In the past few months all Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) offices across the state of Idaho have started using a new computer system. Like most new technology there are some glitches both by the system itself and the employees learning the new system. There have been plenty of citizens being loud about the long wait times, which I can understand after my last two days have been spent at the DMV after getting off work. I've already dealt with the stress, and I have a few tips that will help you quickly get through any Idaho DMV office.

First of all, the reason I had to visit the Canyon County DMV two days in a row is because I didn't do my research prior to going in. Some wait times were over 90 minutes, but I learned you can ALWAYS expect longer lines on Friday or Monday. Plus the DMV closest to me closes at 4 p.m. and stops all testing at 3 p.m. To update my license from being out of state meant I had to retake the written drivers test, and my number didn't get called before the testing stops at 3 p.m. so that was the reason I had to go back.

After missing the cutoff by only a few numbers the day prior I raced over to the DMV on Graye Lane in Caldwell in the middle of the day on a Wednesday and the wait time was only 14 minutes! As you could imagine I was excited for the short wait time, and I thought I had everything ready to get my Idaho license and the new Star Card. Well I made a mistake. I brought my Passport, Social Security Card, and two pieces of mail like I was instructed... but one piece of mail was more than 2 months only which made it no longer valid. So, quadruple check you have everything correct prior to arrival for whatever service you need help with.

Fortunately, I passed the test first try and the very patient staff at the Canyon County DMV helped me quickly find a way to show proof of residency since mine was more than 2 months old. Just remember these 4 tips when you want to get in and out of the DMV quickly.

  • Don't go on a Monday or Friday
  • Bring all necessary documentation, and quadruple check you have everything correct prior to getting your number called
  • Pack your patience
  • Be nice to the DMV employees, they can work as fast or as slow as they want to for you.

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