[2mnydogs]

Curious about why the Sumter admin offices have not opened up by appointment only, and masks only so new residents can register their cars, obtain FLA drivers licenses, etc. Without these, they cannot register to vote and cannot obtain proof of residency cards as opposed to visitor passes. You can go on line to obtain your renewed FLA registration And renewed drivers license and the Commissioner is bragging about how he has set up two drive-by lanes to do these very things. Not mentioned when we can accomplish the rest.

[Number 10 GI]

Your guess is as good as mine. If anything is deemed "essential services" I would think this is one of them. Maybe a call to the county commissioner or what ever their title is might get an answer.

[EdFNJ]

Is this not correct?

Sumter County - Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

EDIT: I found this on another thread which explains it:

Originally Posted by P A Paul

If my current license is expiring they’ll let me switch from IL to FL, and make appt. but if it’s not expiring, no appt.

So they are taking appointments but not for everything one might need here.

[DeanFL]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

Is this not correct?

Sumter County - Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

EDIT: I found this on another thread which explains it:


So they are taking appointments but not for everything one might need here.

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was there just yesterday - to renew my driver's license, car registration, and change my voter registration.

- Voter Reg - in the office at any time, no appt needed - quick. done in 5 min.
- Driver's license - need appt. Got one for next Tues.
- Car Registration - can renew at their drive-thru. Did not, as there wer at least 6 cars waiting at the time. Will do Tues.

Bottom line (no doubt) they -wisely- do not want the public gathering in groups for some of these svcs, so appts. works for me. They are very efficient at the Sumter Co location there.
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[npwalters]

I had the unpleasant experience of initial registration of a vehicle a couple of weeks ago. Had to wait in a line in the lobby (in Wildwood) to be told to go to the another line in the lobby, to be told to fill out some forms, to wait back in the line, to be told I have to go find a deputy to verify my VIN, to find a deputy and have him sign my paperwork, to wait back in the line to turn in the packet. I was then told to sign a blank check and I would be contacted in 24 to 48 hours. They called the next day with my registration completed.

The people were polite and patient. The PROCESS is insane. I spent about 2 hours in the lobby along with a bunch of other folks to get it done.

[fdpaq0580]

The DMV has been the butt of as many jokes as mothers in law. Most comedians have tons of material in their joke books.
We moved from Washington state 2013. Last couple of times my license was renewed by mail since I had no incidents on my record. Same with my wife. We didn't have to take time off work, get baby sitter or any other special arrangements so we could waste hours at the DMV. Vehicle registration required vehicle emissions checkout by certified shop.
In my opinion, most of those kinds of things (simple renewals) could easily be done by mail as long as record is clean and nothing has changed. Cost savings for the state by streamlining the system, time and effort saving for citizens. Your already in the system, just update the record. Win, win! New vehicle, New to Fla, with all the renewal traffic eliminated, the offices would be way less crowded and more efficient.

[EdFNJ]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

The DMV has been the butt of as many jokes as mothers in law. Most comedians have tons of material in their joke books.
We moved from Washington state 2013. Last couple of times my license was renewed by mail since I had no incidents on my record. Same with my wife. We didn't have to take time off work, get baby sitter or any other special arrangements so we could waste hours at the DMV. Vehicle registration required vehicle emissions checkout by certified shop.
In my opinion, most of those kinds of things (simple renewals) could easily be done by mail as long as record is clean and nothing has changed. Cost savings for the state by streamlining the system, time and effort saving for citizens. Your already in the system, just update the record. Win, win! New vehicle, New to Fla, with all the renewal traffic eliminated, the offices would be way less crowded and more efficient.

EXISTING license & registration RENEWALS and voter registration and party changes can all be done online or by mail here. It's when you need a NEW document the problem occurs and that's only because of COVID issues. Coming from Northern NJ, around here (as some famous politician always says) "IT'S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DMV I HAVE VISITED." When we moved here the person transferring our NJ license to FL and voter registration to here did it all in under 15 minutes then spent more time helping my wife pick out a "pretty" license plate than it took for the whole change process. We found the office on 441 much bigger than here in Wildwood and ONLY was a DMV so there were less other lines or greeters to deal with. It also had hundreds of plates displayed on the wall to choose from (for an extra fee of course)!

[Dana1963]

They are planning to set up 2 lanes in the future

[wirenail444]

They are open and have been for a month. I did a drive in at Wildwood and had an appointment at Bushnell. I was at the Wildwood library last week and noticed that they were still doing drive ins.

[CarrieD]

Sumter county is open for people to obtain licences and register cars if you are from out of state.

I got my license 2 weeks ago. Perhaps they closed again, but that doesn't seem likely.

Go to the location at Burnsed and Powell, go to the reception desk to set up an appointment.

[JimmyDebbie]

I called about 3 weeks ago to make an appt. for first time DL’s and vehicle registration and was told that no appts. are being scheduled unless licenses and/or registration is expiring within 30 days. I was asked to call back in a month to see if they were open yet for taking new appts. The lady I spoke with said that the 30 day requirement is currently being waived. I plan to call back this week to see if we can get appts. scheduled. And we were told that only the Wildwood office is providing any appts.

[npwalters]

Originally Posted by npwalters

I had the unpleasant experience of initial registration of a vehicle a couple of weeks ago. Had to wait in a line in the lobby (in Wildwood) to be told to go to the another line in the lobby, to be told to fill out some forms, to wait back in the line, to be told I have to go find a deputy to verify my VIN, to find a deputy and have him sign my paperwork, to wait back in the line to turn in the packet. I was then told to sign a blank check and I would be contacted in 24 to 48 hours. They called the next day with my registration completed.

The people were polite and patient. The PROCESS is insane. I spent about 2 hours in the lobby along with a bunch of other folks to get it done.

This was our second experience in FL. The first time - pre COVID - we got a drivers license , 1 car registered, and registered to vote. In and out with everything in hand in less than an hour at the office in TV on 466.

The CURRENT system is screwed up but they are normally very efficient at the office on 466 in TV. Not sure why they are still closed.

[jefletchr]

Originally Posted by Number 10 GI

Your guess is as good as mine. If anything is deemed "essential services" I would think this is one of them. Maybe a call to the county commissioner or what ever their title is might get an answer.

You cam call for an appointment and they schedule one for you. I got my FL Drivers License renewed a month ago by appointment. You can also go by the Sumter County Office (Library Bldg) on Powell Dive/Pinellas Plaza area) and the lady at the desk will give you all the information you need and give you the number for appointments. They were extremely helpful. Masks are required.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by npwalters

I had the unpleasant experience of initial registration of a vehicle a couple of weeks ago. Had to wait in a line in the lobby (in Wildwood) to be told to go to the another line in the lobby, to be told to fill out some forms, to wait back in the line, to be told I have to go find a deputy to verify my VIN, to find a deputy and have him sign my paperwork, to wait back in the line to turn in the packet. I was then told to sign a blank check and I would be contacted in 24 to 48 hours. They called the next day with my registration completed.

The people were polite and patient. The PROCESS is insane. I spent about 2 hours in the lobby along with a bunch of other folks to get it done.

The process you went through was ridiculous. The pandemic had “something” to do with it but it shouldn’t be that complicated. The entire process only took about 20 minutes for me and my wife a few years ago.

[BumpaOompa]

Originally Posted by 2mnydogs

Curious about why the Sumter admin offices have not opened up by appointment only, and masks only so new residents can register their cars, obtain FLA drivers licenses, etc. Without these, they cannot register to vote and cannot obtain proof of residency cards as opposed to visitor passes. You can go on line to obtain your renewed FLA registration And renewed drivers license and the Commissioner is bragging about how he has set up two drive-by lanes to do these very things. Not mentioned when we can accomplish the rest.

I moved here three months ago from out of state. I called the Tax Collector office only to find that they were closed. I was told to keep checking their website for updates on opening. I checked every day for two months. Nothing updated. The website stated they were not taking appointments and remained closed. I called them directly and they told me they have been taking appointments for weeks. They never updated their website which is where I was asked to check. Poor communication but no surprise. Experience at Bushnell was pleasant but they made a mistake on the tags and now I have to wait 90 days to get the plates and then they will correct their mistake and I will need to wait another 90 days to get the correct plates. This is ridiculous and a waste of taxpayer money.