Who would have thought....

...that the simple act of applying for license plates could be so complicated?

It's a fact that I will have to obtain my Oklahoma "driver license" (they don't call it a "driver's" license in these parts) before I can start filling out the three applications for my Massage Therapist's license.

So, D thought all we'd have to do was go to what is called a "tag agency," and get the license.

So we did.
But no.
Since I moved here from another state, I have to go to the state police first, and get cleared with them before I can get my license.

D and I decided we would do that later that week, and that he would take an afternoon off from work to go with me.

In the meantime, however, D found out that, before we can do THAT, I have to get a license plate (this is a rear plate only state), and register my vehicle in the state of Oklahoma.

So---another trip back to the tag agency BEFORE the trip to the state police. D said he would take Friday afternoon off, so we could take that step.

But first, a slight detour to some back story.

I may have posted in this blog somewhere about my experience with the Illinois Secretary of State's drivers' services facility that I visited earlier this year.

In Illinois, you can get your plates AND your license in the SAME PLACE!! It's a wonder!!

Anyway, I had gone to the drivers' facility with the intent to change to my married name on my car's registration and title, before relocating.

I arrived at the facility, and read the signs, and got into the line for name changes and other updates.

The facility I was visiting was a "satellite" office, that only does stuff like renew licenses, and make name changes, so there were only 2 lines to choose from (the other was for renewals and state i.d. cards only), and only 2 people working behind the counter.

I stood in the line for about a half hour, slowly making my way to my turn.

When I got to the window, I asked the woman who was waiting there my question ("what do I need to do in order to change my name on my registration and title"?).
She looked at me blankly for a moment, and said "Oh, you stood in the wrong line. You'll need to go through the other line."

*sigh*

So, I got into the other line, not understanding why, but assuming that the other person behind the counter was the one I needed to see.

I stood in THAT line for something like another half hour or so. Maybe it was closer to 45 minutes, I don't recall.

When I got to my turn, guess what happened!! That's right!

I was called to none other than the SAME WINDOW, with the SAME WOMAN behind the counter!

I think I said something like: "Hello, again, remember me? You said that I was in the wrong line before, and you told me you couldn't help me. Maybe you can help me now."

I asked my question again, using the same words, and she brightly said, "Oh, honey, you don't have to worry about doing all of that! Save your money! They want something like $80 to change your title, and it really doesn't matter. NEXT!!"

I begged her to wait a moment, and allow me to ask another question, so I then explained to her that I was preparing to move to another state, and that I assumed that I would need everything to all appear with the same legal name on it.

She insisted that this was not the case, and she sent me on my way with a smile.

In retrospect, I now assume that she was just looking for someone to jack with, and that day was my lucky day.

Okay...flash back to OKC, tag agency visit #2, last Friday afternoon.

Walked up to the counter, said I just moved here from another state, and need to get a tag for my car, so I can go get a driver license.
The girl standing there looked at my blankly, then said "I don't know how to do that, I'll have to get someone else."
Then, a young man, also un-experienced, approached, with an older woman in tow. She talked him through the process. In Spanish.

I handed over my registration, my license, and my insurance card.

He stood and looked at everything for what seemed like ever. Then, I remembered that my name was different on the registration than it was on the license or the insurance card, so I spoke up.

"I got married last year, the license and insurance is my correct legal name. I was told by the state of Illinois that I did not need to change the registration."

The young man was just sort of staring at me, and the woman then said "Well, you do need to change it. How is it on your title? Do you have that with you, too, because we're going to need it...?"

I explained that it was not updated on the title, either, for the same reason...the state had told me not to bother, and that I had not realized that the title would be needed for this process.

She rolled her eyes.

Great.

So she and the young man discussed the situation, in Spanish, and he began filling out forms. Using my old name.

He explained that, because the registration is in the old name, he had to put my new Oklahoma registration in that name, too, AND, that I would have to sign everything using that name.

Gawd.

Whatever. I signed the form, he started tallying up the charges for the plate ($107!!! $20 more than in Illinois!), and went to start the data entry portion of the job.

By this time, we had probably been standing there about 30 minutes or so.

He got to the insurance card, and he stopped.

He called for the older woman again, and she came over and they talked in Spanish again.

"I can't take this insurance. The card says Illinois on it." (D, standing behind me, says "Oh JEZUZ H. CHRIST!")

I said "Well, of course it does, I just moved here from Illinois, and this is my insurance. I've called them, and they know I moved here, so this is still valid."

"No, I'm sorry, if the card doesn't say 'Oklahoma' on it, I can't accept it, and your application is rejected."

I turned to D, who was angrier than I was at this point

The woman stepped in again, and said, "We have a fax number. Why don't you call your insurance, and have them fax us your new card, since you haven't gotten it yet?"

I couldn't take it anymore, so I just grabbed my purse, the insurance card, turned, and walked outside.

D stayed behind and got the fax number for me, while I was in the parking lot, dialing my the number on the back of the insurance card.

Because this story is only half way told, I will save the rest for another post....it just keeps getting better!!