Texans can face long waits at their local driver’s license offices, but there are ways to save time and avoid waiting in line. One of the best is to visit the office during non-peak hours. It is recommended to visit during lunch or at least before the offices open. In addition, you can try to get an appointment by calling the office in advance or online.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is urging people to schedule appointments ahead of time due to the current situation at many license office locations across the state. The agency has canceled all appointments from Wednesday and Thursday and has scheduled Friday’s appointments back to earlier in the day. DPS says it will notify customers about their new appointment times via their preferred email or phone number.
In some cases, appointments may be available on a stand-by basis. This means that if a person cancels their appointment, someone else can go in and take their place. In addition, the DPS website will also list which services are currently available.
How to Schedule an Appointment?
DPS offices can be very busy, with long wait times. To avoid waiting in line, booking an appointment online using the DPS’s convenient scheduler is best. Using the scheduler is easy and simple, and the process takes no more than five minutes. You can also use the website to check your status and view available appointments.
To schedule a Texas DPS appointment, visit the DPS website and click “Schedule an Appointment.” Select your office and date/time. Then, enter your information and click “Next.” You can also check for available walk-in appointments online at the start of each day. These appointments fill quickly, so be sure to check back frequently.
The DPS says it’s working to minimize in-person visits, but many customers are still facing extensive wait times and limited online services. The agency is asking the Legislature for funding for more offices and staff. Young adults who are trying to get their first IDs are particularly affected by the delays, as they can’t work or rent a home without one.
Texas DPS Appointment Hours
Despite DPS launching an appointment system when they reopened in May, the waiting times are still too long. Spectrum News 1 Texas contacted the agency to find out why. They tell us the problem is that DPS is having trouble finding people to work at local offices, which can cause delays.
Until the DPS can solve this issue, it’s best to plan ahead and make an appointment online. You can even schedule appointments 60 days in advance. However, you should check availability often because it varies from location to location.
If you’re able to, try to visit your local DPS office when the waiting room is less busy. Avoid Mondays and Fridays, and especially avoid lunchtime. That’s when everyone tries to slip out of work for an hour to get their paperwork done. Also, avoid the day before or after holidays. If you have to go in person, try to get there as soon as the office opens. This will save you a lot of time. You can also use a variety of convenient online services to complete many DPS tasks.