Question about the DMV and transferring out of state license (Waimea: city hall, car registration)

[slowgojoe]

Aloha,

I recently moved here in early Sept. and am trying to transfer my out of state license. Of course I wanted to do my car registration first so I had additional proof of residency before applying for my license. Well, my license expires next month (Nov 12), which seems like I still have plenty of time... but after some research, It looks they prefer I make an appointment with "AlohaQ", and the next available appointment isn't until mid December. Is that normal? Or can I just roll up and take a number and wait several hours without making an appointment? Seem's ridiculous it's 3 months out, and I obviously don't want to take the whole exam and drivers test again.

Other than the licensing dept. here, me and my family are loving it here.

Mahalo.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by slowgojoe

I recently moved here in early Sept. and am trying to transfer my out of state license. Of course I wanted to do my car registration first so I had additional proof of residency before applying for my license. Well, my license expires next month (Nov 12), which seems like I still have plenty of time... but after some research, It looks they prefer I make an appointment with "AlohaQ", and the next available appointment isn't until mid December. Is that normal? Or can I just roll up and take a number and wait several hours without making an appointment?

Yes, the online appointments tend to have multi-month waits. I found that out myself a few months ago.

Also yes, you can just roll up and take a number and wait potentially several hours (my experience was about 2.5 hours). I'd recommend getting in line before they open. If you go early afternoon and they haven't called your number when they close, you are out of luck and have to come back.

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by slowgojoe

Aloha,

I recently moved here in early Sept. and am trying to transfer my out of state license. Of course I wanted to do my car registration first so I had additional proof of residency before applying for my license. Well, my license expires next month (Nov 12), which seems like I still have plenty of time... but after some research, It looks they prefer I make an appointment with "AlohaQ", and the next available appointment isn't until mid December. Is that normal? Or can I just roll up and take a number and wait several hours without making an appointment? Seem's ridiculous it's 3 months out, and I obviously don't want to take the whole exam and drivers test again.

Other than the licensing dept. here, me and my family are loving it here.

Mahalo.

Before you go to get your registration. Be sure to get your car Safety checked. They will ask to see your proof of Hawaii Auto insurance and Safety Inspection paperwork, in order to get your registration completed. Where you live makes a difference on wait time. You are always going to have lines. But some have smaller lines, if that makes sense. Which Satellite city hall are you near?

[slowgojoe]

Thank you for the responses. Exactly what I needed to know. I'm near Ala Moana and work downtown/chinatown (a few blocks from the Fort St. Satellite), but was planning to make a trip to the Kapalama location since they do "All Licensing Services" there. Or do you think it's worth it to Drive up to the Koolau Location instead? At any rate, I guess i'll be up bright and early to get in line

I've already done the registration, safety check etc, so all good there.

[davephan]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Yes, the online appointments tend to have multi-month waits. I found that out myself a few months ago.

Also yes, you can just roll up and take a number and wait potentially several hours (my experience was about 2.5 hours). I'd recommend getting in line before they open. If you go early afternoon and they haven't called your number when they close, you are out of luck and have to come back.

Something is catastrophically wrong with the DMV system in Hawaii! The typical waiting time I’ve experienced in Minnesota’s DMV is 5 minutes, even on a Saturday afternoons. The longest waiting time ever was 10 to 15 minutes. I’ve never heard of anyone being kicked out without service near closing time. That’s horrible customer service! Maybe it’s time for the DMV in Hawaii to be privatized. Or, the people of Hawaii can simply accept worthless government customer service.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by davephan

Something is catastrophically wrong with the DMV system in Hawaii!

A catastrophe is more like Hurricane Michael in Florida or starving children.

A long line at the DMV, not so much.

[ScottStielow]

Originally Posted by slowgojoe

Thank you for the responses. Exactly what I needed to know. I'm near Ala Moana and work downtown/chinatown (a few blocks from the Fort St. Satellite), but was planning to make a trip to the Kapalama location since they do "All Licensing Services" there. Or do you think it's worth it to Drive up to the Koolau Location instead? At any rate, I guess i'll be up bright and early to get in line

I've already done the registration, safety check etc, so all good there.

No you should be alright at the Fort St. Satellite. On the DMV Web site there use to be camera links that you could see how long the lines are at the various Satellite city halls. Check them out. Look for the Satellite you are planning to go.

[terracore]

"Or, the people of Hawaii can simply accept worthless government customer service."

I thought that was part of the deal.

It took me 5 hours to get my Alaska driver's license converted to Hawaii. We arrived before they opened and were optimistic because there was only a short line forming outside. But at lunch time they kicked everybody out and completely closed the office and locked the door. So after an hour of us waiting in the sun, they reopened the office and continued business. Part of the problem is that they only had two lines, licensing and registration, and everybody was there for licensing. The registration person just sat at her open window waiting for the next customer, which seldom arrived and left a few minutes later, and never helped anybody in the licensing line.

It was bureaucracy at its finest. If you need any service like this from the county of Hawaii, you need to schedule an entire day off work to do it.

[hotzcatz]

Next time drive up to Waimea. Generally there's not much wait time there.