I hate you, RMV.
Another nightmarish experience at the RMV.
I remember my first experience at the California DMV, and it was terrible. I waited in line for several hours before failing my written test. Every single time I went to the DMV it would end up being an all day ordeal. On my 21st birthday I had an appointment to change my license and I still wound up waiting for 4 hours.
So, when I first went to the RMV to transfer my license plates, I was thrilled with what a breeze it was. Benches for you to sit on while you wait, etc etc. But I still procrastinated getting a Mass. license. I’ve lived here for nearly a year and a half.
Well, transfering license plates is a much easier task than transfering your driver’s license. Their website does NOT clearly state what counts as proof of residency. It is so incredibly vague…I didn’t know what to do, so about 2 weeks ago, I brought everything that was addressed to me at my new residence to the RMV plus a pay stub, thinking one of them must count.
I waited in line for an hour, before they told me that NOTHING I brought counted as proof of residency. Not my pay stub, not my DirecTV bill, not the letter from the post office stating my change of address. NOTHING I BROUGHT COUNTED. Why would I have all of mail going to an address THAT I WAS NOT A RESIDENT OF?!?!?!
They told me that I needed one of the following:
1) A lease — I don’t have a lease. We own our own home, but alas it is under Matt’s name.
2) Mortgage stuff — yes, alas, the home is under Matt’s name.
3) Utility bills — under Matt’s name too.
4) A bank statement.
Okay, I was in between statement periods, and my previous statement went to my old (Watertown) address. After I snapped at the imbecile who rejected me at the RMV and made a slight fool of myself in front of everyone at the RMV, I called my bank and asked if they could send me a bank statement ASAP. And they did. The people who work at my bank are truly great, and I was grateful to deal with some nice folks after the RMV idiots.
So, this morning before I work…I got up and trucked on down to Watertown Mall to go to the RMV. I waited in line, trying to “flood the experience with positive thoughts”, as my friend Elizabeth does in situations like that. “It’s going to be fine. They’re going to accept my bank statement. I will leave here with a Massachusetts driver’s license.”
So much for positive thoughts. Apparently my bank statement “didn’t look official”. Can I get a WTF?! “This is what they send me!” I exclaimed. I was sent to talk to a manager.
“This doesn’t count as proof of residency,” he said.
“Well, why not? They told me bank statements counted, and this is a bank statement!”
“It doesn’t look official,” he said.
“It is an official bank statement,” I said. “Look, there’s even an official seal on the envelope.”
He pointed to some list of what I need. It was a list right off the website:
* SSN Card or valid, current, U.S. or non-U.S. Passport
* Out-of-state License. If your out-of-state License DOES NOT have a photo, you must present acceptable photo ID from the list of Primary and Secondary documents.
Note: If you do not have your out-of-state License to surrender, you must provide a photo ID from the primary or Secondary list of identification AND a certified driving record not more than 30 days old from the state where you currently hold your License..
* Document proving date of birth
* Document proving signature
* Document proving Massachusetts residency
* Note: An out-of-state License presented as one of the ID documents can be used as a Primary document to confirm signature OR date of birth. It CANNOT be used to confirm both.
* A valid Social Security Number that verifies with the Social Security Administration or an acceptable written denial notice from the Social Security Administration.
“Document proving Massachusetts residency,” I said, pointing to that bulleted point on the list, “That is what my bank statement is.”
“No, that’s not an official bank statement,” he said.
“Your list is incredibly vague,” I said. “Document proving Massachusetts residency — that could be anything.”
“It’s actually not vague at all,” he said.
“What? It’s VERY vague. It should state what actually qualifies as Massachusetts proof of residency, and it doesn’t.”
“That’s not an official bank statement,” he said, AGAIN.
“Ugh, fine,” I said, grabbing all of my paperwork and storming out, furious.
And that is why I hate the RMV. My friend Sarah went through a similar experience a week or two ago, as did a coworker of mine. Now I have to figure out what to bring as proof of residency. I stopped at the bank to see if they could give me a more official looking statement, but all they were able to offer me was what I brought to the RMV.
Apparently, a lot of people hate the RMV !!
Filed under Greater Boston (General) |19 Responses to “I hate you, RMV.”
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Oh yeah. I’m totally with you on this one. Last year after we moved back I had four documents to get at the RMV–registration for two vehicles, drivers licenses for two drivers–and we ended up making four trips to get it all.
Here ya go!
YOU GET A…
WTF?!?!?!
Any time I have RMV troubles, I try another branch. My name change was rejected at one branch, so the next week I headed to another. No questions, no headache, in and out. I also find that keeping quiet, not giving any more information then what’s asked for helps. They seem to get info overload real fast. Just tell them what you are there for, give then whatever they ask for, and then be very quiet.
But do say thank you when you leave. They like that.
(and I’m not implying you’re a loud jabber mouth, I’m just saying the RMV likes quiet, church mice, like people)
[...] I hate you, RMV. Apparently my bank statement “didn’t look official”. Can I get a WTF?! “This is what they send me!” I exclaimed. I was sent to talk to a manager. [...]
Oh yes, I have been there. It took me 6 trips to the Watertown RMV to get my new car title changed and registered. I thought I’d have a heart attack before it was all done.
In fact I’m having an anxiety attack now because I have to go there to turn in my plates.
Heya! Just had a similar problem and thought that I would point you to the following document:
http://www.mass.gov/rmv/license/primary-secondary-docs.pdf
This document lists all the items that can be used to as acceptable proof of Massachusetts residency. I caught a glimpse of this document at the RMV but was unable to secure a copy.
Hope that helps .. Google should pick up the post and help other peple too!
Thanks for the link! Of course, this post is almost 2 years old, so I’ve had my MA license for quite some time at this point. I don’t think they had that document on their website back then…maybe people will find it through my blog and it can help out some people!
Today was my third trip to the RMV and still no MA license. The proof of address thing is really killing me. Like you, I have no lease and no utilities in my name. Just bank statements and starter checks, which, because they also did not look official enough (my starter checks didn’t come in an actual checkbook, so the woman behind the counter clearly thought I was pulling one over on her) did not serve to prove my residency, despite my having five additional pieces of forwarded mail. I’m still not sure what I’m supposed to bring on my fourth visit. I’m an educated guy, college degree in English (so I can read and comprehend), full-time job… I just can’t figure out for the life of me what is needed to become a MA resident. And what’s the iron curtain for anyway? Do that many people honestly want to claim to be MA residents illegally that the Commonwealth needs to prove that I am who I say I am and live where I say I live beyond any doubt? I mean, has paying high taxes become some trend so hot that people from Rhody and Connecticut are lining up to pay them? When the hell did this communist state get so popular? I’m so glad your site’s here - I thought I was taking crazy pills for a while today.
I don’t think that PDF was even available earlier this year (or at least not easily discoverable). I went through similar problems, not having proper documentation, or documentation that didn’t “look official”. I thought everything would be copacetic when I took out a car loan, but I didn’t realize until I’d gotten to the RMV that they’d only listed my P.O. box (scratch that-one off). In the end, I just had the address on my checks changed, cost me nothing, required no evidence of residence, but got me my license, so I could now get insurance for my car and pay the wonderful Mass. rates.
I told the clerk too much, although she didn’t listen to the second part of my statement. After I spoke about three sentences, she took off to speak with the Manager. They were talking for a long time. The manager came over and told me that I couldn’t transfer my old plates to my new car. This was absurd; I wished I had printed out the policy on the RMV site.
He insisted that I get new plates and have a new form filled out, signed by the seller.
I wanted to jump over the counter and choke him.
I had to leave, without my registration changed. I had to get the witch’s broom.
I came back, with fewer forms, and not the one he asked for. I waited for about an hour and was serviced by another clerk, who did not go the manager. I said as few words as possible. It looked good, but I was still holding my breath. She was entering the data into the computer. But something went very wrong; she made a big mistake in data entry. The entire transaction had to be backed out. She was walking to her supervisor. Oh no!, not that man, pleeeez. Phew, it was a woman, and she fixed the mistake. I walked out with my new registration. DO NOT SAY MORE THAN ONE SENTENCE WITHOUT PAUSING!
this post is actually incredibly useful. i was just googling to try and figure out what “document proving massachusetts residency” actually means. this is the first result to come up that actually contains an itemized list of what they’ll accept. so thanks for that.
why don’t they just say what they’ll take on the official website? they must like shouting.
I’m glad my post helped you. :-)
I am 18, lived in MA since birth, still in high school and just went to the RMV for a permit and MA ID. I had birth cert/ssn card/school ID/report card/savings account statement. Left to the clerks perception my savings statement did not pass muster and they would not tell me what documents would or direct me to that above link. Looking at it my savings should suffice and the bills and checking statement wont happen because well…they want a state ID to open such things so it is a catch 22.
I had to register for selective service and what I had for that was fine, I can board a plane, I can join the Military but I cannot get a MA state ID or take the drivers permit test. I appreciate that link above and the suggestion to visit another RMV…I didn’t even know I could do that. I will keep plugging along and hopefully find a clerk in a good mood.
I know this is an old post, but it REALLY helped me out today! I now know not to go to the Watertown RMV (I\’ve heard way too many horror stories), and I know what is considered an acceptable form of proof of address.
Thanks!
Zarla
It’s great that this post is helping so many people, especially because it was just a huge rant at the time that I wrote it. :-)
I found this buy googling “i hate rmv”. Hilarious! Not so funny is the fact that you have no recourse for crap like this. Just getting through to somebody on the phone takes hours! I’ll give you a WTF! These people work for us and there is no accountability for poor performance.
It’s true!! And the people there seem like they’re absolutely dead inside.
Ha. I made 3 trips to the Boston RMV for the privilege of getting a Mass license three years ago. I’m getting stressed out at the memory of it.
The funny thing is, now I’ve moved out of state and have the opposite problem: I can’t get RID of my Mass license! I’m getting angry RMV letters demanding that I renew and send them a bunch of money. I can’t figure out how to get it through to them that I’m not a resident anymore, and they won’t be getting any more money from me! Ugh!
I hate those morons that work at RMV. Those brainless arrogant assholes. The only thing echoing in my head is “WTF, they think to themselves, it’s MY tax money that pays to them not the other way around”. And what creeps work there - yaks.
I was looking for some complaint form - nothing. Well, now it is obvious why they behave the way they behave.