CT DMV: Longer Lines and Wait Times Expected All Week

By WENDY ANN MITCHELL (Patch Staff)

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is warning customers to expect long lines and long waits this week as employees become familiar with the new computer upgrade.

“This is a learning curve for everyone. We urge people to go online to transact any business they can and to take advantage of the extensions given for renewals of licenses, ID cards and registrations,” said DMV Commissioner Andres Ayala, Jr. in a release.

Extensions started Aug. 11 and end Oct. 10 for the renewals.

The DMV is advising customers to go online for many transactions.

“In our offices, we had so many people eligible to do a web transaction, but decided to stay in line at DMV, saying they took time to go there. Yet, they waited unnecessarily and clogged the lines,” Ayala said.

The new online services include:

• Improved online registration renewal program.

• Online checks for items, such as unpaid property taxes, lack of insurance, delinquent parking violations, which can hold up a registration renewal and cause repeat trips to DMV.

• Reprints of registration certificates from home or other computers.

• Registration cancelations online.

• Online ordering of special plates, such as vanity plates.

• Online ordering of replacements for damaged plates.

• Electronic notification by providing customers with an option for DMV to contact them either by mail or e-mail.

• Streamline efficiency of technology in the agency to with services in branch offices.

If you want to skip the long lines and wait times, many DMV services are offered at local American Auto Club (AAA) branches. You do not need to be a AAA member to take advantage of these services and wait times are much shorter than at the DMV.

AAA offers the following DMV services at their locations:

• Verified and non-verified licenses excluding CDLs
• Duplicate licenses renewals
• License, registration and address changes
• Duplicate IDs with a valid passport or birth certificate

AAA offices that process CT DMV services are as follows:

• Branford: 143 Cedar St, Branford, CT 06405, (203) 433-3258
• Danbury: 93 Lake Ave, Danbury, CT 06810, (203) 448-2964
• Hamden: 2276 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06518, (203) 937-2597
• Milford: 827 Bridgeport Ave, Milford, CT 06460, (203) 283-8131
• Stamford: 1101 High Ridge Rd, Stamford, CT 06905, (203) 388-2189
• Waterbury: 827 Bridgeport Ave, Milford, CT 06460, (203) 283-8131
• Westport: 495 Westport Ave, Norwalk, CT 06851, (203) 293-1724

AAA branches do not offer the following services at their locations:

• Transfer registrations
• Collection of sales tax
• Handicap applications
• New licensing
• New state ID cards

For more information, call your local AAA branch at the numbers above.

Image by Jordan Fischer via Flickr Creative Commons