Cut wait to renew license

Long waits at the Division of Motor Vehicles are nearly as American as apple pie and motherhood. These waits are the stuff of stand-up comedy. People liken long waits in any line to how much time they've spent cooling their heels to renew or obtain a driver's license or state identification card.

Lately, Utahns have been waiting a long, long time at Driver License Division offices. And they're not laughing.

The reason for the longer-than-usual waits is a new federal law that requires the Driver License Division to obtain additional proof of citizenship to renew or obtain a driver's license.

On top of that, the division has implemented a new computer system. Between the two issues, waits in line that averaged about 30 minutes in December have now been as long as five hours since the first of the year.

Meanwhile, applicants endure long waits in driver's license offices and overcrowded parking lots. While most people endure the waits in reasonably good cheer, it's been an ordeal for Utahns and division staff. At the very least, the offices should be open five days a week. The Herbert administration says it is "on top" of the problem. We hope so. This is one instance where the four-day week touted by former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. just won't do.

The state is experiencing a budget crunch, so it's unlikely the state will be hiring a lot of workers to deal with the new requirements. This is yet another unfunded federal mandate.

There's obviously a learning curve to deal with when a new computer system is installed or upgraded. In time, the system will be old hat to employees of the Driver License Division.

But that addresses only part of the issue. Utahns need to do their homework before going to the division office to ensure they have the proper documentation to renew or obtain their licenses. The new federal law requires applicants to provide evidence of identity, legal/lawful presence, a Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number and two proofs of Utah residence. A complete list of accepted documents is available at publicsafety.utah.gov/dld/acceptable_id.html. Applications cannot be processed without the required documents.

We hope the Legislature can find some means to provide more resources to the Driver License Division so it can carry out these new provisions within a more reasonable time frame. For now, Utahns will have to grin and bear the wait.