Registry of Motor Vehicles

Haven’t dealt with the registry yet, so no review on the RMV. You know how the RMV can be. I was here for EZpass which I didn’t know they were in the new location until EZpass phone rep recommended this location that is close to me.

As good as it gets for an RMV. The process of registering an out of state car was super easy and everyone was friendly and helpful throughout the process. I was dreading the ordeal bc of other MA govt run entities but I was pleasantly surprised.
Cash/​check/​money orders only for registration and titles, debit/​credit for license fees.

No matter how early you go Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) there is always a line. My first visit to building, it was clean, courteous staff, security guard friendly and the second guard (might have been a police officer) was pleasant & knowledgeable. I was not able to finish what I set out to do at DMV. However, I left on a good note.

Showed up around 11a and the line was long but moved pretty quickly. When i got to the counter the woman was incredibly rude and unhelpful. I had the incorrect paperwork and instead of answering my questions about specifications on the type of paperwork they need (I checked the rmv website before I went to make sure my documentation would be ok, according to the website it should be, so much for that) she told me to step out of the way for the next person and come back with the paperwork. She did not even bother to answer my question of exactly what paperwork was needed since I thought I had the right paperwork. Fortunately I was able to speak to a woman at the entrance who was very helpful and told me exactly the kind of documentation I needed. After retrieving it, I went back (on the same day), stood in the same long line, and another woman at the customer service counter was much nicer and actually understood the concept «customer service.» These two helpful women are the only reason I am giving this place 3 stars. My first encounter with the woman working at the customer service desk was so horrid I am thankful I won’t have to go back there for several years. In regards to the space, despite attempts at organization, it does not fully succeed in that regard. Majority of the people were confused about what line to be in and there were too few staff to direct everyone making sure they had the right form filled out before getting in line. Again, the woman working at the entrance managed to do a great job with the influx of people, but it was still confusing to many people. The line can move quickly if you’re lucky, but at least the new space is nice with free wifi.

Two stars is strictly for the staff who remain friendly despite the morons they have to deal with all day (like the kid in front of me who could not follow directions if his life depended on it). I’d actually give them 4 stars, but the rest of this place drops the overall score. The facility is nicer than the former that was in Chinatown. However, the process and line structure is just stupid and poorly thought out. You wait in the first line to get a form you had no idea you needed because they’re not available anywhere. Then you have to get back in the SAME long line once the form is filled out. So, let me save you some time, get in the shortest line. Either way, youll have the privilege of waiting twice. Then you get your number. Then you wait again. See what I mean? Now we know it wasn’t a Mensa candidate who designed this place. Bring something to occupy your time, you’ll need it along with some Purell. And why does this place smell like feet?

I was amazed at how nice the new space is. Not that the old RMV space was bad, but this is just… new! Everything was quite efficient, and there wasn’t much of a wait. But even if there was, I wouldn’t have minded hunkering down here.
Love love LOVE the free wifi. Thought that the self-​serve kiosks for a few basic needs was pretty awesome. Bathrooms are very easily accessible (which, is always a plus). Huge, clean waiting area and plenty of trash cans so it’s pretty darn clean. Plenty of seating.
Service was standard for the RMV, waiting was better than most, despite going at 1pm on a Wednesday. I specifically choose to go to the downtown Boston location as I find the busier the location, the more efficient experience and faster the wait time.
Definitely one of the better RMV experiences I’ve had. Next time I need to hit up the RMV, I’ll go here!

Most pleasant DMV experience of my entire life. Lined up at 855 for a license renewal. Doors opened promptly, efficient queuing, out with a new license by 930.

My number was called 20seconds after arriving. I had a relatively complex transaction and the guy was very accommodating and i was done within 15mins of arriving. Its the DMV… i dont get it. I came with a sandwich cuz i thought id be there forever.

If hell is real, it is surely being stuck in this shithole for eternity. These are BY FAR the rudest RMV employees I’ve ever encountered. Just being in their general vicinity seems enough to set them off. Don’t even bother asking a question. Don’t even bother asking for help of any kind. Hey, RMV employees, maybe try not taking it out on the general public because you have a shitty job. If it’s so unbearable for you to be there, do us all a favor and go find another job. Maybe take a job seminar in general patience and pleasantness first though. This place is so fucking wretched.

I went in to renew my license today. I parked in the Haymarket garage (same bldg) I was told if I go to convenience & make a purchase; they’ll validate & Ill prob pay $ 1 /​hr for Parking which is super cool for downtown. This is a really nice bright &new location lots of light so you don’t feel like you’re in a dungeon. The wait was prob like 2 min before they called my number. The first reception that gives paperwork was very nice. I would’ve given5 stars if the the woman that handled my renewal made eye contact /​smiled & said hello. I guess Tuesday afternoon around 2pm is a good time. No lines or waiting. I was out within 30 min. The longest it took was to find a working pen & fill out my form.

Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think I would give an RMV 5 stars but this location is fantastic. I should say that I went on a Monday afternoon, however, it was quick. I went to change my out-​of-​state license to a Mass license and from the moment I walked in the door to the moment I left, it was about half an hour. Not exaggerating. Half and hour. You go in, stand in line at a front desk and tell them why you’re there. They give you the appropriate paperwork which you go fill out at some counters. WHen you’re done you sit and your number is called. You go to the back, someone processes your paperwork, takes your picture, and about 10 minutes later you’re walking out with your temporary drivers license (complete with a terrible photo I“ll be stuck with for the next 10 years). If you have to go to the RMV, go to this location.

Long lines, rude and ignorant employees, and generally a bad experience. Don’t expect to get done what you came to do on your first try.
Went in to get a liquor ID card:
1^st time: had to leave after waiting for 2h to make a meeting.
2^nd time: was told I had to come back with another set of documents, not mentioned anywhere by anyone previously.
3^rd time: was told the documents weren’t applicable to liquor id and that I had to come back with yet another set of documents. Didn’t bother explaining what documents I needed, just gave me a list and told to step away. On closer inspection the list states «ONE of the following», I had brought two.
Don’t come in unless you absolutely have to.

A horrible place with arrogant and indifferent staff. It’s fortunate that Unilocal does not support negative scores, otherwise I will have to spend another three boring hours to type the astronomical negative number on my phone.

Just got back from an in person license renewal. I feel like airing some grievances, but I will keep it to one overarching one:
We all could have guessed that going to the RMV is not a fun experience. One of the mysteries of the universe is that there is seemingly no way to significantly improve the in-​person interactions at the registry. Online features and the quick checkout kiosks are a great step in the right direction, but if you can’t complete the process with a machine, then you have to enter in the queue of human misery.
So is it impossible to expect the employees keep this in mind? The person helping me gave me a load of attitude over something so stupid; they took a picture, I thought I was done, then they mumbled something and got mad when I moved for the second picture that I wasn’t aware was being taken, because I had the nerve to assume that I fulfilled my picture taking responsibilities in one go. I wasted half of my work day waiting around with screaming children behind me, deafening alerts for called numbers* interrupting my ability to focus on reading anything at all, and you have the nerve to get angry when I’ve wasted maybe 10 seconds (at most) of your time because I had trouble hearing you? I am not one of these people that expects brilliant customer service all the time, but I was severely let down today even by my own low standards.
*Also, what’s up with this? There has to be a better way. Can we get those restaurant buzzers or text/​app alerts or something?

Great building, much cleaner and better than the dump they used to have in Chinatown. I know my review won’t do squat because people will have to come here regardless. However I still want to rant. The service is still piss poor. The desk agent had a scowl face as per usual. She was half asleep during the whole time and wanted me to get lost. She half assed the job and messed up the information. All the information on the form was printed out so it was unmistakable what I wrote. It should even be in their system since I used their online service to print it out. I didn’t notice it until I got home that it was wrong. They got the name, height, and even registered me as a organ donor. I double checked the form and it never said that. I called the next day to change the information which took an hour to get through to tell me they were closing and to call the next day. The person on the phone was rude and really wanted me to go away when I explained that they made an error and I shouldn’t have to pay another fee to get it corrected. She wouldn’t hear none of it and cutting me off and kept telling me I have to come in and get it corrected and pay the fee again. She got fed up and transferred me somewhere else and I’m in the midst of waiting for a callback.

I need to renew my license and found out that I have to pay $ 90.00 for a supposed unpaid fine from back in 1995. This is absurd. The ticket in the registry system shows paid, as I work for an insurance agency and can view that info… also approx. 5 yrs back, I had to prove it was paid when i was then trying to renew my license, I contacted the registry 5yrs ago and I submitted proof of payment and they were supposed to close the «unpaid» status… guess what… they lied. go figure… I have called numerous times only to get rude people and basically told I have to pay it. again or not be able to renew my license… great! I no longer have records proving I pd the fine guess I should have known better and kept it all… I for some reason decided to «trust» our state would not screw me over… hmm … I was wrong. BIG fat thumbs down to you MA registry.

God I hate giving this hell hole such a decent review, but the fact is that the waiting area and bathrooms and all of it are really pretty great. The best thing they’ve done is set up a triage window so you can be processed more efficiently — they don’t have you sit down and wait if you’re missing key aspects of your paperwork. I really appreciate that. Further, you can do your license renewals really quickly unless you need an eye exam (poor me). These perks don’t change the fact that you’re going to sit for upwards of an hour watching a stupid show and squeeze next to the dregs of humanity while you wait for a disgruntled employee to process your paperwork. But those things really can’t be changed.

There is nothing like sitting in the lobby for three soul crushing hours waiting to talk to someone and then get attitude from two different people who contradict you on what your insurance agent asked you to get. Apparently even slightly adequate customer insurance is not their mission. It felt good to shut you down after your awfulness! If I could give you a negative amount of stars I would. You people don’t deserve your paycheck.

Horrors. I had no choice but to renew my license in person. I waited at a long line to check in at the front (despite the complete absence of signage/​instruction about how the process works). While in the line, I observed the employee tell every single customer that they had done something wrong; generally they were all missing forms that *had* to be printed out ahead of time, but ended up being acceptable in electronic format (on their phones) after all. The employee was at least not hostile, but seriously, why tell everyone to print everything, if it’s not actually required, RMV? Miraculously, when I approached the counter and stated my business, I had not f’ed anything up, and I was given a number, with the estimate of 1 hour wait time. I sat in a horrifically uncomfortable chair for 5 minutes before resorting to standing and pacing for the remainder of my wait. I watched longingly out the large (clean) windows at the families enjoying the sun and fountains on the Rose Kennedy greenway. I ate lunch. I answered every work email. I read every New York Times article worth reading. I wistfully filled my shopping cart with unseasonable items at my favorite online vendor. Whining, overheated children with full bladders from the greenway were escorted by their fatigued caretakers into the RMV bathrooms.
And throughout my painful wait, an inane pseudo-​bingo announcer interrupted my train of thought every 1 – 10 seconds: «Bee one one seven [me: FML], Eye nine zero five [me: FML]…»
Finally 1 and a half hours after my arrival, it was my turn. My transaction, including vision testing, horrific photograph and $ 50 charge to support the new improved facilities, was done in under 3 minutes.
…“and not with a bang, but a whimper“
Goodbye RMV, I hope to not see you again. Ever.

Significantly bigger, cleaner, and well lit than the old one that was in Chinatown. The amount of seating has also increased dramatically. There are public bathrooms, trash bins throughout, and best of all, FREE wifi (the best kind). I went in to get a driver’s permit and the estimated wait time was 51 minutes from when the ticket printed out (2:30PM). My ticket number was called at 4:11. So be prepared to wait a long while. Maybe bring your laptop and some movies.

I needed to replace my lost license, and have a flight in a few days. I went down there yesterday, only to find out that I need a printed itinerary with me (smartphone/​email wouldn’t work) in order to get the license sooner than 7 – 10 days. They would then fax the itinerary to another office where you’d get your license. In 2015.
So I came back today with the itinerary. Waited an hour, then when I was seen, I find out the machines at the other office are down, so they can’t take me at all. No ETA.
Sadly, Unilocal ratings don’t matter for the government because there is no other option.