Pennsylvania Department of Transportation - Driver's License Center , Arch Street — Local services in Philadelphia

UPDATE: I went back to the DMV on Friday 5/21 to update my name since I wasn't able to do that in December. I arrived at 9:15am and the line was only down 8th street as far as the bus stop near Arch. Not nearly as bad as usual when the line is wrapped around the building! Nobody was social distancing in line but most people wore masks. I was inside within 30 minutes! I waited maybe 5 minutes until I was called. The guy had just cleaned his counter so that was nice - not everyone is cleaning between customers and there is no hand sanitizer inside still. To change your last name in Philly due to marriage, you need your updated social security card and the marriage certificate. The form says it wants only a certified copy of the marriage certificate and that you need your SS card only if you're changing your name to something else. IT LIES. You need the SS card with your new name and if you did the self-uniting license through PA, I recommend you bring the original AND the certified copy just in case. If you have a Real ID, you will need to pay $30.50, take a new photo, and wait 15 days to receive your updated license in the mail - this is also nowhere to be found on the paperwork so my new photo has me looking haggard af because I thought I could just use the photo from 6 months ago and I had 0 intentions of coming back to the DMV another day. Apparently changing your name means you're a whole new person! (They explained that in order to get an updated signature on your real ID, that's why you have to take a new photo. You can't just update the signature apparently.) I was home by 10:45 so all in all, I think it took 1 hour to change my name and get the new photo done. A much better experience this time.

ORIGINAL: I arrived at 9:40am on a Tuesday (today, in December 2020). I thought it would be slower between the holidays. I was incorrect.

I was in line for 2 hours. There was a man that came out periodically to take names and ask if you had the right documents on you so at least you don't waste your time in line just to find out you can't do what you need in there. It was cold but not terrible. Most people did not understand social distancing in line and ignored the green spray paint marks to denote 6 feet apart. Some wore their masks improperly under their nose.

Once I finally got in, another woman physically checked my documents. I was doing an out of state license surrender and I hoped I could change my name to my new married name. SSA is closed and I am not brave enough to mail my documents in but I hoped with just my marriage license that the DMV would let me update while I was there. She couldn't advise me if I could do this and it ultimately got escalated to a manager who declined my request. Meh.

I was inside for about 40 minutes total, but some of that was because of the name issue and also my apartment number was different on my documents (unit number vs. the utility company designation of "3rd floor"). Luckily I brought extra documents. So, fyi: make sure your stuff matches! I also had to do the eye exam which felt like a joke.

Noticeably, there was no hand sanitizer available. They do give you a wipe for the eye exam machine but it's a tiny thing. I ran home and took a shower immediately after leaving.

After I did all of that, I took my photo and they handed me a piece of paper to represent my license for the next 2 weeks until my Real ID comes in the mail.

I felt defeated. I left with a slip of paper, not even the real document, and it still has my old name on it.

If it weren't for the fact that my license was going to expire in 2 months and I had a day off, I would have just waited until after I got the vaccine. I recommend anyone else just wait if you are even remotely nervous about COVID precautions, or at least bring your own sanitizer and wear a big coat/back pack to keep people away from you in line.

3 stars because all of the employees were SUPER nice and things moved very quickly once I got inside. I am sure the lack of precautions is not their fault. Sanitizer must just not be...

I came today to take the knowledge test, i called before to come to know what I would need to bring to pass the test, I waited about 45 minutes, next thing I know the unpleasant "unpleasant employee" just next to the computers tells me that I need the medical form" so I was just like that's fine I will come back... I go back home to get the form so I'm back to take my knowledge test, then the guy tells me that I need to have the physical social securtity card too, I told him that he was unprofessional and the guy just went off, told me to leave his desk, I asked him to give me all the information so when I come back again I will finally be able to take the exam, he just kept repeating that I did not listen to him... I was still like maybe I did not understand, after all my first language is french, so i told the guy, listen I am new in the country could you be nice and repeat what I need. Then he said, SO WHEN YOU COME TO AMERICA YOU NEED TO LISTEN SIR AND WELCOME TO AMERICA... what a poor customer service, I've never seen people having so much disrespect, I guess there is people in your country that just don't like different accents, in other words, foreigners or immigrants, but I won't be mad, God bless this poor and uneducated man who just...

On the afternoon of November 26th, we went to have my wife’s driver’s license issued. At the front desk, a African American woman, approximately 170 cm tall, who was reviewing the required documents, unjustly refused us after looking at our mail document used as proof of residency. She claimed, “No one brings mail like this,” which is an absurd statement. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regulations, mail can be used as proof of residency. Furthermore, I successfully obtained my own driver’s license by using a mail document to verify my address.

However, she allowed other White and African american individuals to enter with similar residency documents while telling us to bring a bank account statement, which we believe is clear discrimination based on the fact that we are Asian. She unjustly singled us out, provided unreasonable excuses, and rudely refused our entry. Moreover, when we requested a consultation to clarify the required documents, she refused to listen and responded in a dismissive manner, effectively telling us to leave.

Her arrogant and unprofessional attitude left us feeling deeply upset, and we intend to pursue all necessary remedies for this unjust treatment. For example, Pennsylvania...