It was actually a pretty amazing experience:
I had done my research online, and found the address of the License Office in Bellevue where we were go get our Drivers Licenses. We do not need to take any tests, because we moved with CA licenses. I did find out that we could fill out a form online before we went, in order to expedite the process once we went into the office. I called the office yesterday to see if we could make an appointment, but was told that they do not take appointments for new WA State Licenses for residents who just moved here from another state. I was a bit perplexed, as it's practically essential in CA to make an appt for the DMV. If you don't make an appointment, especially in San Francisco, you can be waiting in line all day. Even with an appointment, you usually have to wait a bit, as I learned in April, 2011.
The License Office opened at 8:30am. We probably arrived around 8:40. The parking lot was relatively empty. When we walked in, here's what we found.
No lines at the DMV!
We went to the front of the line, told the nice woman what we needed, and she gave each of us a number. She told us our numbers would likely be called before we had a chance to sit, and she was right.
The woman who helped me was really nice, and very efficient. She looked up the info that I had already filled out online, had me take a vision test, and was done with me in under 10 minutes. I was told to go to another window to have my photo taken. A few minutes later, Dick and I each had our temporary WA State Drivers Licenses! The whole process took less than 15 minutes. Amazing!!
PS: our temporary licenses look like actual licenses, with the exception of being black and white, and printed on thick paper. The last time I had a CA temporary license, it was a sheet of paper with info, no photo, and not easy to decipher as a license.
My temporary license
Turns out I can smile in my WA State drivers license picture
(not like in CA!)
Our next step of the morning was to go to The Bel Red Auto License, Inc office to get a WA State License plate for our car. Again, I came prepared with a form that I had printed online. We walked it, took a number, waited less than a minute, and our number was called.
This process took less than 10 minutes - we even got our new license plates, complete with registration stickers right then and there. I'm pretty sure that in CA, the licenses would take another 4 weeks or so to get in the mail.
Our new WA State license plates! Andy is officially a Washington State car!
Once we had finished getting our license plates, I drove Dick to work.
Here's the amazing part: from the time we left our apartment, drove to the LIcense Office, completed the paperwork, took the photo, received our temporary drivers licenses, drove to the Auto License office, completed that paper work, received our car license plate, then drove Dick to work.... We did all of that in under and hour.
Pretty amazing.
Well played, Washington State.
Well played.
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