Department of Revenue working hard to solve long lines at DMV

The visuals speak for themselves: customers lined up out the door, frustrated and hot, trying to renew their driver’s license before it expires. It might be a stereotype about the DMV, but it’s unacceptable. My team and I accept full responsibility and are going to fix it.

We are working solutions from multiple angles. First, we have marshaled driver’s license examiners from all over the state so the Mission and Olathe offices can open Mondays 7 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. After Labor Day, all offices statewide will be open at least Monday through Friday, which will boost the availability of services.

We have a third Johnson County driver’s license office in the works, and we hope to announce details and location very soon.

We are working with the online check-in vendor to improve that tool. If that does not happen, we are going to move to a different system. Our goal is to professionalize the services so that drivers can make appointments and not worry about getting in line.

This year’s summer busy season has been compounded by the option for credential holders to get a Real ID ahead of the Oct. 1, 2020 federal implementation date. Credential holders are making multiple trips to the offices to get their Real ID, doubling the traffic typically expected.

With that in mind, there are ways you can help us make your experience better. Please use the Real ID checklist to make sure you have the correct documentation the first time you visit the office. When you get to the office with your documents, ask the greeter to look them over to verify they are acceptable under stringent federal Real ID requirements.

There are other solutions we are working on to improve our driver’s license services statewide. We are doing our best to make visits to the DMV the quick and convenient experience you deserve.