Department of Motor Vehicles – Brentwood

I’m sorry to say that the only thing that’s great about this DMV is that it’s adjacent to the Rhode Island Metro, is clean, and the security was personable. The worker who was at the #5 counter gave me attitude and walked away from her work area. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a DMV, but that’s beyond rude. How can you be a public servant and apparently, not like the public? Thankfully, there was another DMV that I went to that was busier and out of the way, but they gave me the information that I needed and they did it with a smile.

If you compare this location to other DMVs in the country, it’s not bad: as of Aug 2014, it’s in good physical condition, nicely air conditioned, and has a polite guard who manages the line. If you compare it to the general private sector (though there’s plenty of awful service from those organizations too) or say the Australian bureaucracy (where I’m from), it’s still terrible.
I arrived shortly before 9am on a Wednesday off the metro to a 30 minute line in order to get a ticket. The line snaked around outside but wasn’t too horrific. The ladies who took my request there were polite but (later I found out) ineffective.
After getting the ticket (for license, title & reg — moving from out-​of-​state), I waited an additional 10 minutes before I got to the window. This lady was perfunctory, rude, unfriendly, unhelpful… basically everything you’d expect from the DMV. She told me that the ‘responsibility letter’ and ‘confirmation of electric service’ from Pepco were not sufficient as a proof of ID (I’d also brought my lease). They needed an actual bill, which takes 4 – 6 weeks to arrive. When I asked what else I could do before then, she simply handed me the piece of paper with acceptable forms of proof of residency.
I went back to the ladies at the ticketing counter who confirmed that the Pepco proofs weren’t sufficient – NB: Pepco told me they would be. Don’t believe Pepco… Also, why didn’t they tell me that the first time? I think it had something to do with my server being new — she seemed to be getting trained. I asked what else I could do: they told me to call my home renter’s insurance provider and have them change the address to my new one/​fax it through to the DMV and we’d be good. I did that, and they gave me a new ticket (didn’t have to go to back of line!)
I went back and this time (phew!) they accepted the proofs of residency and I had everything handled quite promptly.

Clean space with no line on a Thursday morning! The entire visit to change my license took less than 20 minutes. Staff members were efficient and some were even friendly enough to chat with me while I waited. What else can you ask for at a DMV?
Pro Tip: Located literally right outside the Rhode Island Metro. It is very convenient.

This branch will apparently close on August 14, after which our choices will be Georgetown, SW, and Penn Branch. Seems unfair that the largest quadrant won’t have its own branch.
BTW, the capitalization is not a typo; it really is Penn Branch branch (or Penn Branch shopping center branch, if you want to get technical).

What Prisoners at Azkaban must feel like.
Ever wonder how you’d fare against a real-​life Dementor? You know, the wraith-​like creatures from the Harry Potter series that feed on positive emotions, happiness and good memories? Just visit the Brentwood DMV service center. The line outside the DMV wraps around the building and never seems to move. After standing outside for an hour, your legs become numb and your stomach starts to ache. Once you’re herded inside, you’re subjected to a metal detector screening that is more demeaning than an airport security checkpoint. If you managed to avoid being harassed, you’ll take your business to the information table for an initial intake. They will determine whether you possess the necessary and proper paperwork to receive an arbitrary number assignment. Then you will await in the center of the room, rocking back and forth in your chair, while every other letter but yours gets called. The entire ordeal may last one or two hours, after which you cease to believe that you’d ever be capable of happiness again.
2 Stars — As a consolation prize, the DMV clerks are indeed friendly but this assumes that you survived the initial trial and supplied the correct paperwork (no substitutes accepted, no leniency allotted). If you’re a typical Unilocaler, then you’d immediately recognize that you don’t belong in this neighborhood. Try your luck at the Georgetown service center if at all possible.

I live closer to the Georgetown location, but they arent open on Mondays so I ventured to this location which had a line extending around the building. I waited for about 20 minutes and when the line didn’t budge, I left. Ridiculous.
Truth be told, this location is ‘hood’. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

DC DMV service centers would be so much more efficient if they offered appointments! On a midday during the Summer, when I went to get my license, the line snaked out the door and was about 45 minutes long. At least there were canopies to shade us from the sun. Once inside and through the metal detector, I was given a number based on the type of service I needed. Then I took one of the few open seats, and waited another 45 minutes to be called.
I will say that the clerks were all very friendly and cordial, and I was happy to walk out with my DL on the spot (as opposed to having to wait for it to be mailed, like with other states).
But DC DMV really needs to join the 21^st (or 20^th) Century and offer separate queues for those who book — and show up for — service appointments. It would make the entire process much more efficient. Then again, the Brentwood location is tiny and would probably be overwhelmed by separate groups. Still, there ought to be a more sensible method.