VA Department of Motor Vehicles

2 hours just to return my license plates. No drop box or anything. There’s only one person at the two person information desk on a Saturday morning, what the FUDGE!
They’re self-​funded right! They collect fees for everything, the should have a better system.

There’s nothing better than taking time off work on a beautiful Friday to spend some time at the DMV! With that in mind, I gathered my documents after carefully scouring the VA DMV website, put on my happy cap, and headed off to everyone’s favorite public agency for a new license and to register my car in the great state of Virginia. But do I go to the office in Tysons Corner or Sterling? I flipped a coin and set Waze for Sterling.
When I arrived, I waited in the Information line behind several people to speak with one of the two people at the desk. Little did I know those «greeters» were really there as a screening mechanism to see who they could break and send crying from the building (*spoiler*: I broke, but I came back in after weeping in the parking lot). In utter naïveté, I approached my information specialist with a smile, clearly stating my business and presenting my documents. I was immediately told my lease agreement would not suffice for proof of residency (in fairness, I’d only brought the first page rather than all 14 pages because I thought it had all the necessary info); nor would my account printout from the water company, since my husband’s name was primary.
Moving on to vehicle registration. The «information specialist» asked me if I had owned my car for more than a year. I couldn’t recall (it’s been a crazy couple of years). I said I thought it was close to a year. Then he informed me (after looking at the paperwork I’d given him), «It says here you purchased it in 2014, so that’d be nearly 2 years.» Ohhhhkay. So why’d he even ask me? He proceeded to tell me if my husband’s name is on the registration he needs to sign the form, not me.
About this time (feeling appropriately belittled and stupid – shoulda brought my big ol’ man to do business for me, since clearly I couldn’t handle it) I remembered I’d grabbed my voter registration card as a backup proof of residence. When I told the info guy this, he said, «Well, I don’t know what documents you have if you don’t tell me.» Really, dude? Okay. It was sitting on the counter in front of you but perhaps you were respecting my PII (even though I’d stuck it right under your nose). But even then, why not say, «Hey, these documents you brought won’t work but maybe you have something on you that will, like a voter registration card.» Nah. That’d actually be helpful. Better to treat the customer like she’s a complete moron.
At this point, I could bite my tongue no longer.
«You know, it’s not like I want to spend my Friday at the DMV either. I could do with a better attitude.»
«It’s not a bad attitude.»
«Come on. This would all go a lot smoother with less snarkiness.»
«I’m not being snarky.»
Sigh. So that’s just checking in. I can’t wait to get to the counter to get my real business done! Next time I’ll try a different office.

Very low and ineffective public service. Second experience recall the first bad experience here.

The lady officer was very rude during the road test and started yelling for no reason. Had a very bad experience even though I passed the test. I would not recommend anyone to go here for road test. Very unprofessional and unethical behavior by the lady officer.

If you want to watch people walk around and do nothing at work this DMV must be the place to check out. They need to start paying them on productivity not hourly. There’s like 15 people working and at only 3 at the counter.

Absolutely slow people
They talk to people about their personal stuff regardless many people are seating here.
Staff are pretty confuse and slow.
Unbelievable
Useless

Absolutely ridiculous! My tags expired this week and I had to have an emissions done. I left my mom there to hold my spot and when I got back they refused to let me in. The security guard was rude as well as the manager. I know you hate your jobs, but you didn’t have to ruin my day because of it!

I was monitoring DMV wait time to avoid waiting too long. When the estimator said 20min wait time, I drove to a DMV that’s 3min from my work. Something must have happened in that 3 min as I sat and waited for 1hr and 40min to print one sheet of document. Came back to work to check and hallelujah still says 20min, again, something must have happened in that 3 min… I say lies.

What a waste of time. Spent all day to do registration and couldn’t finish. Was some paper missing and no one told me to bring that. I got it faxed in half an hour and their manager told me that I don’t have to stand in line again. After my paper was faxed he told me to get a ticket and stand in line. 4 people in front of me with same ticket letter, that’s like 20 minutes for one ticket in best case. Had to go, can’t spend second half of the day there after spending first half already. I don’t want them to get paid from my money. People are right, there are only 5 – 6 people are working out of 12. That’s why it takes forever to do transaction. I don’t have that much time for this joke place.

Funniest thing I ever heard in a DMV was at this one. Some guy got pissed and yelled out «does anyone in here have a brain». I use that saying now all the time.
He yelled it right next to the security officer… he didn’t have a clue.

If you want to wait a long time for a small transaction and want to do some great people watching then run not walk to this dmv.
Upon entering it was packed. I assume it is always like this and there is hardly any parking. I had to park at the post office and walk over… not sure if I was suppose to or not.
So you wait in a line to get a ticket. The tickets are a letter with a few numbers. They will what seems to be no particular order call out various numbers. Please avoid if you can do your transactions online instead of wasting your time here.
Be aware you will sit next to a weirdo with bad breath and BO

Website said a 25 min wait on an early Wednesday morning; real time was 1 hour, 24 min, and the drivers license renewal «guy» was rude… Rarely have a good experience at this location; however, the Leesburg DMV is always a short wait and the employees ALL appear to enjoy working with the public. Leesburg is worth the 30 min drive. :)

I wish it was possible to give negative stars on Unilocal.The wait time here is always extremely long, and people that work here are incompetent. I bought a used car in MA and drove it back. Came here to register it and they ended up charging me sales tax, despite I paid a higher sales tax in MA. She said I needed another form, which she didn’t have. So I call the help line and they tell me I need to fill out a refund form to get my money back. Then I get an email reply from the richmond office asking if I provided my bill of sale, saying that it should have been enough. 3 answers from 3 people that are different… On top of that, if I do have to file for a refund it’ll take 7 – 9 weeks. Are you F***ing kidding me!!! 2 months to get a refund while I pay interest on this $ 1,000 charge that should have never happened, and they even admit that? No wonder everyone hates the DMV.

Went to take the road test and was assigned Officer Lumpkin, the DMV DIVA. Officer Lump (of worthless human mass) kin loves her position of authority and uses it unjustly by passing and failing road test applicants based on her personal preferences. We are in the process of filing an official complaint and hope no future applicant has to ever deal with her hoodrat ways. Officer Lumpkin, you are a failure at your job and at life in general, walk away…

My first DMV visit in VA., like any other DMV I’ve been to in Arizona. Rude staff, the lines are ridiculously long, not enough staff at the DMV’s, and the lady who gives tickets out needs to be replaced by someone with a better attitude and enjoy’s during there job.

I would give this place 0 stars if I could. I waited over an hour JUST TO GET IN THE BUILDING before a state trooper wanna-​be (a rentt a– cop with a tin badge and a real gun) locked the door and said that was it for the day. Needless to say, I, along with 50 or so other taxpayers, did not get «served.» (yes that’s what they call it — SERVED)
Ever wonder why they need a guy with a gun working the door? It’s because this place is so poorly run people would shoot them if they could. What a travesty. While I was in line I tried to send an email to Governor McAuliffe to let him know what a piece of crap his DMV is but alas, that web site didn’t work. Typical government operation. Yet some people keep voting for MORE governemnt… makes me scratch my head. Avoid this place at all cost!

Another government office with no word of efficiency. Service is terrible, unfriendly and time consuming .
I had to wait for 4 hours just to get motorcycle registration done. They were taking all the people who came after us and it was frustrating .
Go somewhere else and save time.

Most fucked up dmv in va area, go some where else, out of 13 counters only 6 employees working and all 6 are old and slow as shit, I had to wait over 4 hours to get motorcycle registration done.
Please save your time and patience and go somewhere else.

OK OK, we all know that any DMV is a nightmare. Yes, the wait was ungodly, and yes we were packed like sardines.
However, the staff was surprisingly upbeat. I would have hated every second of the 4 hours that I spent there, but each individual I met (minus the cranky old lady that gives you your number) was so pleasant.
TIP: Go on there website before you go there to do your business. Virginia is crazy with their rules and documentations. Make sure you have everything or you may end up waiting hours just to get turned away. Also, they have a lot of services you can do online… check it out first.
Wait… another tip. If you go on a Saturday the place opens at 8am. Arriving at 8:30am does not count as «beating the rush». Be there at least 10 minutes before the doors open. Their wait time on their website is never true, just add two hours to whatever it says.

I wish I could have left zero stars for this office. This situation actually happened there yesterday when my son went in to take his first road test for his license. BTW, son is clean cut and well dressed.
DMV Diva: (Lets out a huge sigh of exasperation when she sees my son, as if it pains her to even be there and have to deal with a young person.)
Son: (Politely) How long is the road test?
DMV Diva: Oh, so you are one of «those». That question is a sign of an impatient, inexperienced person, and they usually fail their tests. Don’t be so impatient. You are going to fail this test. Inexperienced drivers are so impatient.
DMV Diva: Turn on the engine light.
Son: (Turns on the engine because he didn’t hear her say «light».)
DMV Diva: (Yelling) Now did I tell you to turn on the engine? No, I did not. Why did you turn on the engine? You need to listen to what I am saying!
DMV Diva: Turn right at the Exxon station.
Son: (Turns right into the station.)
DMV Diva: What are you doing? What makes you think I want you to turn into the station? This is a driving test, we are not getting gas. Why did you do that?
DMV Diva: Why did you sit so long at that stop sign before turning left? (Maybe because there were so many cars parked on the side of the road that he didn’t have clear vision of oncoming traffic.)
The road test went on an on like this, with the DMV Diva chewing him up and spitting him out the whole time.
He didn’t pass the test. Which is fine, because not everyone passes on the first try.
What I have a problem with is a public employee with the attitude issue that this woman projects to customers of the DMV. Dealing with the public is not always an easy job … so if you can’t do it without yelling at people, maybe you should find another job.
We will NOT be returning to this DMV again.