Hope you don’t have to take an eye tests. The DMV machines are basically unreadable.

Anonymous wrote:I submitted the online forms, and have all my documents. I have time tomorrow and was just going to show up. I haven't been to the DMV in person in a while - do I NEED an appointment? Can I just show up for Real ID/renewal, even if it means waiting?

Yes, you can just show up. You will wait. If they have no appointments available that suggests they are busy.
I did mine at the Gallows Rd location someone mentioned and the line for those without appointments was long; separate line for appointments was very quick. If there's still a location in the Fair Oaks mall, that one is typically quieter.

Nope, no appointment necessary. I went in to register a car and was in/out quickly. My DS went in to get his permit, and was in/out quickly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I submitted the online forms, and have all my documents. I have time tomorrow and was just going to show up. I haven't been to the DMV in person in a while - do I NEED an appointment? Can I just show up for Real ID/renewal, even if it means waiting?

DMV's mostly went appointment only during the 2020 lunacy and most haven't gone back to normal "first come first serve".

Hope they never go back to first come first serve madness. I went to MD DMV Monday to get license and new MD tag was it was so easy. 45 min is all it took.

With an appointment I was done in under 20 minutes -- in line for maybe 5 minutes, then less than 5 minutes to be called, 5-10 to process. The people who were in the non-appointment line next to me when I came in hadn't even reached the check-in desk by the time I was done. I noticed b/c one guy was complaining loudly about why the appointment check-in line moved so much faster!

Anonymous wrote:I just showed up at Vienna DMV on Gallows Rd without an appointment to get my Real ID and it worked out fine. There was a line, but it didn't take long.

We always just go here. The appointments are never close and when we stop in, the line is line but the wait is never that long.

Try the evening before there’s always last minute cancellation spots up for grab

I made an appointment but then went on the wrong day because I'm an idiot. The guy at the check-in didn't make me go back and wait in the non-appointment line (which I appreciated), and the wait once I got a number was maybe 15-20 minutes. So if I'd waited in the non-appointment line, maybe another 10-15 minutes on top of that? All in all not too bad.

I just went recently for DS's learner's permit. The appointment line didn't have to wait at all to get your number. The non-appointment line had about 10-15 people in the line. So no, you don't need an appointment you'll just wait longer.

There's also an option to "join the queue" when you're on your way, sort of like call-ahead seating. But seriously, just make an appointment. So much easier.

Anonymous wrote:I submitted the online forms, and have all my documents. I have time tomorrow and was just going to show up. I haven't been to the DMV in person in a while - do I NEED an appointment? Can I just show up for Real ID/renewal, even if it means waiting?

DMV's mostly went appointment only during the 2020 lunacy and most haven't gone back to normal "first come first serve".

I just showed up at Vienna DMV on Gallows Rd without an appointment to get my Real ID and it worked out fine. There was a line, but it didn't take long.

Appointment people and walk ins are queued differently so it saves you time.

You can, but why wouldn't you get an appointment? If there's nothing available at the closest DMV look around a little. Better to spend an extra 10 minutes driving instead of waiting an hour at the DMV.

I submitted the online forms, and have all my documents. I have time tomorrow and was just going to show up. I haven't been to the DMV in person in a while - do I NEED an appointment? Can I just show up for Real ID/renewal, even if it means waiting?