Do we need more SoS offices?

**Jimaz** · August-23-19, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Pam

Just tried the make an appt. thing- next available appt. was Oct. 2! Tried another branch and their next available was Sept. 25th.

Today I heard on WWJ news radio that the SoS is anticipating a flood of people applying for Real IDs before the October 2020 deadline. That might explain the backlog.

See my rant about Real ID.

**softailrider** · August-23-19, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by Pam

Just tried the make an appt. thing- next available appt. was Oct. 2! Tried another branch and their next available was Sept. 25th.

My experience exactly the last two times I had to go to the SOS.

**Pam** · August-24-19, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

Today I heard on WWJ news radio that the SoS is anticipating a flood of people applying for Real IDs before the October 2020 deadline. That might explain the backlog.

See my rant about Real ID.

I missed your rant. In fact I don't recall ever hearing about it at all until I got my renewal notice. Are they forcing everyone to get this? The amount of documents they want you to bring is ridiculous. I have a passport, I don't know why I need "real id".

**Johnnny5** · August-24-19, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Pam

I missed your rant. In fact I don't recall ever hearing about it at all until I got my renewal notice. Are they forcing everyone to get this? The amount of documents they want you to bring is ridiculous. I have a passport, I don't know why I need "real id".

If you have a passport you don't need one, but since you have a passport getting a real ID is easy. Just take your passport to the SOS and you'll be able to get the Michigan license with the gold star on it or a enhanced license. The first is good for domestic flights, the second for ground travel to Canada and Mexico.

And regarding the SOS wait times a huge thanks to the young lady that gave me her ticket on the way out of the Highland SOS the other day. I guess she could not wait any longer, but she saved me at least an hour! I have to admit I felt slightly bad about walking up to the front of all those still waiting, but not bad enough not to use it.

**Jimaz** · August-24-19, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by Pam

I missed your rant. In fact I don't recall ever hearing about it at all until I got my renewal notice. Are they forcing everyone to get this? The amount of documents they want you to bring is ridiculous. I have a passport, I don't know why I need "real id".

A passport is currently said to be sufficient to apply for a Real ID. But who knows what His Highness, The Fickleness In Chief will require tomorrow?

I'd guess you're safe, Pam.

But this increased effort to differentiate between citizens and non-citizens is bound to sweep up some of the former into the latter and that's just wrong. The alleged need for citizens to prove their citizenship to their own government proves that their government is inept, or more likely, corrupt.

It's just an effort to open up loopholes allowing the administration to imprison domestic political enemies otherwise unassailable.

To put it simply, if a government didn't already know who's a citizen, then how would it know who to tax?

**Honky Tonk** · August-25-19, 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

A passport is currently said to be sufficient to apply for a Real ID. But who knows what His Highness, The Fickleness In Chief will require tomorrow?

I'd guess you're safe, Pam.

But this increased effort to differentiate between citizens and non-citizens is bound to sweep up some of the former into the latter and that's just wrong. The alleged need for citizens to prove their citizenship to their own government proves that their government is inept, or more likely, corrupt.

It's just an effort to open up loopholes allowing the administration to imprison domestic political enemies otherwise unassailable.

To put it simply, if a government didn't already know who's a citizen, then how would it know who to tax?

I'm sure AZ has some kind of 12 step program to wean yourself off of the green kool-aid.

**Pam** · September-25-19, 04:55 PM

The appointment worked great today. They called my number right on time. There was a huge line I did not have to stand in.

**Zacha341** · September-25-19, 10:48 PM

Last time I was at the SOS and they explained to me that other states already have the Real ID for travel [[boarding planes) etc. I did not have my birth cert and my passport had expired so I came back with both so to obtain my Real ID. In the mean time I was issued a standard Drivers Liscence/ ID.

The Real ID will be enforced in Michigan October 2020 from what I understood.

**Maof** · September-26-19, 06:40 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Last time I was at the SOS and they explained to me that other states already have the Real ID for travel [[boarding planes) etc. I did not have my birth cert and my passport had expired so I came back with both so to obtain my Real ID. In the mean time I was issued a standard Drivers Liscence/ ID.

The Real ID will be enforced in Michigan October 2020 from what I understood.

I've also heard from others that they had to have their birth certificate. I did not when I renewed a few months ago.

**Zacha341** · September-26-19, 07:23 AM

^^^ They offered 60 days to return with cert/ or passport and then you could get the Real ID for no additional charge. But you'd have to take a new photo!

**Cincinnati_Kid** · September-26-19, 09:46 AM

Boy, do I miss the simpler times we had. Everything is complicated now.

**Ray1936** · September-26-19, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Boy, do I miss the simpler times we had. Everything is complicated now.

Wish Lowell would add a "Like" button as on Facebook.

**softailrider** · September-26-19, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Boy, do I miss the simpler times we had. Everything is complicated now.

I definitely agree but the SOS sucked back in the day and it still sucks.

**hybridy** · September-26-19, 05:16 PM

Just renewed my license and did real id. Filled out application online and booked appt. Day of I walked in and had photo taken. Woman called me to window and I did an eye test. After she scanned my application, social security card and birth certificate. I paid and walked out with paper copy 15 mins later.

**softailrider** · October-02-19, 09:01 AM

Made an appointment to get that enhanced DL for my wife and I [[all the scare tactics got to me) did this last night. The earliest appointment available was for Oct 31, over 4 weeks from now.

**ndavies** · October-02-19, 09:37 AM

I needed to renew my driver license and add the real ID. I had business in Monroe, So I went to the branch in Monroe. Arrived at 9:30, No appointment. Counter full, but only 3 numbers in front of me. I was in and out within 20 minutes.

Looking at the delays from everyone else, it may even be faster driving to Monroe than dealing with the local offices.

If you think it's bad now, You should have been alive when everyone's license plates expired on the same day in the spring, without todays computerized systems. Talk about long lines. There was a fixed window to get your plates since they only opened up the all of renewals on the same day.

**Hypestyles** · October-02-19, 11:00 AM

the current set up is absolutely bizarre and not customer friendly. Truly, shameful.

**Bigb23** · October-12-19, 05:43 PM

I can't make any sense of the Government mandate for it's citizens.
Just look at the problem here.

https://community.cartalk.com/t/driver-license-renewal-and-possible-delays-deadline-discussion/150196/15

**Pam** · December-18-19, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by Vic01

OK, at the risk of having some of you get in my way, I'll reveal my [[not so) secret technique. If you "just show up" and enter the SoS office 5 minutes before closing time [[a safe margin so they don't lock the door in your face and still only a short wait), you're almost certain to have a good experience. There can be 50+ people in front of you [[who may have been there a long time), yet when they lock the doors the workers suddenly start working at a much faster rate... something to do with wanting to go home, I guess. I've haven't spent more than 15 to 20 minutes total in decades.
If you stop in any other time of day they have no incentive to get you out in less than 2 hours...

I witnessed this yesterday. It was amazing. I had been there 2 hours but my number got called right before closing and suddenly they were calling every number.

**GMan** · December-18-19, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by Pam

I witnessed this yesterday. It was amazing. I had been there 2 hours but my number got called right before closing and suddenly they were calling every number.

Similar experience a couple of days ago. Had about an hour wait and near closing time they starting lining us up by number in groups of 8-10. only waited another 15mins though I had 10 people in front of me. They started processing multiple people at a time instead of starting and finishing with one at a time.

I told the clerk that I hoped they were getting o.t. and she replied yes but they would rather go home as it's been like this consistently for the last couple of weeks.
Real Id seemed to be the reason most of the people I talked to were there for.

**Atticus** · December-18-19, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by GMan

Similar experience a couple of days ago. Had about an hour wait and near closing time they starting lining us up by number in groups of 8-10. only waited another 15mins though I had 10 people in front of me. They started processing multiple people at a time instead of starting and finishing with one at a time.

I told the clerk that I hoped they were getting o.t. and she replied yes but they would rather go home as it's been like this consistently for the last couple of weeks.
Real Id seemed to be the reason most of the people I talked to were there for.

In Washington State, every new drivers license is Real ID compliant [[I.e. the default). There is no opting for the lesser version. Probably a pain to implement initially, but maybe long term the better solution rather than have two sets of driver’s licenses.

**Maof** · December-18-19, 08:46 AM

They will be setting up kiosk at several Kroger and Meijer locations. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.........https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,...NbEk0qbE8aQxCo

**sirrealone** · December-18-19, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by Maof

They will be setting up kiosk at several Kroger and Meijer locations.

What's the over/under on how long before most of them are Out of Order?

**Don K** · December-18-19, 11:37 AM

IME, wait times are very branch-dependent, probably owing to the quality [[or lack thereof) of branch management. When I worked in Dearborn, the Dearborn branch was notorious for long waits. One year as I was facing the prospect of license renewal, a co-worker suggested I go to the Allen Park branch, which never had long waits. I did, and was in and out in like 15 minutes.

Now I'm retired and the West Bloomfield branch [[Orchard Lake and Lone Pine) is nearest to me. The first time I went there [[2010) I arrived before the office opened, and the line waiting outside [[in January!) had like 50 people. Then in 2018 and 2019 my husband and I decided to get enhanced licenses, and were in and out both times in around half an hour. Another time, I went to get a new disabled hang tag for my husband, and the pre-screening line worked perfectly. I was around third in this line when I entered, and when I explained my need the clerk pulled out a new tag, marked it up, punched out the expiration date, and I was out in under two minutes! Now I almost don't mind going to the SoS, and I wonder if the difference is a new manager who knows his stuff. I can't prove it, but the thought is there.

**Ray1936** · December-18-19, 03:55 PM

For what it's worth, the Nevada equivalent of the Secy of State [[Department of Motor Vehicles, a MUCH more sensible title!) is just as bad as the horror stories y'all are posting from Michigan. Wonder if any state of the 50 has their ducks all in a row???