"Still quicker than the DMV line, though."
Yeah, that's been my experience too. Kiosks are usually the way to go, especially if you hit them early. I try to avoid Mondays and Fridays altogether—seems like everyone rushes in before or after the weekend. Midweek mornings around opening time have worked best for me.
One thing I'd add is to double-check online beforehand if your local kiosk is actually working. I've driven out a couple times only to find it out of order or offline...pretty frustrating. Also, make sure your address and info are updated online first; otherwise, the kiosk might reject your renewal attempt. Learned that one the hard way.
Honestly, though, even with occasional hiccups, it's still miles better than waiting at the DMV. Last time I went in person, I spent half the morning just sitting there. Not ideal when you've got tenants calling about a plumbing issue or something urgent.
Yeah, totally agree about midweek mornings. Learned the hard way myself after wasting a whole afternoon at the DMV once—never again. Kiosks are usually solid, but like you said, sometimes they're randomly offline. I always do a quick online check before heading out now...saves me some headaches.
Another thing: make sure your payment method is good to go beforehand. Had my card declined at a kiosk once because the bank flagged it as suspicious activity (guess renewing your license is sketchy now?). Had to call them from the parking lot, which wasn't exactly convenient.
Still beats sitting in that DMV waiting room though. Can't imagine dealing with that regularly when you've got urgent calls coming in from clients or tenants...
"Still beats sitting in that DMV waiting room though."
True, but have you considered just renewing online? Did mine last month—took maybe 10 mins tops. Unless there's some reason you need the kiosk, seems like the easiest route...
Yeah, online renewal is definitely the way to go if you can swing it. Did mine recently too, and honestly, it was painless. But I think some states still make you come in every few renewals for a vision test or updated photo—at least that's what happened to my brother last year. Might wanna double-check your state's rules before you get too comfy skipping the DMV altogether...
Did mine online last year too, and it was smooth sailing... until I realized my state required an updated photo every other renewal. Ended up having to go in anyway a month later—lesson learned. Quick tip: check your state's DMV site first, they'll usually list exactly when you need to show up in person. Saves you from thinking you're all set only to get that dreaded "visit required" notice in the mail.