LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas residents are facing significant delays at DMV offices as the May 7 Real ID deadline approaches, creating a bureaucratic nightmare for those needing essential services.
Georgiana Rosenzweig found herself in a desperate situation when her driver's license was about to expire and she couldn't secure a timely appointment for renewal.
Darcy Spears asks the DMV, "What's the Deal?" after hearing from Georgiana Rosenzweig:
"I went to Sam's Club and got four cases of water and anything I would need that was freezeable so that I could be sequestered at home for six weeks," Rosenzweig said.
She was preparing to essentially quarantine herself at home, not because of a pandemic, but because she couldn't get her driver's license renewed despite making every effort.
"I feel it was like being bullied. That's the feeling I got. It was like, this is it, no options, go home, deal with it," Rosenzweig said.
When Rosenzweig received her renewal notice in the mail, she attempted to complete the process online but discovered she wasn't eligible.
"She was over 71, which means that you do have to come into an office and get that renewal done in person just so that she could get administered an eye test," explained Hailey Foster, DMV spokesperson.
Rosenzweig then visited her local DMV office, only to be turned away.
"And she said, 'Well, we will not see anybody. There's no walk-ins anymore at the DMV; you have to have an appointment,'" Rosenzweig said.
The DMV suspended walk-in services last summer due to high temperatures, according to Foster.
"Due to the warmer weather, we didn't want people waiting outside," Foster said.
Although the hot weather has passed, walk-in days did not return, despite the DMV acknowledging their importance.
"We do know that those walk-ins were crucial," Foster said.
The DMV does release approximately 600 appointments each Tuesday at 8 p.m. for each metro office for the following Wednesday. Rosenzweig tried this option using a QR code provided by the DMV.
"Oh my goodness! I got onto the website, and it said you are number 5,000. I just couldn't believe it. I thought I was reading wrong," Rosenzweig said.
After waiting about 90 minutes online, she discovered the earliest available appointment was at the end of May — six weeks after her license would expire.
"So, of course, I was upset. That's six weeks after my license expires, and what am I going to do? And I asked my neighbors, and they said, 'Oh yeah, I know someone who drove a whole month without a license because they couldn't get in.' So, that's why I emailed you. Because no one can get help," Rosenzweig said.
Foster attributes the backlog to the crush of last-minute Real ID customers trying to beat the May 7 deadline, which is preventing people from getting other in-person services promptly.
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"A renewal appointment is grouped in with a generic driver's license or ID appointment, so they kind of do fill out a little bit quickly now that the deadline is right around the corner," Foster said.
When asked how someone can get a timely appointment, Foster acknowledged the difficulty.
"Yeah, that's, again, the hardest part. I would just say people cancel their appointments all the time," Foster said.
Her advice is to keep checking the website for cancellations, try to get the first appointment of the day, and make sure the service actually requires an in-person visit.
Rosenzweig finds the current system unacceptable.
"That's fine if they want to make appointments, but you have to be able to get them in a timely fashion," Rosenzweig said.
After reaching out to me about her situation, I was able to help Rosenzweig secure a next-day appointment so she could renew her license before it expired.
"If it wasn't for you bypassing that system, I would be — I wouldn't be able to drive here today," Rosenzweig said.
When asked what message she had for the DMV, Rosenzweig was direct: "Open up your doors and let people come in and service them."
Starting Tuesday, the DMV is making some changes. Customers who need a Real ID can visit any Nevada DMV office without an appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 4 p.m. between now and May 15. The spots are limited and first come, first served until the office reaches capacity.
Click here for more information on the Real ID walk-in days.
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