Status of Secretary of State Offices in Illinois
June 9, 2021 9:12 AM Subscribe
If you've been to any of the Chicago offices or closer suburban offices in the last few weeks or days, how are the lines? Would a 2pm arrival be quicker than 8am? This must be in-person so online is not feasible.
I just went a few weeks ago to the one in Lombard. There were multiple lines: a truly enormous line that was rumored to be 3 hrs long for ID card updates, and a shorter vehicle services (new license plate, new title) line, which was 45 minutes, and they made regular announcements for people who wanted registration stickers, as this is apparently super fast. There was a separate line for people who had made appointments, which was lightning fast.
notes: 1 - I went on a tuesday at the end of the month at about 10-11 and heard that this was the worst day to go. 2 - I talked with one woman who said that this was the third office she'd been to as the first two didn't do the thing she was looking for (don't know what that was) 3 - This was actually my second trip to the DMV as the first time I went and stood in line for an hour and then an angry person came out and asked what I was in line for and then told me I had the wrong papers. She was a jerk.
Call first and make sure you have all the information/papers you need, and then ask someone when you get there (there are employees who do line management, their job is to make sure you are in the right line) where you should be. Every employee I saw there was friendly (except the mean lady who told me I didn't have the right papers) and seemed to be working efficiently, it's just a messed up system. Bring sun protection and something to read.
posted by Vatnesine at 10:20 AM on June 9, 2021
notes: 1 - I went on a tuesday at the end of the month at about 10-11 and heard that this was the worst day to go. 2 - I talked with one woman who said that this was the third office she'd been to as the first two didn't do the thing she was looking for (don't know what that was) 3 - This was actually my second trip to the DMV as the first time I went and stood in line for an hour and then an angry person came out and asked what I was in line for and then told me I had the wrong papers. She was a jerk.
Call first and make sure you have all the information/papers you need, and then ask someone when you get there (there are employees who do line management, their job is to make sure you are in the right line) where you should be. Every employee I saw there was friendly (except the mean lady who told me I didn't have the right papers) and seemed to be working efficiently, it's just a messed up system. Bring sun protection and something to read.
posted by Vatnesine at 10:20 AM on June 9, 2021
I can't help on the times, but take your checkbook. There are some tasks that require a check or money order, especially if something has to be sent to Springfield, and you don't want to stand in line twice because you didn't bring them.
posted by hwyengr at 10:26 AM on June 9, 2021
posted by hwyengr at 10:26 AM on June 9, 2021
I went to the Lexington Ave facility last Friday. It had just reopened, and there was literally no line for me to get a RealID at 8:40am. There was a line of about 30 minutes for seniors getting their road tests, but by 10:30am that line was gone as well. Highly highly recommend!
posted by wyzewoman at 10:31 AM on June 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by wyzewoman at 10:31 AM on June 9, 2021 [1 favorite]
Local radio said that Lexington and Thompson Center had soft reopenings to get the staff back up to speed so the word isn't totally out about those facilities yet.
I went to Naperville about 2 weeks ago, right at opening, and it was 2.5 hours. But when we left the remaining line was 1/3 of what it was at opening. A friend was at Lombard the same day and they reported a 4 hour wait.
The online system for appointments at certain facilities (like Melrose Park) seems flaky and fills up the instant slots become available, but it looks like most slots for a given day open up at 7am.
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:50 AM on June 9, 2021
I went to Naperville about 2 weeks ago, right at opening, and it was 2.5 hours. But when we left the remaining line was 1/3 of what it was at opening. A friend was at Lombard the same day and they reported a 4 hour wait.
The online system for appointments at certain facilities (like Melrose Park) seems flaky and fills up the instant slots become available, but it looks like most slots for a given day open up at 7am.
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:50 AM on June 9, 2021
I went to Melrose Park on a Friday afternoon at the end of May, with an appointment, and the process was pretty efficient and streamlined though it still took about 30 minutes.
I got my appointment by going to the link JoeZydeco mentioned at about 7:15 AM and there were still plenty of appointments left, but anytime I checked much later in the day than that they were all gone.
posted by eirin at 7:35 AM on June 10, 2021
I got my appointment by going to the link JoeZydeco mentioned at about 7:15 AM and there were still plenty of appointments left, but anytime I checked much later in the day than that they were all gone.
posted by eirin at 7:35 AM on June 10, 2021
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by theodolite at 10:13 AM on June 9, 2021 [1 favorite]