California special plates

[stakeside]

I had a local agency get my registration set up for my truck. Very helpful and I got a clear title and Got my truck on the road.
Did a great job until I ordered special black with yellow letters plates. The original 8 weeks time turned into 8 months.

I expected the COVID excuse and that is what I got. Added problem dealing with CA DMV.

Any others having similar problem?

Edited July 23, 2021 by stakeside
E (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

MD dmv is extremely backed up right now. I just heard of a guy trying to get his bus driver license (shortage of school bus drivers as well), his soonest appt. for the test is Dec. I tried to log on today and renew the tags for one of my cars. Kept kicking me out at the payment part. 

[DrData]

The CA DMV runs horribly antiquated data systems, with frequent downtime. They also have incredible difficulty, again, a programming issue, with VINs or Serial Numbers less than 13 digits. Every transaction involving my MG TD (5 digits) involves submission by paper, though there is no logical reason for it.  With COVID, a creaking, antiquated system has, indeed, largely ground to a near halt.

[rocketraider]

Virginia DMV still requires appointments for in-person transactions and they're backed up too. I want to get a specialty plate for an organization I'm in but DMV requires a DMV employee to lay eyes on your proof of membership before you can get that plate. 

 

I'll be glad when they can no longer use the plague as an excuse. The guvnah let the bars reopen but keeps DMV and other state agencies closed. What a world. I'm sure you won't be able to claim DMV delay when your OL or plates run out either.

[George Smolinski]

Ironic that the DMV's are all backed up considering the fact that the ONLY industry/body of employees who weren't unemployed, or otherwise lost their job during Covid was all government employees.

Anyone care to explain how that can happen?

[Max4Me]

I don't know. Maybe the CA DMV likes my family. I have YOM plates on my '25 Maxwell. Renewed in December during Christmas mess for early Jan. expiration. I received the tag back in 2 1/2 weeks. Renewed my truck and SUV in Mar. and April- same result. Tags back in less than 3 wks. My son and I renewed our motorcycle tags in July and got them back in just over 2 wks. Apologies if it sounds like I'm bragging. I just wanted to tell my experience with them. We do all our renewals on the website so there's no paper shuffling. Maybe that's the difference. (Of course now that I've said all this I've probably jinxed myself forever!)

[mike6024]

I'm sorry to see people buying those plates, they seem very inauthentic.

 

[TAKerry]

MD dmv is still appt. only. During the pandemic there were lots of services put on hold such as Dr. license renewal and tag renewals. The word was that once the Gov lifted the emergency order one had 90 days to be in compliance. The order was lifted July 1, but somehow now the DMV says that all Dr Lic need to be completed by the first week of aug. Anyone not in compliance by then will have to take both road and book test to renew. Someone really thought this one out!!!! My gripe, I assumed that emissions were part of the dmv shutdown. My one car was due in June, I took it in July, I had to pay almost $50. $14 for the reg. and $40 something for being a month late!!! Guy said they have nothing to do with dmv, WTHeck?

[hidden_hunter]

It's interesting that here has been the total opposite from pretty much all the states, they added far more online so that you didn't have to go into see anyone any more. 

 

The renewals on our equivilant YOM plates you just submit a photo with proof of your membership to a club and within 48 hours they process it 

 

[ply33]

I don’t know the current back office situation, but about 10 years ago I read that the California DMV was hobbled by the fact that its data systems were still running custom assembler code for 1970s era computers. Being in the software development business that horrified me.

[hidden_hunter]

14 minutes ago, ply33 said:

I don’t know the current back office situation, but about 10 years ago I read that the California DMV was hobbled by the fact that its data systems were still running custom assembler code for 1970s era computers. Being in the software development business that horrified me.

 

Our state is still running 80's era mainframe, the last attempt to replace it was about $110m before they gave up 

 

Like a lot of things they're a victim of their own success where they worked well for so many years they had low investment which eventually catches up with you

[46 woodie]

While we are talking about state DMV's I would be remiss if I didn't comment about the New York State DMV. They have been historically bad, but last week I had a great experience. I was purchasing a "year of manufacture" plate for my '46 Ford. Since I didn't want to purchase the plate without knowing if it was a viable number, I decided to call the phone number listed. I have tried to call the NYSDMV before and gave up after waiting 45 minutes. After about five minutes on hold I actually got to talk to an agent. She spoke english, knew what I wanted and looked up the number on the plate and told me it was good. I'm still in shock!

[JRA]

I really tought this was 3rd world bureaucratic government issue. In Brazil, expiry dates of driver licenses and car yearly registration were extended, but our DMV here is back to the normal slow and neverending process when a in person verification is needed. However, one good thing happened, yearly tax registration process is now totally digital, no longer paper registration to carry with the car, now it is online in a DMV app.

[kingrudy]

My problem with NC registration transfer from California took nearly a year to straighten out. Main excuses were Covid related and the fact that this was not my primary auto, so there was no urgency. No excuse for poor service. 

[rocketraider]

17 hours ago, George Smolinski said:

Ironic that the DMV's are all backed up considering the fact that the ONLY industry/body of employees who weren't unemployed, or otherwise lost their job during Covid was all government employees.

Anyone care to explain how that can happen?

They look after their own. Interestingly the only VA guvmink agency that stayed open unrestricted were the state-run liquor stores- which were declared "essential businesses"! 🥃🥴 that make the Commonwealth a lot of money.

 

Don't drivers' licenses and other DMV transactions make them any money?

 

Couldn't get a haircut but I could buy me all the booze I wanted! But I wanted a haircut- me long haired shaggy days of tending to a Rod Stewart roostertail are in the distant past! (I truthfully don't have enough left on top to do the rooster☺️.)

 

Never saw the Guvnah looking shaggy though...

[George Smolinski]

1 hour ago, rocketraider said:

(I truthfully don't have enough left on top to do the rooster☺️.)

How about a combover?😂

[rocketraider]

There's hair all over, just "thinning"- meaning I have on some kind of hat when outdoors in summer. Toasted noggin is no fun!

 

I've had it buzzed with either a 1 or 2 guard for 20+ years. As I get older I have become big on low maintenance and ease of upkeep- which is why closed/limited access guvmink offices are a pain! Can't get a damned thing done...