What you’ll need under the new requirements:
- One original or certified document to prove your identity such as a birth certificate or passport. If you’re married or divorced and the last name on your document is different from your current name, you’ll need additional documents such as a marriage certificate or divorce decree.
- One document to prove your Social Security Number.
Two documents to prove your address, such as a power or cable bill.
For more info: www.dds.ga.gov
Hours in line. Confusion over documents. Technical delays.
For many Georgia drivers getting or renewing a license, the experience can be grueling. That’s because the state is still working out kinks in carrying out a federal law enacted nine months ago that requires drivers to bring a slew of original documents to prove their identity and residency.
The new requirements, passed in response to the Sept. 11 attacks, have been in place in Georgia since July 2012. They have caused confusion for drivers and put a strain on state resources that has yet to be resolved.
Some people have reported waiting up to five hours in line, but the average wait time for customers statewide was 50 minutes and 24 seconds last week, according to DDS records. Rob Mikell, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Driver Services, said the agency reviews wait times several times a week and is looking for ways to reduce that.
“We are getting more complaints than we would like,” Mikell said. “Going to (this system) was a dramatic change for our staff so we have had a learning curve.”
Under the new rules all drivers must bring an original or certified birth certificate, Social Security card and proof of where they live. An unexpired passport can substitute for a birth certificate. Power bills or bank statements can be used to prove residency at an address. So far, the state has processed more than 1 million customers under the new “Real ID” system, he said.
But it takes longer to process each customer because of the additional documents, said Mikell, which adds to the wait time. Drivers who have to make a return trip because they lack the proper documents also add to the wait. In April 2012, before the new rules took effect, the statewide average wait time was about 39 minutes.
Not everyone has problems when they visit, especially those who have the right documents in hand. Some say the state could do a better job of clearly communicating what documents are acceptable.
Atlanta resident Darcey Topham visited the Sandy Springs station and said she waited two hours to get her license. She said the staff was confused about whether she had the correct documents (she did). She said she recently got a marriage license and passport in less time.
“In comparison to other government facilities, it is one of the slowest. I think it is a little unacceptable. The info on their website should not be so difficult to find. They’re not looking for ways to communicate with people so you don’t have people going up there and wasting their time.”
Anyone lacking proper documentation will be given a 120-day temporary license, and people who can provide evidence of their citizenship but do not have a birth certificate can receive a waiver in some cases.
Commissioner Mikell said the department received additional staff and resources to prepare for the change. It added 22 full-time examiners and hired temporary employees to answer general questions. But the department is trying to improve its internal systems, and its communication with customers.
In the coming months, drivers who don’t have the proper residency documents will be able to upload them to the Internet, rather than making a return visit to the motor vehicle office. By this fall, drivers may be able to complete certain parts of their application online. And the agency is already working on other upgrades to modernize its computer systems, which will decrease waiting times.
Residents can already access online a personalized document checklist and estimated wait times for their nearby office.
Mikell said the department is always looking for ways to make directions on the site easier to understand.
But Woodstock resident Jennifer Kunz still sees room for improvement.
Kunz “brought every important document” she owned to get a Georgia license earlier this year. The former Texas resident went in the first time, only to be told the marriage license she’s been using for the past eight years wasn’t official enough. She sent away for the correct paperwork, and on her second visit she waited in line five hours before getting her license.
Kunz said the north Cobb office she visited was extra crowded that day because two nearby offices were closed. But she didn’t like the lack of planning or communication with customers.
“I think they could have planned for things they knew would make it go slowly,” she said.
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