I came with no appointment, I needed the monthly sticker for my license plate as mine had faded all…read morethe way out. Although it was crowded, the line moved fairly quickly. The lady who helped me was nice enough. I explained my situation, I needed to show my registration, and she just gave me the sticker, no charge. Definitely one of my better DMV experiences!!! I actually think, because it was so busy, that might have helped me out because the whole process went rather quickly!!

I visited this DMV office for a vehicle title transfer and REAL ID transaction. Unfortunately, my…read moreexperience was disappointing. I was assisted at Window 8 by a female employee (middle-aged, glasses, ponytail, wearing a black hat with cat ears) When reviewing my vehicle transfer paperwork, she noticed that I had entered $0.00 as the vehicle value. I attempted to explain why I had completed the form that way, but she repeatedly interrupted me and would not allow me to finish my explanation. Instead, she lectured me that nothing in life has a value of zero and used her rings as an example of items that have value. I felt talked down to rather than assisted. She then criticized me for forgetting to enter a date on the form. While I understand that forms must be completed correctly, the manner in which she addressed me felt unnecessarily harsh and dismissive. Later, after she instructed me to correct the paperwork, I informed her that I had already paid the $15 transfer fee. I mistakenly showed her the receipt she had just given me for a different DMV transaction. I felt that my concern was dismissed and that I was being blamed for a mistake before the situation was fully reviewed. Rather than simply clarifying the issue, she became visibly frustrated and questioned whether I was alright. She insisted that I was showing the wrong receipt and continued speaking to me in a condescending manner. A short time later, she discovered that the correct receipt was actually on her own desk. I felt embarrassed and spoken to in a disrespectful manner, particularly because the receipt was later found on her own desk. I believe customers should be treated with patience, respect, and professionalism. I left the interaction feeling embarrassed, dismissed, and uncomfortable asking questions about my transaction. On the other hand the lady who took my picture was completely the opposite who was very kind, and somehow made feel a little bit better about the whole interaction with the other employee. I will file a formal complaint regarding the way I was treated by this employee.

Had to get a Real ID and renew my license and this location was super efficient! A month back, I…read morehad scheduled an appointment next week in Fairfield b/c I couldn't get anything closer or sooner. This office is 10min from my house so I thought I would see how long the wait was for non-appointments. To my surprise, I was in and out in 1 hour! Note: I filled out the application and uploaded my documents online, showed up 5 minutes before opening, and scanned the QR code for a line position the moment I got inside. Also, the lady at window #1 was both pleasant and helpful so I'm not sure why this place gets such a bad wrap! Go early, come prepared, follow directions, and be respectful for a smooth process.

I recently moved and went online to update my address for both my registration and driver's…read morelicense. After waiting the required three days, I attempted to request a replacement, but the system would not allow me to do so. That experience alone was already frustrating, which led me to visit the office in person today. The first employee I spoke with was direct and helpful regarding what I needed to do. However, my experience changed once I was sent to window #21. The employee assisting me there was rude, unclear, and difficult to communicate with. She handed me paperwork without properly explaining the next steps. She was wearing a mask and speaking very softly, making it difficult to hear or understand her instructions. When I asked what I was supposed to do with the paper, she simply pointed me toward the computers without giving clear guidance. Afterward, when I got back in line and asked additional questions for clarification, she became argumentative instead of helpful. I eventually asked for her employee number, and she gave me "C5." I mentioned I would take a picture, and there was no issue with that. Overall, this employee would greatly benefit from additional training in communication and customer service. Customers come in already frustrated at times, and clear, respectful assistance makes a big difference. Other than that, it wasn't a long line to be seen, which gave star.

Did title transfer and got my license plate. Fast, friendly and affordable. No parking though- only…read morestreet parking.

Went to do a registration and got 3 different prices and when I asked about it I was told to go…read moresomewhere else smh do no recommend

If you're going to the DMV to deal with tag and title then you're doing it wrong! DJ is awesome and…read moreas long as you have any prerequisite documents you may need (i.e., smog, etc...) he'll get you in and out in less than ten minutes. Use the Google chat function to let him know what you need (he responds super quick), and he'll let you know if you need anything prior to coming in. I came here twice for both mine and my wife's out of state tags, and it was just too easy. This is a really good business and is worth a small fee as it and adds a wonderful convenience to what is usually a daunting experience.

Deejay is super nice. I messaged a few weeks ago in preparation for my car to be shipped (family…read moregift transfer) from the East Coast. He responded quickly to my questions on Yelp messaging and answered all my questions, whereas other services either didn't reply for a long time or didn't even answer the question (or maybe didn't understand?). When the car arrived, I called him and he explained exactly what to expect. Pull up in front, or park on 12th and Fruitvale, give him a ring, and he'll come out to inspect the car, then we'd go inside to finish the paperwork. All I had to do was bring the title. He forgot to mention on the phone that he charges a 3% credit/debit card fee if not using cash, but there was a sign in the office stating this so it wasn't a surprise or anything. Within minutes, he gave me 2 plates, stickers, and the registration document, and filled out all the paperwork for me, I just had to sign in two places. I took a photo of all the pages and he said I would receive everything back in the mail from the DMV. There's a $5 off with Yelp check-in and I forgot to mention it until after he already charged me, but he gave me a $5 bill back, which I immediately went and used for tacos at Tacos Sinaloa #4 across the street ($3 per taco if you're wondering). Well worth paying for a service like this rather than try to figure out everything yourself and line up at the DMV. I was probably done with my tacos by the time someone would've finished up at the DMV.

Horrible, rude security guards at the lower level of this office! They are too comfortable being…read morerude and yelling at people coming in. To make this location more inviting, the security guards working at the entrance need to be replaced.

The lady at the Alameda County branch canceled my sons survivor benefits despite him still being a…read morestudent. She and her supervisor were biased against him because he homeschooled and did not do the state testing, which by law is not required. Representative Barbara Lee and HSDLA (Homeschool Legal Defense Association) advocated for him. It took nearly a year for SS to respond and pay what is my sons benefits by law. This ignorant biased decision by these two SS reps in te Oakland office created unexpected for stress for the last year. Because we didn't plan for this huge loss in our income, we struggled and stressed. Lots of tears: Thank you to Barbara Lee and her intern Lily and HSDLA!

The Social Security office provides an essential public service, and the staff demonstrate…read moreprofessionalism in handling complex and sensitive matters. The process requires patience, but the structure and order in place help ensure that requests are handled accurately and securely. I found the staff to be efficient and attentive, working steadily to move people through the process while still taking the time to answer questions clearly. Their effort to maintain organization in a busy environment was noticeable, and it helped create a sense that each case was being handled with care and responsibility. It's clear that the staff carry a significant workload, and their consistency and focus reflect a strong commitment to public service. Even under pressure, they maintained composure and professionalism, which made the experience more manageable. Overall, the office serves an important role in supporting the public, and the efficiency and effort demonstrated by the staff contribute meaningfully to providing reliable assistance.

Well, I had to return. A claim of mine was denied with a form letter that did not explain why…read more I wanted to know how to appeal. An hour later, I was seen my the guy that actually sent me the letter. Oh, now I get why. Okay.

I really wanted to play nice. Even though payments are required by check, I managed it. Even though…read moreall communication is through postal mail, I dealt with it. When I moved, all my mail managed to find its way to my new address. Except for City of Berkeley Finance. And for that reason, I was charged $700 in late fees when *one* payment was late. I appealed the fee, explained the situation, accessed for a one time late fee waiver. No dice. Because as forgiving as the City of Berkeley Finance asks everyone to be of it, it is not willing to reciprocate. It's just another financial institution, no better than Chase or Citi.

Sure, this venue doesn't sound nearly as exciting as many others (ie: restaurants, bars, stores,…read moreetc), however, I must say, I had a pretty good experience here this week. I've been to many DMV's and government buildings before but never have I seen any until living in Berkeley, that function so well and have such friendly staff! Makes running errands at these establishment much more enjoyable! Although the place is packed, the wait can be quite lengthy, but it turned out to be much quicker to get called up than I had expected. Phew! Once I got up to the counter, the woman working there was super helpful, took care of my paperwork quickly, and we had a great conversation while she was going so. It was a good experience and I won't fret coming back in the future if/when I have to!

Sweet Street Sweeping Non-Ticketing: Jan.8 (Tues) I have no…read moreidea why these clowns are going through the motions -- today IS NOT the First Tuesday of the month for scheduled street weeping. They cannot legally ticket my vehicle (and did not, whew!). So today they ticket the "parked wrong side" -- actually, "parked more than 18" from [opposite side of street] curb; LOL. I reflect that last week, in anticipation of omg-the-first-tuesday-happens-to-be-new-years-day-holiday, the street sweepers motored down the middle of the street (again, "going through the motions") on the day-before (Mon, new-yrs-eve). As we all were parked here, knowing it is a city holiday, the sweeping would have been useless, save for the fact of the irreparably neglected asphalt: thanks for spewing the gravel. Have a great year y'all. Clearly gets 5-stars: "as good as it gets" (sadly) in Berkeley CA

I had a bizarre series of events spread out over 1/2 a year during which my vehicle was 'booted'…read moretwice and towed twice, the windshield was broken on drivers' side, further tickets, DMV wouldn't allow me to register the vehicle because BPD put a hold on it, and I finally lost it when they denied me my RIGHT to a 'tow hearing' thereby they just gave it to the tow company to sell. And all this after making an agreement with me, that if they had honored their end, to avoid all this. For what? I parked on a block that in the morn I was there a few minutes too late, and later that day, a street sweeping was going to come. No street sweeping was prevented nor interfered with. Or "Improper Display of Disabled Placard". I even had photographic proof that one of the tickets was just bunk, and violated their own published policies, but they wouldn't honor that. Because then they wouldn't have had enough tickets to do all they did to me. I was 'between places' at the time so lodging out of my vehicle. I am a senior citizen with disabilities. They knew this, but still just jerked me around for months then screwed me, stole my truck, making me homeless in the streets. The Sgt. that reneged on her 'agreement' with me (Murphy) has since retired from BPD and taken an exec job at an animal shelter. She'll double-cross a disabled senior to take his truck and put him on the street homeless, but now spares animals from that demise. You just can't even make this stuff up! Then they lied about it. They are crooks doing a scam. People, they try to avoid letting you know that you have a Right to both a 'boot hearing' and/or a 'tow hearing'. You CAN also make only a partial payment and have your vehicle released AT NO COST. I did. For traffic tickets, please note that the Federal Court ruled that 'administrative courts' (the kind Berkeley uses) are UNCONSTITUTIONAL and unlawful.

This was my second time coming back for service here. The owner is extremely polite and efficient,…read morealways serving with a smile. I feel very at ease being served here, and I will definitely return again next time. Highly recommended!

I had two cars to test, one, a 1997 Del Sol. It passed the smog test but hadn't been driven since a…read morebattery change so there wasn't enough data stored. Not only did they explain the fix (drive it another 100 miles), but they also gave me a free retest and the Del Sol passed. Good people, reliable, and friendly.

Disclaimer: I have VERY low expectations for city, state, and federal offices…read more Both times I called with questions, the phone was answered; I got the info I needed; and the employees were polite, respectful, and helpful. The first time I went down there for a parking permit, the system went down. Before I left, the person working the booth window made sure I had what I needed when I came back the next day (i.e., checked my documents). I came back the next day and got my parking permit without issue. I think some people might have an issue with the security guard, but I didn't. When I consider what city workers have to deal with from both sides - being hated/reviled, people looking down on them & talking to them any kind of way, and then having to deal with crazy, unhinged people... they got it. Unless they actively disrespect me, I wish those workers the best & a better day. The guard took the time to explain exactly why she was limiting the number of people at one time in that cramped room, and it made sense for safety reasons. But I also understood why some of the people standing outside were angry about not being able to sit down. The issue is that the office is understaffed. They have one booth open to deal with everyone. I know people are leaving Oakland, but damn. You still have some people here. You need better staffing than this. If I were one of the two people working that day, especially the woman at the window directly dealing with people, I would be irate. They need to give those people help, and staff that office properly. Raise the salary, offer on-the-job training, and hire Oakland natives.

It's Jan 2026, and 25 cents buys 4 mins on a parking meter in Oakland Chinatown. Yep, I found a…read morenice spot near the Chase Bank and proceeded to feed the meter. Then I noticed my quarters were barely buying enough time. I had to switch to a credit card. So my quarters + $2.75 CC= just over an hour.....what a deal! Was anyone checking? Yes, one parking enforcement officer on foot.