A Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is notoriously among one of the most unpleasant places to visit. From the long wait times and mundane environment to the chore-like nature of them, DMVs rival dentist and doctor offices in unpleasantness.
People don’t choose to go to the DMV; they often feel forced to go there when they need a specific service done, like renewing a driver’s license or registering a vehicle.
So it makes sense that one would want to avoid them at all costs.
Thanks to TikToker Andrea Iglesias’ mother, she found out a little-known hack that kept her out of the DMV. In turn, she shared the hack with the masses. Her video has been viewed 762,000 times.
“I just renewed my drivers license in 3 mins at Vons after I saw the line at DMV and walked out,” the text overlay of the video, which features the golden DMV kiosk, reads.
“Shout out mom for telling me this was a thing!!?!?” she added in caption of the post.
@andreanicole.ig Shout out mom for telling me this was a thing!!?!? #dmv #dmvtiktok #vons #driverslicense #renewal #thefuture #hack #nolonglines #dontdolines #thankyou #fyp #follow ♬ original sound – Andrea Iglesias
Viewers want to gatekeep this hack
Viewers who have known about the DMV kiosks at Vons were upset that Iglesias is sharing their little-known secret.
“Why do people have the need or urge to tell everyone all the shortcuts?!!! This is going to make the short lines long now!!!!!” one exclaimed.
“Don’t tell ppl lol,” another said.
“This been a thing for 7+ years … why people mad you putting them on … we all go to the dmv for different reasons this is just for renewals,” a third wrote.
What are DMV kiosks, and what can you do at them?
The kiosks are not just for license renewals. There are a variety of tasks you can complete at them, according to California’s DMV site.
Some of those include:
- Replacing your driver’s license
- Submitting proof of insurance
- Receiving your vehicle or driver’s record
- Receiving a replacement registration card or sticker
- Renewing a non-driver’s license identification card
These kiosks appear to be in select states, like Nevada, California, and Tennessee. According to the California DMV site, there are nearly 300 DMV kiosks in retail locations as well as DMVs across the state.
REAL ID?
Some viewers shared concerns that the kiosk driver’s licenses aren’t REAL ID-compliant. These IDs have a star in the upper right-hand corner of them. Recently, the Transportation Security Administration announced that come May 7, 2025, U.S. travelers must have a REAL ID-compliant license to fly.
“Ok but it’s not a real id,” one said.
“You can’t do the real ID through them, only a regular renewal,” another shared.
According to California’s site, residents have to visit a DMV in person in order to get a REAL ID if it is their first time applying for one. However, according to Tennessee’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security, one can renew a REAL ID at its DMV kiosks.
Iglesias assured viewers that she plans to apply for the REAL ID at a DMV in a few weeks. She just needed to quickly renew her license, which is why the kiosk was the best course of action considering her immediate needs.
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