated by now... I finally make my way to the desk and explain my situation.
Woman behind the desk: "You were married in Salt Lake County?"
Me: "Yes."
Woman: "Well we can't print you off a copy here. This is only for Utah County."
Me: "Of course you can't.." (grumble grumble)
Woman: "You'll need to go to the Salt Lake County Office and here is the information," Bla bla bla
Well by this time I was IRATE. I leave the building and go out to my car steaming from the ears. I started digging through my glove box because I have this feeling that I had a copy of the license in there. Amazingly enough there was one! What are the odds? And why there was one in there, God only knows. I quickly called the DMV to see if they would accept a copy and guess what I found out? I didn't even need my marriage license! The woman at the DMV was totally incompetent. I asked the woman on the phone if a copy would work-just in case they didn't believe me that I didn't need the license. She told me that it would only work if it was a certified copy and had the state seal stampy thing on it. Amazing! It did! I was on my way back to the DMV. Anyway, it did work out. I got my freakin renewal, but moral of the story. Even if you think you did everything right, anytime you have to do something like renewing your license, you should just plan on it taking all day.

6 comments:

Dogmom Diva said...

Oh they are such idiots in that state at the DMV..I had run in's with the ones in St. George AND Cedar City..got different information from both places..go figure any state that has open book tests. Sorry still venting from my time living there.

Why on earth do you need a marriage license for a drivers license renewal..I don't get it.


Kellie, I don't blame you for being irate, I am irate just thinking about it:(

Jobi Niu said...

HOW ANNOYING!! My license expired in MArch. I am going this week to get mine renewed. Thanks for the heads up! How annoying. I'm sorry.

heidi said...

wow.
what a terrible experiance.
what a pain in the butt.
glad you finally got it worked out.
apparently nothing in life can be easy. its the hard way or no way.
(so glad i had to get my licence renewed last year, before all the new changes!)

jayni & ben said...

sucky. I hate when things like that happen. At least you have a good ending :)

The Payne Family said...

That sucks! Seriously, that is ridiculous. I'm sorry you had such a rough day. So annoying!!

Amie said...

I have to renew my drivers license today and this makes me dread going. I had to get a new one back in December and I had a similar problem. Sooo annoying. But I have to renew it today because it expires today. So ANNOYING!