I got my license....in EIGHT DAYS. I can understand why everyone hates the DMV, but I've never had a problem. This was great too, because I lost my old license literally 2 hours after I renewed it! Thanks for the efficiency, DMV! (Can't believe I just said that!) read more

I withdraw my previous rating... I stand by my previous statement "8am registration = money" however 8:01am = monopoly money. This time it was a 3 hour wait. I went home and came back twice before realizing this was not going to be my Friday afternoon and just did the registration at home. read more

Overall good experience! Made an appointment so waiting was minimal. But, it's still a DMV, so, you know.

Went in there with a bad attitude and came out feeling like a billion pesos. I had so many issues with registration, payments and so on. Finally got everything squared away thanks to the Curly Sue Carlos. His big smile, nice attitude, and energy lifted up my spirits. He was so nice and calm. He helped me with my problems and I came out a happy customer. You Carlos, if you're reading this, please continue what you're doing. Doing an awesome job!!! read more

Ugh....most of the staff is rude. I watched one lady taking pics scream at one lady because she didn't understand. Another guy behind me said he would look scared in his picture because this lady was so "scary". Worst DMV experience ever! read more

I would give it 0 stars if I could. Came in for registration and if. Made an app and I never even got a number. Everyone was super rude. Hate dmv's ! read more

Been here 20 min. No G numbers called. Asked the lady what G number they are on. She said G038..... I was G75! Hate this place!!!

This has been the worst DMV experience I have ever had. Been here 2.5 hours already and have been sitting in my car for the last hour waiting for someone to come out and inspect my vehicle. Completely understaffed beyond what is even remotely acceptable. UNBELIEVABLE actually. It is truly a horrible place. Avoid this DMV at all costs. read more

It was almost exactly 2 hours from when I got my number to when I was called. Once called, the guy helping me was super efficient which I appreciated, however their women's bathroom is out of order and looks as though it's been that way for some time. People are waiting for 2+ hours and you don't have a working restroom for women?!? That is absurd. Get it fixed or Make the men's a dual restroom or a woman's restroom at the least! read more

AVOID ON MONDAY/FRIDAY, really just avoid it in general if you can. Try to make an appointment if you can. I give them a lot of credit for trying to make it work. There are about ten DMVs in the entire county, and honestly it's not enough. The last time I went there was a line wrapped around the building. The people who work there are hit or miss in terms of cooperation to make it an ok experience. Make sure your phone is charged, or bring a book, you're going to wait a min of an hour with or without an appointment. read more

This is actually an ok DMV. I made an appointment ahead of time online, and although they said my appointment was booked incorrectly, they accommodated me. HUGE suggestion: book an appointment ahead of time (and book it correctly!). I had to wait a little bit because of my incorrect booking, but I only waited about 45 minutes. Once I got to the window, the employees were friendly and helpful. After getting to the window, it took me about 30 more minutes to fill out the paperwork, take a new photo and take the written test. Overall, I was here for just under 2 hours. I've dealt with a few different DMV locations, and this was the best I've been to so far. read more

OK, so I am gearing up mentally to take off work and go down to the DMV in Hillcrest. My driver's license is past due and I figure I need to stand in line. I've been there a million times and like someone else said, it's a dive bar without the drinks. Not THAT bad. I get on line to make a reservation and 10 minutes later I have done everything on line and I don't have to go! The four stars are for past performances. I have never had to spend more than an hour in there and the people I got were fine. Bring a book! read more

I've had nothing but wonderful experiences here. When I first moved here, my car even died right in the middle of the inspection line, and the head of the DMV jumped it off, so I could go buy a new battery. the people at the windows are helpful, friendly, and informative. They're clear with their instructions and are quick to help out. One employee even helped wave some fees. Making an appointment makes things ten times faster, but as far as DMVs go, this is the best I've ever encountered. read more

It's always a long wait at the dmv but at least there's always some interesting people watching. Never a dull moment. The service was quick and efficient once my number was called. read more

If you have any other DMV locations to try, I highly recommend avoiding the Normal St DMV. Appointment is absolutely necessary as this location is always packed and some of the staff are very unhelpful and rude. read more

We made and appointment, arrived on time, and still waited 30 minutes to begin the process of our motorcycle permit test. I've had a lot of great DMV experiences with making an appointment, but not at this location. One clerk was willing to ask a question to a supervisor that she didn't know about my situation. The clerk my husband worked with flat out told him no and sent him away. This began a long and frustrating process that we both had to deal with because one clerk in particular wanted to create made up problems that never should have been an issue. 90 minutes after our appointment time we barely made it out with what we needed. read more

I don't like doing reviews but this place sucked so hard I needed to. This deserved negative stars instead of one I made an appointment so wait time wasn't my problem It was the people! First off, I'm sitting in a handicap chair, yeah I'm not handicap, but if you were to look around at the time I was there, everyone was either in a line or sitting down. Ms.high end security wants to come up saying everyone sitting down if we ain't handicap we gotta move. Bitch please. If I seen a handicap person I will give up my seat no problem. Since there was none, no bitch Imma sit down. Second, there was this lady walking around bossing everyone probably thinking just cause she works at a DMV she's important as fuck. No hoe. pump your breaks. Lastly, I'm changing my license from A different state. I read online that you bring your paperwork in and all the usual DMV crap. Nothing about a written test. I ended up failing the test cause I was just hitting next on all the questions. I told the DMV lady I can retake it right now since there's literally 3 people on the screen and no one else on top of that no one told me that I had to take a test and yeah laws are different. NOPE, you have to go back in the regular line after I made this appointment for the DL to get another fucking number. I walked out of there so fucking fast. I'm definitely not going to this DMV to retake the written. This place is a piece of shit with piece of shit people and desrves to get shut the fuck down. I pay my DL fee for fucking nothing. Those 2 females better catch me the hell outside. read more

I came to the dmv to renew my registration, and drivers license. I have been to many dmvs around the county, this one is the best. Waiting without an apointment can really suck, I recommend lunchtime. I was in and out in 40mins. The staff was friendly, they seemed like they were on top of it. I left the dmv happy. read more

If you have an appointment it goes fairly fast, without you will be waiting about an hour or so depending on your place in line. Staff is a mixed group, some polite some angry. Overall they do their job but don't take so well to extra questions - as if you are suppose to know exactly where to go and what forms to have when you walk in the door (I just moved here from out of state). Not bad not bad read more

Quick and easy. Make a reservation. My wife and I arrived early for our reservation and were out in 20 minutes for driver license renewals on a Friday morning. The staff was friendly and efficient. Sure, there were a lot of people waiting, but we did not. With a reservation, just check in at Window 20 and get a number; we were called in 5 mins. For a visit to DMV, this was pleasant. read more

Made an appointment for 2:00pm on Wednesday ( I got incredibly lucky, and had only made the appointment 2 days prior). Walked right up to receive the replacement ID paperwork (Form DL 44 I believe), would have been out by 2:25pm. I needed to wait to take a picture for my new ID card, but still totaled ~35 minutes. Great service, even though the building was packed to the gills with people. read more

This is the worst place on earth. YES I should have made an appointment, but I couldn't wait a month for a time slot. 3 hrs wait?!? Waste of entire day read more

ZERO STARS. Worst experience ever. I'm an international student, and the documents requested to issue a driver license to non-citizens with visa are different than the ones requested for citizens, of course. The first time I came here, my advisors at school as well as many of my friends warned me about the ignorant people who work at this place. They do not know nor are capable to understand even when told anything else that's not what they robotically learned through the poor training they received. Unfortunately students like me have to go back to this horrible place every single time their I-20, the main document that proves you're enrolled somewhere, gets renewed or updated. None of my experiences at this DMV were even near ok, and none of the people I had to deal with were whatsoever professional, educated, polite or prepared. But, among the many, one terrible experience definitely 'stands out'. I had to renew my driver license because I had obtained a 12 month permit to work, still remaining a student. This very complicated concept was basically impossible to understand for the psycho African-American guy on his forties/fifties who unfortunately (un)assisted me. I went to the DMV with all the documents requested by law to renew my driver license, but the guy only asked me for my passport. So I tried to explain that, by sending to Sacramento only my passport information, I would have waited months for nothing. In fact - as it happened to many of my friends before, thanks to the idiots who work here - the motorization in Sacramento would have rejected my request, without receiving the necessary information, such as: I-20 with new sevis number, my new social security number that I had just obtained, OPT card, and printed copy of my last I-94 number. Trying to talk to him and to hand him my documents requested by law was completely unuseful, and he told me that if I didn't like how he was doing his job, I could leave. It's not about "liking" it or not, it's about the fact that he didn't know how to do his job at all, and that if I had let him process only my passport info, he would have caused me serious troubles. So I left, losing my turn, and I requested to speak with the manager. What this guy did and his entire behavior were unacceptable, so you would expect some sort of apologies from the manager. But no. This tacky Caucasian blond 'lady' on her forties/fifties came up to me with an attitude, as if I was wasting her time, she didn't say Hi and didn't introduce herself either. After not saying a word about her terrible employee or about the entire situation, she simply assigned me to another person after I had to firmly insist many times. The woman who assisted me did check, copy and submit all the documents I have brought with me, confirming that without even one of them, they would have rejected my application once received in Sacramento. I asked her: "aren't you supposed to tell people if they do not have with them all the necessary documents requested by law?". She said: "of course, it's our job". So the African American guy not only didn't know anything at all about the necessary papers, but was also offended or who knows what by the fact that I was trying to explain him what he should have known from the start. Thanks to the guy and the manger I lost an extra hour, and if I had bowed to their psychological intimidations, I wouldn't have obtained my renewed driver license. This is so wrong from every point of view you look at it. Moreover, the behavior the manager had toward her employee was more than ambiguous. After talking to me, she walked up to him to comfort him, she caressed him on his face and his head, passing her hand on his hair, to then lean forward to talk into his ear, and laugh chick to chick in a flirty, not job appropriate way. That was incredibly awkward. After leaving the woman that finally did the job properly, I went back to the guy to tell him that his coworker just confirmed he was completely wrong, and that he should get informed about the motorization rules because he could cause very big inconveniences to people. I also said that, even if he had been right - which he was not, that was no way to treat a costumer. He literally yelled "get out or I'll call security". Security for what?! Because I'm trying to talk to you?Unbelievable. When I said I would leave, but I would like to know his name, he covered it with his hand, while yelling again to get out. I do believe he's not only uninformed and ignorant, but also has some sort of anger-management problem and should not work with people. The manager, on the other hand, is an old and sad version of a desperate queen-bee who flirts with his employees and defends them even when they are indefensibly wrong. read more

Worst dmv ever If I can ill give them no star I came up in the checking area and the lady that was their was really rude she won't even give you a chance to talk she'll just call the people behind you and won't even wait for you to get your papers if your going to be that rude what are you doing working in a place with a lot of people read more

Went to get my id took about four hours than i almost wasn't able to get it . but hasn't been mailed out.

Everyone was so nice and helpful! La Dawna was awesome, she was funny, and I loved her Pink hair!! I got there and was in and out in 45 minutes! Thank you for being so friendly and helpful!!! read more

Lisa, the person that the majority of people talk about being extremely rude and prejudice is true as I witnessed her myself today in full action. I am going to report her to her supervisor because an employee like her should not be working in a government setting greeting and helping people. she has no customer services skills whatsoever. Her supervisor must know by now that she is unfit for her position with the DMV and she should be sitting in the back somewhere so the public does not have to interact with her. It is about customer service and she has none. I saw her treat some minorities with total disrespect and as if they were ignorant, which they were not! This is the first time a wrote a yelp review because this is the rudest woman I have ever run across! read more

Her name is Charon I think and she is horrible. She is a line monitor or something and should not have a job here. She made me feel completely unsafe and I have contacted the state about her, that's how belligerent she was. No one with a temper and attitude like this woman should have access to people's sensitive information. She was screaming at me and came toward me and got in my face. I had to tell her to step back- which she didn't. Completely unacceptable and I hope the state takes these actions more seriously than the employee pretending to be a supervisor and then later, the actual supervisor. Our taxes pay these people, we should not let them abuse us on top of having us wait hours in line. If anyone else has had problems with abusive employees, send an email to the state. It's unacceptable. read more

If i could give a lower score i would i take my behind the wheel test with this old lady who seems nice but is completely oblivious of her surroundings saying i need to check my blind spot but doesnt even notice cuz shes too busy looking down at every turn and stop i make read more

Worst DMV here in California. Zero friendliness. Rude staff, it looks like they're tired of working there. I know it must be stressful and annoying to be there cause of so many people with questions. But they have to help us cause they're getting paid. There was a young Asian boy who helped my mom. He was the only one who seemed nice. read more

I arrived at 4:30. Normally this is a very busy time at DMV. I was surprised that many changes were in the works. There were smiles, directions and employees who did not look over worked. Their focus seemed to be to help as many people as possible before 5:00pm. The office was rearranged and additional computers had been added. My stress level was lowered. The Normal Street DMV was becoming my friend. read more

I was dealing with a emotional issue (death in the family) and was just dropping in due to my hectic schedule. First time in, I did the paperwork all wrong, they fixed my mistakes and even refunded money I shouldn't have paid. Wow. Awesome service. Thank you DMV. read more

I had an appointment at 10:00 this morning at the Normal Street location in San Diego to renew my CDL. I was seen at 9:45 and OUT of there at 9:57! SPEEDY AND PLEASANT. They got it down! Thanks DMV (Government at its best!) K read more

You got to be kidding me... Is that a public service? We all know the ridiculous waiting time at the DMV and seems to be time wasted complain about that, but... After about 2 hours of waiting, I finally got called from the microphone and the big monitor... I got at the window and the guy that served me, was completely an asshole. Sorry but there are not other words that I could use. About a month after: I was there again and while I was sitting and waiting for my # to be called, I saw the "asshole" again. I kept looking at him and he was acting as an asshole with every single person. I then got my # called from a different window and lucky I haven't deal with him... About few months after: A friend of mine asked me if I could go at the DMV with her, just for company. We got there and we got the number and we sat down. Few minutes after, I saw the "asshole" were still working there and from where my friends and I were sitting, we could see him and he was very rude and unprofessional with everyone... Finally the microphone and the big monitor called our number and guess what? :) We got to the window with the "asshole". He started right away to fuck up with us which made very obvious that he is a person with serious problems and should not work with the public. NOW I am asking myself: Out there are lot of nice people, professional, honest and friendly and are looking for job... WHY the DMV hired that person? read more

Try to make an appointment online, or be ready for some waiting time fun. My last visit was not actually that bad. I did not have an appointment and came as a walk in customer. It took 15 min waiting to get a ticket number, which is not bad. Another 15 minutes to get to the officer. Total 30 minutes of waiting was much less than my previous visit. Officer over the counter was not very nice, even kind of rude. read more

Was expecting crappy service and a long wait.. My Appointment was for 12:20... And I was out my by 1:30pm.. Definitely the shortest wait I've ever experienced in a DMV! Make an appointment and you can't go wrong. read more

I made an appointment online for this location and was lucky to get one 3 days later. Went in at 11:10 for some registration work and I was out by 11:22. No joke. Best trip EVER to the DMV. Thanks Obama! read more

The DMV in California has become a deceptive arm of the government. People are told they can go to traffic school and have their traffic violations removed so as to protect themselves from hikes in their insurance premiums. That is no longer the case. As of 2011,the violation remains on the DMV driving record, even if the points were removed by traffic school, which allows insurance companies to raise the insurance premium of the driver. Don't bother with traffic school anymore. It's a complete waste of time and money. California wants to ruin your bank account for driving 10 miles an hour over the speed limit on the freeway, or for failing to use your turn signal while making a turn at an intersection on an empty road. read more

They don't deserve any stars. Worst appointment experience ever. The lady was rude and yelled at me. No customer service skills what so ever. Was not helpful at all. read more

Just got a horrible service performed by Ms. Teffaney. Very impolite and not helpful in answering our questions.