[yellowsnow]

Now I know why people don't want to register their cars and change their driver's license. Could they make this process any worse?

I avoided it as long as possible but my registration expires at the end of this month so it was time. I owned a home in MN till August so I didn't feel bad at all about waiting to register. I drove back and forth quite a bit.

I get to the DMV on Sahara before 7:30am and there was a nice man at the out of state inspection booth who looked at my car early and scanned my smog thing. Great! So far so good.

I went and parked and got in line. I was about 200 people back from the entrance to the building. Well, that sucks but I expected it. I had a book and my IPOD. No worries.

They opened promptly at 8am and the line moved quickly. I got inside the building only to find another line snaking around in S curves. Information....that's where they check and make sure you have everything you need before you move on to the next wait. The DMV seemed well staffed and the line did move consistently at a snails pace. Finally it was my turn. The clerk took all my papers. Current DL, valid passport, SS card, car insurance, smog check, out of state vehicle inspection paper, and the car title. She said I was good to go and sent me to the next line. Pictures. I waited there and got my picture taken. Then I went to the next line at a yellow ribbon and was finally given my number for the real wait.

I waited. For a long time. They finally called my number and it all went downhill from there. No registration because the title wasn't enough. I needed the current registration. Next no license either. A valid drivers license and a valid passport isn't enough. My SS card was original and still in my maiden name. The same maiden name that is printed on my current DL and my passport. I have to change the name on my SS card to get a drivers license. Why? I always thought a SS card was relative only to employment and was not a legal ID? They don't know why but thems the rules.

So I can leave and return to the US but I don't have enough ID to get a NV drivers license. Be warned..... And if you are female, you are really up a creek if you ever changed your name. They want to see every marriage certificate and every divorce decree. Even if it happened decades ago. I heard them telling this to other people. Even if you have have a valid license from somewhere else. It's much more difficult for a female who is or has been married to get a license than a male.

And after hanging out at the DMV for quite a while and ending up with nothing, I also wonder if it would have been easier if I wasn't a US citizen too. Passports seem to work just fine for non citizens but a US passport didn't do a thing for me. Maybe we do need a national ID card so we can get rid of all this mess.

So what now? I have to change the name on my SS card and get a copy of my registration. Then go back and spend another lovely day at the DMV. And BTW, I asked and there are no offices open at odd hours or 24x7. Strange, in a city where shift work rules, they should be open all the time or at least have extended hours.

My recommendation after going through all this is to drive to Pahrump.

[fremontfred]

Sorry to hear you had such a rough time, but you really made it bad on yourself by not fully preparing ahead of time. The DMV site spells out exactly what you need and even explains what documents you will have to show if you have ever had a name change. It's too bad that they didn't catch it at the first stage as they could have saved everyone time. I think one of the reasons the lines are so long is that so many people come in without all their stuff, spend 15 minutes talking to someone about it, and then have to come back another time. Last time I was there it seemed like 50% of the people were sent away because they didn't have all their stuff in order. It made me a bit angry because I spent awhile reading though everything on the DMV site and even filled out my paperwork in advance, yet I still had to wait hours in line because of people who show up with no clue.

[lisdol]

Oh good lord that sounds awful.

Is there a DMV in Mesquite? Sheesh I might be willing to drive there to avoid this mess.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by fremontfred

Sorry to hear you had such a rough time, but you really made it bad on yourself by not fully preparing ahead of time. The DMV site spells out exactly what you need and even explains what documents you will have to show if you have ever had a name change. It's too bad that they didn't catch it at the first stage as they could have saved everyone time. I think one of the reasons the lines are so long is that so many people come in without all their stuff, spend 15 minutes talking to someone about it, and then have to come back another time. Last time I was there it seemed like 50% of the people were sent away because they didn't have all their stuff in order. It made me a bit angry because I spent awhile reading though everything on the DMV site and even filled out my paperwork in advance, yet I still had to wait hours in line because of people who show up with no clue.

Actually she still loses. The DMV does not appear to require that the SS card be updated...only the proof of ID doc. Which was fine.

[unf0rgiven6262]

A similar experience happened to my girlfriend. We both read the site and prepared as well. They are just very inconsistent one person to the next. The first guy my girlfriend met with at the DMV said all she needed was the divorce decree. When she showed up again, the next person said she needed her marriage certificate and refused to proceed. Once the supervisor came over though, she went over his head and approved it all. They didn't ask me or my girlfriend for ANY proof of residency getting our ID's here. They just wanted that cold hard cash for my registration and license fees.

[PinkString]

I have a friend that was adopted, but she can't get her ID because she can't find the right agency for her to send for her certificate of adoption. So what does she do? She needs to work because her husband is disabled. She can't work without ID. It was all fine until it expired. Why do they make IDs expire? It's not a license. She's the friend that lives off of Maryland pkwy/Flamingo, next to LVDs new digs.

[yellowsnow]

Originally Posted by olecapt

Actually she still loses. The DMV does not appear to require that the SS card be updated...only the proof of ID doc. Which was fine.

WHAAATTTT? Say this slowly and in English..... Am I missing something?

And to whom do I complain?

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by yellowsnow

WHAAATTTT? Say this slowly and in English..... Am I missing something?

And to whom do I complain?

Maiden Names/Name Changes - You must present documentation of any name change(s) if you will be presenting a proof of identity document that does not contain your current legal name. This may include a Marriage Certificate, divorce decree, adoption records or court order. In a case of multiple name changes, you may be asked for records of each change.

From...

Nevada Driver License Residency & Proof of Identity

They don't say you don't have to change your SS card but they sure as hell imply it...

And wait...changing an SS card can be as much fun as a day at the DMV...

[Spraynard Kruger]

Life sucks, get a helmet. At the DMV? Take a number, too.

Thanks for the cautionary tale, Yellowsnow. This is probably one of the most useful posts I have seen around here in a while.

[yellowsnow]

Originally Posted by olecapt

Maiden Names/Name Changes - You must present documentation of any name change(s) if you will be presenting a proof of identity document that does not contain your current legal name. This may include a Marriage Certificate, divorce decree, adoption records or court order. In a case of multiple name changes, you may be asked for records of each change.

From...

Nevada Driver License Residency & Proof of Identity (http://www.dmvstat.com/dlresidency.htm - broken link)

They don't say you don't have to change your SS card but they sure as hell imply it...

And wait...changing an SS card can be as much fun as a day at the DMV...

The passport and the DL have my first, middle, maiden, and married name on them. The SS card has my first, middle, and maiden name. The passport is my second form of ID. My SS card is not legal ID and I just gave it to them because they ask for it. Why?

And they don't say the SS card is ID and it is not a valid secondary source of ID.

And yes, getting a marriage certificate is going to be a PITA. That's what I need to change my SS card. I was married almost 40 years ago and no one till now has had any problems with my ID. I didn't have to do it for a passport or a DL in any other state(and I've had several).

So here's the loophole and I ferreted it out myself. My mistake was showing them my SS card. All I have to do is take a paystub with my name and ssn on it. But that won't give me this wasted day back......