Washington Department of Licensing (DMV/RMV) Customer Service

When you call the Washington Department of Licensing, it becomes clear that the state does not want customers waiting on hold for long periods. When you get through the automated menu, the system tells you your estimated wait time. If your wait time is estimated as longer than 10 minutes, you will not be allowed to continue to hold. Instead, the system will repeatedly ask you to either receive an immediate call-back when it's your turn or schedule a call-back at a later time. If you do not do either, the system will eventually hang up on you.

If your wait time is less than 10 minutes, you will be allowed to hold and remain on the line. I opted to do this but was still asked to schedule a call-back 5 times in a matter of 8 minutes. When I did get connected, I was greeted by Jordan, who asked my name and how he could provide assistance.

I responded that I was a new resident of Washington and wanted to know how long I had before I needed to get my new Washington driver's license. He said that the state recommends getting your new license within 30 days, but there are no hard and fast rules saying that I must get my new license within 30 days.

However, he strongly recommended I get my new license before my out-of-state license expired for two reasons. First, if I were to receive a citation, getting my new Washington license would ensure it came to the right address, and I could respond as required by law. Second, if I allowed my license to expire, I would be required to take the state's driver exam to get a new Washington license.

I asked what else I would need besides my out-of-state license to get licensed in Washington, and Jordan told me the only other thing I'd need would be two pieces of mail with my name and Washington address on it. I then asked about the cost of a license, and Jordan said all first-time Washington drivers pay $81 for their new license.

Finally, I asked how registering my car worked in Washington. Jordan said it was handled at the state level, and I must have a Washington driver's license and the title to register my vehicle in Washington. I thanked him for his assistance, and he wished me a pleasant remainder of my day.

I was very impressed with Jordan's personable demeanor and detailed explanations. Every question I had was answered with all the detail I could have wanted, including exactly why I should follow certain guidelines during the process. He clearly knew what he was talking about, and I felt very comfortable with his expertise.

I didn't love the state's focus on getting people off the phone, but most people won't find this an issue, as they'd rather not sit on hold. As this was the lone hiccup, I'd feel quite comfortable calling the Washington DMV if I needed their assistance.