[rickosuave]

Covid really slowed down processing and this message is still posted on CA DMV site:

Due to staffing and supply chain issues, the production and issuance of personalized license plate orders will take approximately 6-9 months. The plates will be manufactured in the order received and issued as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause.

Ordered Jan 7, arrived by mail May 7.

I know, WASABI was already taken...

 

[gfspencer]

I tried to get a Retired Army plate but they didn't have one.

 

[cayman_sense]

I don't miss CA DMV one bit.

 

[InigoMontoya]

They also dropped a half space option on 7 digit plates too! Now if you get 7 characters, there is no half space option like in the past. Yeah CA DMV gets low score.

 

[gfspencer]

They also dropped a half space option on 7 digit plates too! Now if you get 7 characters, there is no half space option like in the past. Yeah CA DMV gets low score.

We moved from North Carolina to California in the middle of the COVID crisis. I had to register two cars and a motorcycle. My wife and I had to get driver's licenses. I had to drive from Menlo Park to Fremont several times for each vehicle and multiple times for our licenses. What a pain in the butt. I am not a fan of the California DMV.

 

[Silverscooby27]

Is anyone really a fan of any DMV experience anywhere, though? 🤔

 

[balucipher]

Is anyone really a fan of any DMV experience anywhere, though? 🤔

I moved from CA to FL and the DMV experience is a million times better here. Plus during COVID they didn't shut down as much as some other states so you could still get things done in a reasonable timeframe.

 

[cayman_sense]

Is anyone really a fan of any DMV experience anywhere, though? 🤔

Same with Columbus, OH. Infinitely better. Okay, maybe only a million times better.

 

[Hal H]

I did CA > OR > NC over the years - what took getting used to is NC has offices split

One for drivers license and you go to a separate one for license plates

then again, the CA DMV offices can rival a Costco store for the amount of people and trying to find a parking spot...they're huge

 

[gfspencer]

Is anyone really a fan of any DMV experience anywhere, though? 🤔

Not really although North Carolina is better than California. At least the choice of personalized plates is better in North Carolina.

 

[Hal H]

Not really although North Carolina is better than California. At least the choice of personalized plates is better in North Carolina.

the quantity of specialty plates - its about 120 different ones at present in NC

 

[InigoMontoya]

California gets a lot of undue hate or dislike whatever you want to call it, but in the case of the DMV, I have to say it is warranted from my experience. I don't ever recall having a pleasant experience any California DMV and have had some of the lamest interactions ever there. I am a native californian and almost every visit since I was 16 years old to now has been lame... almost 40 years of lameness!

I even personally imported a BMW from Canada into California. What I will say on the flip side is that after seeing what I went through getting the car registered into California is that if I was looking at two identical cars imported from Canada one one was registered in California, smogged etc, I would feel more comfortable with it than some of these other "easy" states. I have helped many import cars (BMW 1Ms)from Canada and some states just give you a plate the same day. California (and some other states are strict too) but were talking Cali, they verified all the Canadian papers and US Import documents, required physical VIN confirmation, required california smog test and even then, didn't issue plates until 90 days later after they contacted and verified with Canadian DMV that there were no liens or thefts in Canada. So yes it was a pain in the butt for sure, but as I said, I would be more comfortable with a California registered import car than some of the other ones.

 

[Kor 446]

Is anyone really a fan of any DMV experience anywhere, though? 🤔

I have had very good experience in Montana. Not only have they been efficient, they've been friendly with a sense of humor. I've gotten similar treatment when calling state level government offices.

I don't think it's only the people that live here though that's part of it. It's an advantage that comes from living in a state that has a total population equivalent to medium-large sized cities like San Jose CA. I have equivalent access to our Seantors and Congressman as people in San Jose have to their mayor.

Heck, I am on a first name basis with one of our current and another of our former Senators. I won't name which ones because I don't want to make my political leanings hijack the thread.

 

[rickosuave]

Just like the series Yellowstone....and Cheers Where Everyone Knows Your Name. Must be nice not to compete with 40 million other folks for just about everything, including license plates.

 

[Aronis]

I found that the small town DMV's here in the Peoples Republic of New York are great. Usually one other person in line and a couple windows. When we moved from NH to NY (bad move LOL) I got two cars registered and two new licenses in one day. I showed up at the DMV early expecting to be there for a long time. There were two clerks. BOTH said "Good Morning" and I was out in under an hour with the registrations and my license. My wife had the same experience. So when we moved here, I was happy to see the same small town situation after an initial mistake going to the closer place where I was in line for an hours and a half and no one made eye contact.


Mike

 

[reidplum]

Well, one thumbs up for California and one thumbs down.

The DMV for the Monterey, CA area is in (I think) the small town of Seaside, just north of Monterey. We went there a number of times for various things and had fast efficient service each time. Try a Thursday at 2:00 pm. It's great.

On the other hand, we ordered a vanity plate last June. Still not here. We went in to inquire, and they said, "Oh, it's still in the system. You just have to wait." Maybe my son will get it after I kick off. Lucky kid.

 

[rickosuave]

Last June? As noted ordered mine online in January and delivered in April--4 mos to the day. Actually ordered a second one for another vehicle on same day and it has not arrived yet. For the second vehicle what I got in the mail about 45 days ago is a form letter telling me those tags were going to expire within 30 days and they could not process the vanity plate request until I renewed and filed the form...the form said after the tags were renewed and form filed, the plates would be send within 30 days. Yeah California DMV is like a black hole in space...

 

[audi4t]

Georgia is very efficient.

Plates are issued by the county - check availability on line - order and pay at county office, receive mail within 2 weeks.

Drivers license done at separate facilities - fast and efficient.

Now Connecticut is another story and probably as bad as California 🥴🥴🥴

 

[dancosta94526]

Great plate! Not an easy task to come up with something clever that has not already been taken. I also ordered a personal plate from the CA DMV and it took nearly 8 months to get.

 

[rickosuave]

Thanks. I had about 50 other ideas I had been working on and my youngest came up with that one off the cuff in about 5 seconds. Sometimes the best ideas are simple and obvious...