Schedule an Appointment with the Colorado DMV
Because everyone uses the DMV, its offices can get overcrowded during their peak business hours. It’s not uncommon for people to plan on “just a quick trip” to the DMV, only to realize there is a three-hour wait ahead of them. To make the most of your DMV experience, the smartest choice is to schedule an appointment for whatever services you may need. This will allow the employees of the DMV to prepare ahead of time with the right staff and resources, and you will get in and out much more quickly.
The Colorado DMV Online Appointment System
The state of Colorado allows appointments for a large number of different DMV services. To book an appointment with your local branch, visit the online DMV appointment scheduler. You’ll be prompted to pick the service you wish to perform, and then be given a selection of available time slots in the upcoming future. If you cannot make it to any of the available timeslots, your options will be limited to going in without an appointment or trying to solve your problem online.
Among the services available for setting an appointment are:
- Applying for a new driver’s license or renewing an old one
- Getting a new permit or ID card
- Taking the written driving exam and the road skills test
- Filing a change of name or address
- Reinstating a suspended driver’s license
- Replacing a driver’s license that has been lost or stolen
The Best Times to Go to the Colorado DMV
If you are unable to book an appointment in advance (or the DMV does not offer appointments for what you need to do), it’s best to show up during non-peak traffic hours. This will make your wait time as short as possible. Avoid heading to the DMV during these times:
- Lunchtime – large groups of people tend to try to sneak in their errands during their lunch break
- Mondays and Fridays – people try to get their traffic-related chores finished before the weekend, or as the week begins
- The start or end of a calendar month
- Right before or after a DMV holiday office closure.
If you must, head to the Colorado DMV during these ideal times:
- As soon as the branch office opens
- In the middle of week, Tuesday-Thursday
- In the middle of the month
Alternatives to Going to the Colorado DMV
These days, you shouldn’t need to worry about setting appointments or walking in to an office to get your driving-related services handled. The Colorado DMV offers a great number of online services which can eliminate the need for an in-person visit to your local DMV branch. Though not every service can be done online (for example, you’ll still need to go in person to take a road test), most purely form-based processes like changing your name or renewing your license can be done with a few clicks of your mouse. This means no more waiting around or requiring the help of a busy DMV employee. Learning to take advantage of the many online services available to you can add many precious hours back to your life.
