What's the wait like at the new RMV on route 20?

Submitted by elbaliavanuemanresu t3_111bvwl in WorcesterMA

I have to register new vehicle I purchased out of state. This is a new registration so I can't go to a AAA office and I see the registry is no longer taking appointments for registrations, only licensing.

When I registered my last vehicle, the RMV was accepting appointments for all services and I was in and out in ~30 minutes. The vehicle before that (pre-covid), I waited in line 45 minutes before the RMV opened and still had to wait >2 hours to register a new vehicle.

What do wait times generally look like now? Should I expect to take a half day off of work?

3

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

NattyRak t1_j8dt3pk wrote

If you can make the trip, you could try going up to Leominster. Wait times may be shorter, but that also depends on when you get there.

I went at lunch in November and I was in and out in less than an hour.

6

NativeMasshole t1_j8e4krf wrote

I always went to the one in Southbridge. They've always been great. Except for that one time the state tried moving it to the Charlton depot on the Pike for no reason.

6

Whole-Wishbone-7539 t1_j8e9ayx wrote

I second this. The Southbridge branch has always been a much better trip than Worcester

6

zHyena t1_j8emc2p wrote

Same here. Live near Worcester or even Milford but I still travel out to Southbridge. Never had a long wait there tbh. Been a few times since I've moved back to MA 8 years ago

3

spike_1885 t1_j8gevel wrote

I concur with the positive review of the Leominster Registry office.

1

Disastrous-Ticket-62 t1_j8e7bi1 wrote

I waited an hour past my appointment time so I’d say it’s a typical RMV experience.

5

redditusercameron t1_j8dxqyc wrote

The one on SW Cutoff? I’m in that plaza often and the parking lot is always packed, I think they also opened a DTA office right next door, so it’s probably a mix of the 2

4

HeyJohnnyUtah t1_j8ds01n wrote

Hard to say because it's so dependant on when you go and how many people beat you there but I registered a new vehicle on a Friday afternoon a couple of months ago and waited maybe an hour?

3

elbaliavanuemanresu OP t1_j8e63n7 wrote

Google shows the registry is historically not too busy late in the afternoon. Whether that is accurate, who knows. I live <10 minutes away in a neighboring town. I'll probably just clock out a little early, swing by and hope for the best. Thank you for your input.

1

HeyJohnnyUtah t1_j8e7kx2 wrote

I'll add that they seemed to triage what you were coming in for. I was in a different queue than folks coming in for license things and my wait was shorter than a lot of folks who were there before me. May help to kill ‘em with kindness too - there were so many people I saw be really unnecessarily rude to the staff and somehow many of them ended up having to wait longer. Funny how that works…

3

Whole-Wishbone-7539 t1_j8e9lvo wrote

I wish they'd open one for poor people doing their 35th re registration of the year on a 15 year old vehicle

2

Oyadonchano t1_j8egmmz wrote

Make an appointment for early in the AM. Even with an appointment you have to wait in line to check in, and in the middle of the day the line builds up. I made an early appointment and was in and out in like 20 min.

2

irresoluteduck t1_j8fmpri wrote

I had an appointment at 11:30 am, went in around 11:15 and was out before 11:55. This was a couple of weeks ago, and the place is really nice and less crazy than at the old location.

2

jpm01609 t1_j8gadc8 wrote

get there for 855AM be the first in line have all your documents (even the ones you dont think you will need).. do not do what I did and wait until 910AM and then have to wiat 1-2 hours....be at the DOOR at 850AM!

1