I know there have been previous threads regarding drivers license renewals but I wanted to give y'all my experience yesterday. So I haven't looked at my license in many months possibly a year and happened to look at it last week and realized that it expires next week. Sweet! So I went to the drivers license site and searched for appointment dates for Fort Worth and of course the earliest they had was in May. I did find a date on 3/26 (mine expires on 3/27) in Eastland which would be an hour and half drive. Then my wife's coworker informed us that the FW Megacenter releases appointments every morning at 7:15am. So I looked at their site yesterday morning and found numerous time slots from 7:30 till 3:00 (i think). I took the 9:30 slot. Once you arrive you will need to "check in" from the email they send you. Once you check on your phone it will give you a number. My number was called at 10:25 and went and stood in a line and then a customer service agent would then call you to their cubicle. I didn't have to do the eye test. I only had to show my birth certificate, drivers license, and application. He didn't want my ss card. I was out of there by 10:50. Seems like there would be an easier process to renewing a license. Hope this helps!

I had a similar experience at the Garland center... showed up at my appointment time still took over 2 hours. I knew my wife wouldn't put up with that so when hers was due I made an appointment at McKinney. We still had to wait for about 20 minutes but it was much nicer.

I renewed about 1.5 years ago in McKinney.

I think it was ~2 weeks from reservation to the date of appointment.

I got to the site maybe an hour before my sch. time. There was no need to do that. The process of getting in the door started when they allowed one to check in.

If I had done that my wait would have been 15-20 min.

Due to the "Real ID" requirement (license now has a gold star signifying that), I had to renew in-person and have a photo taken and read an eye chart... had to provide proof I was me... had to show my passport.

I renewed online last time. This time I was required to go in.

Not only do we share the same university and city, we almost share a birthday (26th).

Just got a letter saying I had to renew in person this time. Of course, it said that last time but still let me renew online when I tried for the heck of it.

Assuming it won't allow online this time. So timely posting. Think I'll shoot for McKinney.

Well we need to get together sometime and have a drink

My experience was the same as trajan in mckinney. i was in and out in under 20 minutes.

I don't know how much better it is, but they just opened a brand-new office in Plano to replace that tiny one they had on Parker road.

permabull said:

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I had a similar experience at the Garland center... showed up at my appointment time still took over 2 hours. I knew my wife wouldn't put up with that so when hers was due I made an appointment at McKinney. We still had to wait for about 20 minutes but it was much nicer.

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I renewed mine at the Garland location about two weeks ago. I thought my 'reservation' would get me in and out of there in 30 minutes. Nope, it was three hours sitting in a crowded room where everyone smelled like weed and fart. Meanwhile, my wife had hers done a few months back in McKinney and was in and out in 15 minutes.
I wonder if processing problems exist at various sites, or clientele at one center or another may have different needs which may take longer to process.

Thinking they have to be overwhelmed by the # moving here.

In and out in less than 30 minutes in southwest ftw.

Birth Certificate?? I don't even know where my birth certificate is. I better get busy looking.

Fenrir said:

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Online renewal is available.

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Sometimes you have to go in person. I'm 34 and had the same license I had since I was 18 when I renewed earlier this year.

When you have to go in person, go to a county outside the bigger cities.

For example, my 8 year renewal or whatever you call it required I go in person. Tarrant county area was a 3 month wait. I looked at Weatherford and they had dozens of appointments within a week. Hardly any wait.

Something to consider if it's just awful inside the major cities.

No appointments available in the fort Worth area. Drove to Wichita falls. Got in and out in under 30 minutes. Worth it not to have to sit in an overcrowded room for hours. I'd rather be by myself in my car

Gainesville is usually pretty easy to get into as well.