The Cities with the Most Pleasant… DMVs?

Let’s be honest… no one walks out of the DMV raving about how delightful the experience was. At best, you leave thinking, “Hey, that wasn’t as soul-crushing as I feared.” But according to a new report, some cities actually manage to make the process almost… pleasant?

The folks at “Sudoku Bliss” (yes, really) analyzed online reviews and experiences from 140 DMV locations across 30 major U.S. cities, and they’ve crunched the data to find out where your DMV dreams… or nightmares… are most likely to come true.

The Best DMV Cities

If you’re looking for a stress-free license renewal, these ten cities scored highest for short wait times, decent service, and low frustration levels:

1. Indianapolis – Honestly, this might be their biggest tourism pitch yet.
2. Phoenix
3. Seattle
4. Jacksonville
5. Philadelphia
6. Chicago
7. Baltimore
8. Detroit
9. New York City
10. San Antonio

Phoenix, Jacksonville, and Philly even got special shout-outs for having the most pleasant DMV locations overall. We’re not saying they hand out lattes and compliments… but we’re not not saying it either.

The Worst DMV Cities

On the flip side, here’s where your DMV visit might feel like a form of punishment:

1. Charlotte – Three of the five most-hated DMV offices are in Charlotte alone. Ouch.
2. Portland, Oregon
3. Austin
4. Boston
5. San Francisco
6. Memphis
7. Denver
8. Oklahoma City
9. Los Angeles
10. Fort Worth

Oklahoma City gets some redemption here… they were named the “most improved,” so maybe they’ve just been working through some things. On the other hand, Los Angeles, Nashville, and D.C. were called out for being stuck in DMV purgatory with no signs of improvement.