New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission in Newark, NJ (2024)

S Y.

So Newark DMV is really an interesting place. Being a DMV in Newark, it’s staffed 90% by a bunch of people who really do not want to be here and take their time to hammer it into your experience.
So take my visit on a Friday afternoon at 2pm to change my license into an NJ license. Newark’s DMV is divided into convoluted checkpoint A, B, F, Z etc with zero explanation in regards to what is what and where to start. The ‘welcome’ desk was staffed by a bubblegum chomping dragon who spit flames when you interrupted her.
So I was finally directed to check point A (the 6 point ID check line) where I stood in like for something like an hour (there were 6 people ahead of me) and watched person after person cut in front of the line for «just one thing». When I finally (FINALLY) get to the desk, the lady at the desk proceeds to tell me that one. she cannot accept a rental lease dated for July 2015 (I have no idea how many leases she expects people to sign per year. but in my building, it’s 1) and two, I photocopied my utilities bill. hum. So I calmly explain that a. leases are for ONE year and utility bills are delivered online occasionally in this century. I must have lapsed into French because she then turned to her supervisor to ask if they accepted 1 year leases/‘photocopied’ utility bills. He gave her an eyeroll and an affirmative. High five supervisor!
I’m then directed to a little holding cell where an aspiring dictator is holding court. Every 5 minutes he goes on a rampage around the little room telling us we cannot use our cell phones in DMV (which is correct) because the waves will bounce around the room, magnify and destroy the computer system (which is not — you need to go back to high school grasshopper).
Sadly, the rest of the visit was uneventful, albeit a bit slow. A few gems in the place really shine — especially at the license processing counter.

Cupcakes J.

One star is too much for the lack of regard these employees have for people. I went on a Monday around 11am and wasn’t seen to resolve my issue until 2:30pm. Okay fine, it was after the holidays so the amount of people was understandable, but what wasn’t understandable was the treatment. When I first got there I and many others had to wait outside. Please keep in mind that on ¼/​16 it was 20 degrees, water freezes at 32 degrees by the way! The man stood there and just yelled, he said we were waiting outside to eventually come inside to get a number. So then there was the waiting game once they ‘allowed’ us to come inside! Fine, I’m just grateful to thaw at this point. What I saw as I waited just continued to horrify me. An older woman went to the greeting desk, she spoke Spanish, so the employee just continued to scream at her, «I don’t understand you» and while others chimed in to say, «get someone who speaks Spanish» (there are many employees who do), her disgusting response was «she needs to learn English» at which case everyone gasped in horror. Needless to say the lady went off in Spanish (good for her). These employees are plain nasty, rude, and untrained. I am certain they have it rough as well but they need an overhaul in management. Other MVC’s in the state are doing fine. The people at this place need to be fired. Who ever is a manager and allows this treatment of tax paying citizens to go on and even participate in it, needs to be fired. Horrible don’t go!

Dee J.

Worst customer service ever. The hours for regional service is 8 – 4:00 but your not guaranteed due to their inability to manage their customer traffic. Poor business that negatively affects the public. Little things they can do to improve, but they don’t care

Jay M.

I’ve been here a few times and each visit has been eventful to say the least. If you need help with anything beyond licenses or inspection, good luck. You will be passed around from one office to another for over an hour. A lot of staff members can be brash, but there are a handful of them that do their best to remain calm and help you. Inspections should take no more than 20 minutes granted you have no issues with your car. The only thing I hate is how they floor it when driving your car, even over the speed bump. Also, the woman who attached the sticker on my windshield just smacked it on there without lining it up.
For any out-​of-​staters with new vehicles purchased outside of NJ, here’s the process to be exempt from inspections:
If you bought a brand new vehicle outside of New Jersey (within 5 years old), DO NOT enter the DMV on Concord St. where cars line up for inspection. You will waste your time. Instead, go to the inspection manager’s office inside the facility itself. When you enter the DMV from the main entrance on Frelinghuysen (the side where you can see the parking lot), immediately turn right; if you pass the DMV building itself, you missed the turn. You will see a stop sign a few feet away from the end of the inspection facility.
The inspection manager should be outside. If he/​she isn’t, park somewhere and follow the walkway that leads inside of the inspection facility; the manager’s office is on the left side/​connected to the main building. Give the rectangle-​shaped, green SS-​19 form, ask for your 5-​year exempt sticker, fill out any forms (if required), let them stick the sticker on your windshield, and you’re done. It should take no more than five minutes.

H S.

I actually thought the Newark office was pretty decent to be a MVC. I have been to another MVC office and compared to there the Newark MVC was efficient and the people working here were nice if you have all the 6 points and everything you need. I would definetly chose Newark any day if I need a full serviced MVC. The woman at the knowledge test center (room 3) was really nice.

Walter G.

If there was a negative star i would give it –10, got here at 2pm the guy told me I have a 25% chance of being seen by someone lol, that was Tuesday which they close at 7:30pm. The workers dont care about anything in this place, only how to milk the taxpayers $. Stay away by all means !!!

John M.

The staff here are very rude & ignorant. I don’t like to leave bad reviews… but this place is horrendous. Will never go there again.

Kenton F.

I can’t stand this place I usually go to the one in Springfield much nicer facility and people. They get you in and out with a quickness not like this hell hole. The customers are ignorant beyond belief with no manners what so ever. Poor service is the norm I was lucky this day I went 30 minutes before closing and the place was empty for once if it had been a full parking lot I would have waited until Saturday morning and gone to another facility. At inspection time I never go here I get up early and go to Rahway.

Justin T.

For a dmv, this place really isn’t even that bad… it moved quick and the guy who helped me was really cool. So yes, it’s the dmv but I’ve been to worse — like lodi where everybody has an attitude problem

Ryan T.

Tip: Go at an off-​time on an off-​day. Think middle of the week, middle of the month, middle of the day (but not lunch-​time!)
I just went here at 2:30p on a Wednesday the 16^th, and I was in and out in under 30 minutes; able to find parking without problem. I had to replace a lost license. I had all the proofs-​of-​identity ready. The staff wasn’t rude or unhelpful. In fact I even caught one of them smiling! (But only one.)
I won’t apologize for how they treated some other reviewers, but I would recommend you to go at an off-​peak time. I’ve done this several times and I’m always out quickly and have not had a bad customer-​service experience.

Kimberly N.

Literally the ghettoest place on earth. I got there @ 830 to renew my license and left there @ 5:20. So annoying. Go to the one in Wayne or Eatontown. Avoid this one at all cost unless you wanna wait all day amongst a whole bunch of hoodlums and bitter workers. I will say the younger girls who work there are really pretty. But the older ones are bitter as hell.

Johnny C.

Similar experience to Dave written in August 2013. I arrived at 7:50am and they open at 8:00am. To their credit, they opened the gate at 8:00am and traffic flowed through. Honestly, I thought that I would sail smoothly from there, silly me. I am fifth in line and we proceed as you would expect (probably a 7 – 10 minute wait) and then it gets weird.
I get in the inspection lane and present my documents and I am requested to exit the car. They proceed to inspect (10 minutes or so) and drive it to the end of the lane, then it sits as the personnel cannot figure out the computer that prints receipts. Its probably 8:20am now and the car in front of mine has stymied the operator. He cannot get the computer to work so they check mine and instantly print a receipt/​sticker. My car is complete. Can I exit the building? No. I’m the 2^nd car! The car in front of mine is still waiting. They have to reboot the computer and try multiple times. I ask if I can get him help, which is ignored. I request to leave as I have been waiting nearly 30 minutes since my car finished! The inspectors response «No, the car ahead of you isn’t complete.» «Me: Can we move it? I am going to be late for work.» Literally, no response.
Finally, it works and I leave at 8:50am. Should auto inspection take this long? No. These personnel have minimal training on computers and zero training on customer service. If you dont expect a conversation based in logic, reason or intelligence, you’ve found the right place; these people operate in a bubble and have no means to think otherwise.
I passed so I guess they can do their job, but they have zero interest in getting the job done. It’s punch buttons and then punch a clock.

Ershad Z.

I just found out that my registration had been expired, decided to go to the closest DMV in the area close to work. this is a scary place, they even have bars on the windows. never seen that at a DMV!!! the place is crowded and smells.
They don’t even have the number system so you’d have to stand on line for the entire process. and you get occasional people pissed off and screaming at the agents…

David C.

Went for car inspection. After long line, I was one of 5 late-​model cars that failed for the same reason… We were all told that we needed to take our cars to the dealer’s service dept because the DMV’s scanner couldn’t recognize our cars with their computer! They insisted that there was something wrong w/​our cars, slapped on «fail» stickers, and greeted us with a lazy, nasty attitude making it clear that they hated working there. The BMW in front of me left w/​his «fail» sticker, but I insisted that there was nothing wrong with my car, so I drove around again and got inspected in a different line at the same place, and passed with no problem. Maybe there was just a bad worker in that line, but they were sending lots of people to the repair shop and failing them when, in actuality, it was their scanner and their staff that wasn’t working right at all. I can’t believe my tax dollars pay for this crap. This is the worst DMV station of them all.

Wilfredo R.

Came here on a Wednesday about 1:00 pm. Short wait for inspection. Service was prompt and courteous.

Mango J.

Always incredibly busy with a long line hanging OUTSIDE the door?!
Ive actually never seen that in any state nor in other parts of New Jersey so
was actually cleaned and organized inside, but they have no chairs whatsoever. only for the people who work there, so you will be on your feet the entire wait and process, and wow, no chairs? not even one for the patrons huh? what gives.
They dont have any chairs in there!

D B.

I usually only come here for my car’s inspection sticker. They used to have a electronic sign at the entrance telling you how long the wait was, but it hasn’t been working the last few times I was here. I would say the average wait time is about 1 hour. In the summer time there is usually a guy in the lot selling piraguas (snow cones). The dmv employees I’ve had contact with have been slow but friendly. At my local service station it’s a half hour and $ 50 for sticker, here 1 hour and free— you make the call.

Lovet O.

Always busy, the customer service is ok, and not enough parking. Luckily you can go online to take care of some of your paperwork but if you want to renew or get a new driver’s license… forget it. Lines are very long.
Whenever I come to this DMV, I know I will be waiting in line for at least two hours. And it never fails. Hopefully things will get better.