Waiting and waiting and waiting at the Utah Driver License Division

WEST VALLEY CITY — So packed were the cars in the parking lot of the Driver License Division on 4700 South on Tuesday that some drivers created their own spots after the lot's nearly 100 spaces were full.

Inside, the building was equally crowded. Yes, there were seats for the public, but you had to stand and wait at least an hour until you were far enough up in line to snag one.

The crowd was here to obtain drivers' licenses, or renew or make name and address changes on their existing ones.

"At least they have water and bathrooms," said Margo Colegrove of Salt Lake City. "But if I leave the line, I'll lose my position."

Colegrove, who said she had to get her driver's license renewed Tuesday, was smart. She brought a magazine to read in line. She also brought a sense of humor: "(The license is) expiring tomorrow, if I don't expire today," she said, laughing.

The hourslong lines at the division stem from a law that took effect Jan. 1. It requires the division to scan people's various identifications into a computer system to verify who they are so that they can legally obtain drivers' licenses and state identification cards, Utah Driver Services Bureau Chief Chris Caras said.

The new law puts Utah in compliance with the federal Real ID Act.

Before the law, Utahns had to show up to the division only when they first obtained their licenses or ID cards. Renewals could be done through the mail or on the Internet. But now, all Utahns with licenses or IDs need to be in the system. It will take about five years for all drivers' licenses and IDs to be renewed.

Compounding the problem is a new computer system the Driver License Division implemented to accommodate the documents that need to be scanned. Twice on Tuesday, the system was down.

"Right now at the West Valley offices, it's an hour-and-a-half to an hour and 45 minutes," Caras said about the average wait. "Again, it varies by office."

Last week, waits were as long as five hours, Caras said.

The offices are processing 450 to 500 people per day. "Our actual productivity has reduced because it takes us longer," Caras said, citing a figure of about 25 percent.

Why wasn't the new computer system live before Jan. 1? Caras said it was impossible to have the new system renewing and changing data from the old system.