West Seattle Department of Licensing?

[shed22]

My driver’s license expires soon. Real soon. Anyone have recent experiences at our local Department of Licensing Office. What are the wait times? Best days to visit? Expectations? Do I need to do anything differently (but pay more) for the enhanced DL?

I am surprised I haven’t received any notices for renewal (a week and a half from expiration) and, according to their online system, am not eligible for online renewal.

I am hoping this will be as painless as possible.

Suggestions?

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[kgdlg]

We just got our enhanced DLs here. I showed up before 8am on Sat, got in line and took like the 20th ticket. There were 3 of us and it took about 2 hours total. The enhanced involves a bunch of extra steps. For one person probably closer to an hour if you get there early. We just used them to go to Canada, no problems!

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[star 55]

Go to Issaquah or Renton, no lines!

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[jissy]

shed: you must have changed your address since your last renewal? Mine is due 09/01 and I did get a mailing so am renewing also by mail (which I’m not sure how that works with regard to the picture), but I was NOT going to go to the WS facility based on my last experience which goes like this: I did not make plans for the entire day based on the stories I’d heard and had my mom here babysitting b/c I had a nursing infant at the time (who would not take a bottle). I went around 10 a.m. and got my ticket, sat for awhile with a magazine and once I realized how long it was taking, left (b/c I had to nurse my kid)… came back FOUR HOURS LATER and then waited 20 minutes and they finally called my ticket!!! It was really insane.

I’ve heard there is somewhere online you can see how long the wait lines are but I’m not sure where that is. I was so relieved to see I could renew this time by mail!

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[Genesee Hill]

My buddies and I always drive to Toppenish when we renew our drivers’ licenses. No wait and dynamite Taco trucks.

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[luckymom30]

Just remember enhanced driver licenses are only good for land and sea travel, a passport is required for air travel.

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[JoB]

hubby got in line last week when they opened and was processed in far less than an hour…

all they wanted was a photo.. they are now doing biometrics

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[Bonnie]

Can’t you renew online? I did that last time.

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[kgdlg]

You can renew regular licenses on online. So easy. But if you want to upgrade to enhanced DL you have to go in. I would only go on a weekend if you can get there at 7:30am and wait in line before they open. Otherwise it is an all day affair like posting above said, which is nuts.

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[JoB]

kgdlg..

you may not be able to renew online depending upon when your picture was last taken.

that was the case with hubby..

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[trickycoolj]

Also if you have a brand new address that’s not in the database you have to do that in person as well. Which even for just an address change they make you do pictures any time you come in the DOL even if its been a year. I said no thanks, I just wrote the new one on the back in sharpie. A few weeks later I reported my license “lost” online and ordered the new license online with my previous pic. It was a nice picture and a good hair day LOL. I was not taking a pic in sweats and hair tied up on a knot and paying $25ish. That said for being 3-4pm after work it was a good hour wait to just do the address change.

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[shed22]

Thank you all for the advice. I have not had an address change but did renew my license online the last time. I think that makes me ineligible to renew online this round. I am not looking forward to the experience but do look forward to the enhanced ID for easy travel to our northern neighbors.

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[clark5080]

wife and I upgraded to the enhanced liscense and it took us probably 90 mins during a weekday in the middle of the day

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[JoB]

clark5080..

and i gave mine up

i will admit there have been a couple of occasions where i regretted the inability to impulse border jump..

but as it turns out i would have had to leave my passengers on this side of the border anyway

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[shed22]

An update: went to the DOL in Westwood today. (Happy birthday, to me.) Arrived @ 10:45am and was finished at 11:30am. 45 minutes in and out. This was to renew to an enhanced DL. For those interested, be sure to bring your current DL and passport. You can use an expired passport, so long as it has not been expired for more than 5 years. You will also want to know, if possible, your parents birthplaces. Those were questions on the form and in the interview. All in all, an easy experience. Thanks for your suggestions. If I didn’t have to be close to home for work, I would have gone to Issaquah or Toppenish and made a day of it.

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[miws]

Happy Birthday, shed! (22?) ;-)

Mike

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[shed22]

Ha! Thanks, Mike.

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[clark5080]

you can also do it with an orig birth certificate

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[Grazie]

Prompted to go in and take care of an address update by this post, I went in to the downtown office (off 2nd Ave) and only waited about 15 minutes. Mid-afternoon, five stations open, half the seats full, and everyone was moved along fairly quickly.

There is a Self-Service Terminal; I actually changed my address there (non-enhanced, non-expired card) so the only transaction I took to the counter was “can you confirm…”

Turns out I could have stayed at home, updated online and printed out the update. As long as “your card is current and we have your correct address on file…”

A plug for the Downtown Office – over the many years I have been renewing there, I have never had to wait for more than twenty minutes or so, and the counter help have always been very helpful, friendly, and patient. The only drawback – they aren’t that easy to find (I seem to recall this of the older address as well), and of course there is minimal parking in the area. Take Metro.

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