Driver License & Auto Registration

[Mom36]

Well, we accomplised our mission yesterday. Hubby and I got our Alabama licenses at the Decatur office. Took about an hour. The staff of 3 was pleasant. The wait wasn't terrible. All in all, not a bad experience. Went back to our apartment and picked up our other 2 cars and went to the Huntsville courthouse for the title and registration transfers. Did a lap around the square and hubby was able to get one of the "inspection only" parking spots. Daughter and I did another lap and someone left allowing me to get one of those spots. Daughter did another lap and again, someone left, allowing her to get a spot also. Went inside and waited maybe 20 minutes in line. A very nice woman did our transfers, even making changes on the titles that Georgia would only do with an act of congress. While she was doing the paper work, another woman had gone out and gotten the VIN numbers off our cars. It took maybe 20 minutes to get all the paperwork done for 3 vehicles and we were done. The experience was no worse than in Georgia. Actually, much better than Georgia 15 years ago when getting a license transfer meant standing outside in a line for 3+ hours, then taking a written test. And, both the Decatur and Huntsville courthouse have free WiFi, so you can surf the web while you wait!

[Elizabeth_G]

Doing the happy dance!
The Madison County Record » Satellite license, tax office opening in Madison

[ATLnSAV]

Originally Posted by Mom36

Well, we accomplised our mission yesterday. Hubby and I got our Alabama licenses at the Decatur office. Took about an hour. The staff of 3 was pleasant. The wait wasn't terrible. All in all, not a bad experience. Went back to our apartment and picked up our other 2 cars and went to the Huntsville courthouse for the title and registration transfers. Did a lap around the square and hubby was able to get one of the "inspection only" parking spots. Daughter and I did another lap and someone left allowing me to get one of those spots. Daughter did another lap and again, someone left, allowing her to get a spot also. Went inside and waited maybe 20 minutes in line. A very nice woman did our transfers, even making changes on the titles that Georgia would only do with an act of congress. While she was doing the paper work, another woman had gone out and gotten the VIN numbers off our cars. It took maybe 20 minutes to get all the paperwork done for 3 vehicles and we were done. The experience was no worse than in Georgia. Actually, much better than Georgia 15 years ago when getting a license transfer meant standing outside in a line for 3+ hours, then taking a written test. And, both the Decatur and Huntsville courthouse have free WiFi, so you can surf the web while you wait!

CONGRATS! My bad experience in Opelika was due mostly to the offices there being spread out, understaffed and overwhelmed. You are right about the process in Georgia -- it used to be a nightmare back in the day but state driver services have really came long way, at least before all the budget cuts.

PS -- that whole inspection / trooper putting on the tag thing in AL is still ridiculous.

[Keeper]

Originally Posted by ATLnSAV

PS -- that whole inspection / trooper putting on the tag thing in AL is still ridiculous.

That didn't happen when I got my tag.. I put on my own tag and there was no inspection either other than the vin #.

[djmaxwell]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth_G

Doing the happy dance!
The Madison County Record » Satellite license, tax office opening in Madison

But at the expense of a nice local restaurant

[Marc45002]

Originally Posted by Keeper

That didn't happen when I got my tag.. I put on my own tag and there was no inspection either other than the vin #.

We had two new cars. No need to inspect either car (they took VIN off dealer paperwork). We put on our own tags.

We went to Church St today. They open at 0700 to hand out numbers and start work at 0800. We got there around 0740 and were the sixth and seventh in line. Even with only two people working drivers licenses, we were out of there by 0840.

If you want to get out of there quickly, I recommend getting there at 0700 to grab your number(s) and then heading off to breakfast. You should then be out by 0810.

Marc

[memberX]

I've moved back and forth several times to Alabama and I never had bad experiences with the DMV.

I went in and went out relatively quickly. I guess I must be lucky.