TOPEKA – The school year may be winding down, but business is gearing up at driver licensing offices statewide.
From May to September, Kansas Department of Revenue licensing offices will issue learner’s permits and restricted licenses to about 35,000 novice drivers. That can mean long lines and frustration for parents and teens going through the process.
“While we can’t eliminate all the lines, simply avoiding our busiest times and days can cut down the wait time and reduce frustration when getting a driver’s license or permit,” Kansas Driver License Field Services Manager Robin Harris said.
Here are some tips to help make the process go a little bit quicker and smoother:
• Avoid the driver’s license offices Tuesday and Friday, those are typically the busiest times, although early in the morning is your best option.
• Try to visit between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., Wednesday and Thursday.
• Those who need to simply renew or replace a driver’s license or ID card, visit an office in a smaller neighboring city or county where the lines are typically shorter.
• Those applying for a driver’s education permit, be sure to have the right documents including the pink permit form, birth certificate and proof of a Social Security number.
• Driver’s Licence Office personnel also recommend that folks call before they come to see what documents they need to bring. This is particularly important for those coming from out of town so they don’t waste their trip by not having what the need.
The Great Bend office is open from 7 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and is normally open through the lunch hour. But, again, it is recommended that one call first.
The large driver’s license offices –such as Mission, Olathe, Topeka, Wichita, Lawrence and Andover – are open 7 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. The department will also be offering Monday service at the Wichita and Olathe offices from July 15 through Aug. 19 to help reduce wait times during the busiest months. The offices will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The state four-day work weeks with longer office hours in its driver licensing offices in 1984, all other state offices continue to be open Tuesday through Friday.
Customers can get in line either from their home computer or cell phone using the QLess system for state offices in Manhattan, Mission, Olathe, Topeka, Wichita and Andover.
To contact the Great Bend office, call 620-793-9531.
To sign in online, visit www.ksrevenue.org/qless.html, to sign in using a cell phone, text the name of the office in question with “DL” after the city (for example Wichita DL or Mission DL) to 714-333-1234. The phone number accepts only text messages.
Customers are then placed in the line and will receive updates by text messages as their turn approaches.