Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV/RMV) Customer Service

Calling the Oregon DMV is a pretty simple process due to the automated system that relies on voice recognition to get you to a customer representative. I did not have to spend any time navigating directory trees, but admittedly, I did have to listen to several different recorded messages that encouraged me to go online to solve my problem. I didn't want to go online to get help; I wanted to talk to an agent, which is why I chose to call the DMV line.

It would be nice if they would acknowledge that fact because I probably listened to messages about going online at least twice before getting to the hold line. Given how long I ended up on the hold line in the queue, I would have rather listened to these messages after I joined the queue. Also, I should note that there is no option for a callback, which is another thing that the DMV should consider if they know that their wait times are going to exceed 5 to 10 minutes. After that point, it gets a bit ridiculous and makes it hard to find the time to call and deal with issues. 

I called the Oregon DMV on Tuesday early in the afternoon between 11 a.m. and noon to talk to someone about replacing my license. I have misplaced it, and while I don't think it is stolen, I cannot find it and need to have a license to fly soon. Therefore, I want to take care of the process as quickly and easily as possible. 

When I called, I was immediately greeted by a recording that thanked me for calling and then a Spanish message that I am guessing offered to change the language if I wished. I stayed on the line, and the automated voice asked me how it could help me. I answered that I needed to replace my license, and it responded, "It sounds like you need help with something that I may not be trained for; would you like to be on hold for the next available agent?"

I responded yes, and it transferred me to a new voice attendant that listed all of the information that I could find online and informed me that I can schedule appointments and find alternative service options on the Oregon DMV website. It then said, "Otherwise, please continue to hold." I chose to stay on the line and was told that the expected wait time was 25 minutes, and it was just about 25 minutes before someone finally picked up to talk to me. 

While the wait time was ridiculous, when the customer service agent picked up, they were able to advise me on the quickest way to replace my license. I'm not sure it will be fast enough, but the agent did their best to help me understand everything I would need and what to do when applying to help expedite the process.