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DENVER -- Marty Thompson celebrated his 16th birthday more than a month ago, but he might have to wait until October to get his driver's license.
"We’ve been trying to get it for well over a month, it’s been a pain," said Thompson.
Thompson said he tried planning ahead and started looking for appointments back in July, but the earliest availability was in October. He even went to several locations hoping someone canceled an appointment and he might be able get in but he hasn't had any luck.
"I think the whole schedule system was very poor," said Thompson.
Depending on the DMV office you plan to visit, some locations are booked up through mid-December.
"We have a reduced capacity in our offices for appointments," said Julie Brooks, DMV Communications Manager.
Brooks said when their offices reopened in May, there was a significant backlog to work through but now she believes the problem is reduced capacity. Once-crowded DMV branches are now practicing social distancing so they simply can't see as many customers.
Before the pandemic arrived, state DMV offices could see upwards of 80,000 people per month, but that number is now around 64,000.
"There’s not as many appointments, we have a significant number of young drivers who are trying to get permits or licenses, also a number of people who have moved to Colorado," said Brooks.
One of the most common concerns that viewers have is being able to get a new license before the upcoming election. The DMV offers automatic voter registration, but other options are available for Colorado voters who can also register to vote by mail. Same-day voter registration is also available at polling locations. More information is available here.
