DMV Real ID Visit

After my endocrinologist appointment this afternoon, I decided to check out the Santa Ana DMV since I have already filed all the Real ID paperwork online. I got out of the doctor’s office at around 3:30 pm; the DMV office closed at 5:00 pm. When I pulled into the parking lot, there was a huge line plus a lot of people just standing around. The parking lot was surprisingly empty so I parked and walked up to the front door. The long line was for people without appointments, but there was an empty line for appointments only. I know they’re not handing out appointments anymore but my “receipt” for uploading all my Read ID documentation counted as an appointment. I showed the person at the door my receipt and she sent me to a window directly. That person entered my info into the computer, and I was called to a second window while I was still at the first window. I got sent to Window #1 which was way on the other side of the floor where a clerk verified all my documents and took my payment of $37 + credit card fees (CA government is super cheap). I had just switched glasses so my vision was a bit blurry. There was a vision chart hanging inside the office; I was worried that they were going to ask me to read a line. Until my eyes adjusted to the different glasses, I couldn’t read anything on the signboard. She didn’t ask me to read anything. After paying, I was told to go the camera window to take a new photo, then go to Window #25 for a temporary license since mine expires in less than two weeks. All together, I was in five different lines but the entire process took about 45 minutes, which is the shortest time ever spent during a single visit to a DMV office.

In two weeks, I should have my Read ID driver’s license. Could be useful for domestic air travel if I do that ever again.

I was worried about going in person to the DMV since Santa Ana is such a shit-show for COVID-19 cases. However, with only two weeks until my license expires, I had to go sooner or later. Everyone, including all the visitors, at the DMV was wearing a mask without exception. They also had a bunch of workers with disinfectant bottles spraying and wiping down every surface. They all seemed to be Asian though… weird. I stayed away from everyone; it wasn’t that crowded inside the DMV office.