One thing that comes out of all the reviews--don't even THINK of going anywhere near this place before you have done all your homework and get all your documentation together
I found it odd these reviews started out so positively--just wait, they get more like I expected them to be pretty fast
AND as I have said before, I cannot think about the DMV without remembering that Marge Simpson's sister worked there -- as a bureaucrat from hell who even almost gets whacked for the way she mistreats a Mafia boss who has to deal with her (funny episode, that)
Department of Motor Vehicles
1293-1311 Broadway
8th Fl
New York, NY 10001
Neighborhoods: Midtown West, Koreatown
(212) 645-5550
8th Fl
New York, NY 10001
Neighborhoods: Midtown West, Koreatown
(212) 645-5550
- Nearest Transit Station:
- 34 St. - Herald Sq (B, D, F, M, N, Q, R)34 St. - Penn Station (1, 2, 3)28 St. (N, R)
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu 8 am - 7 pmFri 8:30 am - 4 pm
112 reviews for Department of Motor Vehicles
Lottie P.'s Review
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Review from Lottie P.
Brooklyn, NYI guess I was expecting the worst but I had a not so horrible experience. My day started at 8:00 I waited in line for 30 minutes at the express place just to find out they couldn't help me (sigh). I got here around 8:45 and was out by 10, I had all my documents filled out, just waited in line, got my photo then waited for my number to be called to pay- yes there was a lot of waiting, but what can you expect? As long as you are physically and mentally prepared your not going to be in and out of here in 10 minutes you will be totally fine!
112 reviews in English
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Review from Alex K.
Manhattan, NYI got there around 6pm on Thurs after work (thank Jesus for the extended hours), and waited in the initial line for maybe 10 minutes before handing in my stuff. I was so nervous because not only did I have an expired license, but it was out of state.
.....and I lost it.
BUT *~*I DID MY RESEARCH*~* and what I needed (and what you may need too), was:
- passport
- ss card
- driving record from my previous license state (printed it online for like $13)
- MV-44 form (printed online from the NY DMV site)
- $67-something for the new license
I was in and out in an hour, which is a miracle compared to the horror I've been through at other DMV's, and despite it being the end of the day, everyone was super pleasant, despite some of the equipment malfunctioning/taking a long time to load.
Way to go, Herald Square DMV! No longer will I judge a DMV by its identity!
Demon out!! -
Review from Ashish T.
Midtown East, Manhattan, NYI went in today, a Thursday, and reached the DMV at 8am. There was a small line upstairs, but everything went pretty smoothly and I was done in an hour. I am here on a temp visa and that is why it took that long. I reckon a US citizen would have gotten done in 30-40mins.
Some tips to save time in specific cases:
1. If you are just exchanging your license from another state, you DO NOT need to stand in the Information line. This is easily at least 50% of your time at the DMV. Bring in pre-filled form, your ssn card, a credit card/insurance card, current driver license, proof of date of birth (birth certificate / passport). Just head straight to the photo line with all your documents ready.
Go straight to the "Photo Line". Do not ask the reps standing around as they don't know anything. They have one answer to ALL you questions - "Please stand in the Information Line"
2. If you applying for license and have a filled out application, go straight to the "Test Line". Again, no need to stand in the Information Line. The forms are available online and take 5mins to fill out.
3. If you are an international, here on a temp visa like F1 or H1B, be sure to bring all related documentation like I94 or I797 forms in ORIGINAL. You still have to start in the photo line, but you will be required to verify your status, so there is one more step. You can still skip the Information Line as mentioned in the above 2 points. After the verification is done, you CAN go to the front of the Photo line. You DO NOT need to start at the back of the line.
I gave 4 stars because in spite of me asking the staff repeatedly about whether I need to stand in the Information Line even though I have all the documents, they just kept asking me to join the line. I could have easily saved 20+ mins if I had followed the advice I gave above. More if you come when the line is crazy long. -
Review from Anna Z.
Brooklyn, NYI went in to get my permit today. 12:30pm on a Tuesday and it wasn't too crowded. I was out of there in a little more than an hour. Reading Yelp reviews really helped!
The people working there aren't customer service reps so they're not gonna be out there to lavish you with friendliness, but they aren't MEAN people either. They might get a bit snobby/snappy with you if you ask too many questions - just don't be rude back and listen/follow to the directions carefully.
Print out whatever forms you need at home and fill them out prior to arriving at the DMV. I went to the wrong line at first (it was the photo line and I thought that was where I would go if I already had my application filled out). Instead, there's a separate line (LINE B FOR PERMITS) for permits that takes care of the eye test, written test, and photo.
There's actually plenty of pens and pencils around so you don't even need to bring your own but bring it just in case I guess. I was done with everything in about 45 minutes. Waiting to pay was what took the longest but overall, the process was a breeze.
I remember my friends all said they waited around 4 hours to get their permit done (at other locations in Brooklyn) so thank God this went well. -
Review from Randall S.
Washington, DCThe New York DMV has in place policies that discriminate against citizens in favor of non-citizens. Here's what they do: In order to get a driver's license or permit, they (ridiculously, in my view) require an actual social security card. If you are not eligible for a social security card, however, they accept a letter of ineligibility from the Social Security Administration. Such a letter can be acquired immediately in person at the SSA office. To receive the actual card, however, you must present yourself at the SSA office, and then wait up to ten business days to receive it in the mail. Although the SSA gives you a "printout" on the spot that identifies your social security number and name, this letter is not sufficient for the DMV.
The New York DMV, then, has set up a system that makes it more difficult for citizens to obtain drivers' licenses than for non-citizens.
They also have signs throughout the building saying that filming, photographing, or recording DMV employees is prohibited, evidently so that they can abuse customers with impunity. -
Review from Carlos C.
New York, NYthe worst place on earth. the worst possible service, especially from the supervisor. waited 4 hours in line. literally the. worst. place. on. earth. definitely go to the DMV office in harlem or anywhere but here. -
Review from Denise D.
Bronx, NYI CANNOT with the NYC DMV.
The DMV and I are life long enemies. But I figured it's close to work I can finally take the permit test for the billionth time and be on my way, free to exhibit road rage not as a back seat driver.
They had other plans. I had all my paperwork, studied the materials, and showed up without a pen! Dammit. I ask the security guard for a pen and he directs me around the corner to a....VENDING MACHINE. They have the audacity to charge 25 cents for a pen.
After paying for a pen! I go back in line to be greeted by yelling. Perhaps this is her normal voice, but she was loud for no reason. After gruffly barking directions to those on line, I was up next to hand over my form. This person tells me that I don't have a birth certificate, although I clearly handed one over. She starts going on about how it's not a real birth certificate and I need to go to some other bureaucratic office to get a real one. I explain that I was not born in NYC including the boroughs, but she said it didn't matter. I was born in the state and needed a new certificate, because what I have was issued by the hospital. I am clearly showing my age, but isn't that how it was always done? (I later learned she didn't know what the hell she was talking about, I have to either go to Port Chester to get a new one or apply online.)
So after being accused of not being a real citizen of the United States, I angrily gathered my belongings and left. I refuse to pay for a new birth certificate when I clearly have used it before to get my permit. (No this is not my first time on the ride, I've done this many times, sadly.) Anyway once my new passport arrives I will return and waive it in her face and demand to be allowed to sit for my permit test.
All in all it was a terrible day and I am clearly still bothered by the entire experience. I can't believe I am about to write this, but go to the Harlem location.
The DMV would be better served if they hired children to run this location. This place needs a renovation and the worker's need an attitude adjustment.
I wish I could give them a ZERO. -
Review from Sean C.
Brooklyn, NYI think I found the sweet spot. I showed up at 7:50 on a weekday and was the 10th or 11th person in line. Ignore the entrance, just look for the line starting on the SW corner of 34th and 6th ave. Right below 34th street.
Since I was about the 10th person in line, i ended up being the last in the elevator when they opened the door at 8:30. This made me the first person in line when we exited the elevator. A couple people pushed and shoved to get in front, but no need to. The first few go pretty fast.
I was exchanging an out-of-state license, so I had my passport, SS card and old (valid) driver's license with the for filled out from the website. I was in and out in 20 minutes.
If you're just renewing a license... just do it online! -
Review from Yvonne T.
New York, NYI would recommend browsing all the reviews before going. The reviews prepared me so well, and I was in and out of the DMV within an hour -- thank you fellow yelpers!
I arrived around 8:15AM, with the line already snaking around to 34th street as expected. I had a coffee (note, they'll make you finish it or throw it out before entering) and waited in line. They opened the doors promptly at 8:30AM. I had taken the advice of fellow yelper Tim T (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…) and went the Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) route. NOTE: This is a more expensive license ($90) rather than the $65 regular, but you can use it as a passport in certain countries (when driving to Canada or Mexico), and skip all the lines, so this was fine by me. I had the form filled out, my passport, my social security card, my old license and two forms of residence validation (bank statement and utility bill/cable bill).
When I got off the elevator, I had no choice but to get into the information line since all the doors were closed but one, however, there was a man expediting and called out for any people that were exchanging licenses from out of state soon after I got in the line. I skipped the line, and told him I was there for an enhanced driver's license. He sent me to booth 26. There was no line there. I showed my documents, the woman scanned them, I did a quick eye test by reading some letters on an eye chart from that booth, took a picture right around the corner, then was given a number to wait and pay. I waited about 15 minutes until my number was called. The lady at the booth reviewed my documents again, typed the info in, let me look it over, then printed out a temporary license and I paid with credit card. Done by 9:10AM. My license will be mailed in two weeks.
All in all, no one was particularly friendly, but not mean either. Tempering your expectations is key, and be prepared to wait. -
Review from Ed L.
Hell on Earth, thy name is DMV.
First off, this location is a bit difficult to find. I was expecting an official looking city building, but there are all these stores located on the ground level and the scaffolding hides the signage which tells you to go through the revolving door. I passed it thinking it was an entrance to a mall. Once inside, you'll start at the informational queue, where they'll give you any forms you need and they'll tell you to head to line A.
Line A is a typical serpentine path that you'll find at any city office, please note that once in the center, you'll find yourself uncomfortably warm and a bit claustrophobic. There was one knucklehead who was chatting to a woman 9 spots behind him. You'd think he'd only hit on her when the line brought them together, but he would holler at her even when the line split them apart. "I'm sorry sir, but I was enjoying 'The King of Wishful Thinking' from the Pretty Woman soundtrack, thank you very much!" On that note, bring headphones and music, you're gonna need it.
When you finally see a DMV employee they'll be as apathetic as you'd expect. Not rude, just bored. If you have to go to the DMV, be sure to either bring a friend or your "device". You're going to do a lot of waiting. Also get there early. I got there around 10 and the queue got twice as big by the time I left at noon.-
The entrance for the DMV is kind of hard to miss with all o…
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