13 Things You Only Saw at the DMV Back in the Day
Before digital screens and online appointments, the DMV was a world of its own—full of quirks, chaos, and characters.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
The Department of Motor Vehicles used to be an unforgettable experience filled with outdated technology, funky signage, and some seriously oddball moments. Whether it was the painfully slow number-calling system or the ancient eye test machine, everyone has a memory burned into their brain. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and relive 13 iconic things you only saw at the DMV back in the day.
1. The Number Dispenser with Pull Tabs
Mike Mozart on Flickr
You grabbed a paper ticket from a red plastic box, sat, and waited. It was like a sad game of bingo with no winner.
2. Wooden Clipboards and Broken Pens
Angela Roma on Pexels
Before online forms, there were stacks of paperwork clipped to battered boards. The pens were always chained down and usually out of ink.
3. Wall Posters from the ’70s and ’80s
Nesster on Flickr
These were sun-faded relics warning about DUIs, seatbelt safety, or how to parallel park like it was rocket science. Some looked like they’d been there since the Carter administration.
4. Glacially Slow Announcement Speakers
oatsy40 on Wikimedia Commons
That garbled, monotone voice calling out numbers was iconic. You’d hear, “Now serving… A four…ty…sev…en,” like it was underwater.
5. Vinyl Seats That Stuck to Your Legs
Alina Matveycheva on Pexels
The benches weren’t made for comfort; they were made to survive generations. In summer, they left imprints on the back of your thighs.
6. The Vision Test Machine of Doom
Kaboompics.com on Pexels
That big gray box you had to lean into like a medieval torture device was unforgettable. It smelled like Windex and old wires, and no one ever knew where to put their forehead.
7. Angry People Fighting with the Staff
Afif Ramdhasuma on Unsplash
There was always at least one person mid-argument, waving papers and demanding a supervisor. It wasn’t a DMV visit without some public drama.
8. The Impossible Written Test Booklets
Münevver on Pexels
Thick, paper booklets with way too many trick questions about road signs you’d never actually seen were present. You’d sweat bullets over right-of-way rules and four-way stop logic.
9. The DMV Employee Who’d Seen It All
NCDOTcommunications on Flickr
They didn’t smile or blink, and knew every policy by heart. You couldn’t charm them, outwit them, or rush them. Their facial expression never changed—even when someone cried.
10. Questionable Carpeting
O’Connor Spencer on Unsplash
Faded, patterned, and probably never cleaned properly, that carpet had seen things. It hid scuff marks, spilled coffee, and the tears of test-failers.
11. The Longest Lines Ever (Even for the Bathroom)
Oregon Department of Transportation on Flickr
The queue started outside and felt like it never moved. Bathroom lines were no better, and the soap dispenser never worked.
12. The License Photo Setup from the Dark Ages
Lisett Kruusimäe on Pexels
One spotlight, one gray backdrop, and zero warning. You’d blink, look confused, and somehow end up with a mugshot on your ID for the next decade.
13. The Mysterious “Closed” Window No One Ever Saw Open
Lisa Bresler on Unsplash
Always staffed with zero people and a sign that read “Next Window Please.” Why was it there? What was it for? No one knew.