Chicago Loop Express – Secretary of State Facility/DMV

Replacing my destroyed license was a wonderful experience. The staff was efficient, exercised common sense (if someone looks confused, ask if they need help!) and were friendly. I didn’t want to leave!

Took less than 15 minutes to get a new driver’s license after losing it, and only cost me $ 5. Very friendly staff as well! Definitely the best DMV experience I have ever had and would recommend going here.

This was the most pleasant and quickest experience I’ve had at any DMV. I’ve never been able to walk into a DMV with a smile on my face and leave with a smile on my face. It was so quick that I actually regretted taking off work to visit here.
My past DMV experience has always involved standing in a line that wrapped around the corner but when I got to this facility there was barely anyone in the waiting area. I got there 30 minutes after they opened on a Friday and I was in and out in less than 10 minutes.
As long as you have all of your paperwork ready before you reach the check-​in desk you are bound to have a quick and pleasant experience. The site is limited to what it does but if you are doing something simple I would highly recommend visiting this facility.

In and out in less than 30 minutes. You can’t beat that! I gave it four stars because I find it absolutely ridiculous that it is $ 30 to renew your license and that they charge a $ 1 service fee for using my visa debit card. Come on! It’s 2016 not 1986. Also, the man wouldn’t let me re-​take my photo but that is just me being catty and vein.

I had a great experience here! It was very quick and I had my license renewed and address updated. It took 20 mins from the beginning to the end. The staff was very efficient, helpful and polite as well. It was definitely very painless and actually enjoyable.

For a quick stop during lunch time, I’ve in and out in about 30 minutes or less for the two times I came. First time I got new stickers for my car, and the second was to get a new drivers license (I reported a change of address online, and then when I got in line, I just gave them the documents they needed, signed papers, paid the fee and they took my picture). It’s not like the brightest office you’ll ever be in, and the people there aren’t all happy, but most of them weren’t grumpy, just efficient. Works for me!

Lost my license… that sucks. Getting a replacement in less than 15 minutes. mind boggling! And the cherry on top… it only set me back $ 5 plus a $ 1 convenience fee for using a credit card. Thanks Chicago Loop Express… you’ve renewed my faith in the department of motor vehicles.

I went to renew my state id and was literally in there for minutes. The staff was polite… or maybe I was just the lucky customer. If you want to handle things quickly go to this facility because they have to system down to a science.

Great service, very understanding and helpful staff. I wish I would’ve caught the names of the two reps I worked with but they made my experience such a great one.
As the other reviews have said– best DMV out there! Thank you :)

Very friendly staff. I was in and out within 10 minutes for a drivers liscence replacement.

Outstanding experience ! I couldn’t believe, I wasn’t dreaming. Almost no line, friendly service with a genuine smile on everyone’s face — in and out in 10 minutes at the most.

Fast service when you just need to renew your drivers license. They accept cash, check, or card. When you use a card, there’s a $ 1 fee. Staff was friendly and efficient.

if address change, need two prove of Address with date.
if no address change, just id with signature. could be a signed credit card!
nice and easy!

This place is convenient, quick and easy.
Particular shout out to Patrick, who was prompt, knowledgeable, friendly and helpful!
Thank you for helping to restore some faith in the DMV, which is typically a not so pleasant experience.

Ok, so the Five star rating here isn’t exactly a five star rating but compared to other DMV experiences, this place was a breeze! Much shorter lines than the full service DMV over in the Thompson center, MUCH shorter!
On top of that, I found the people to be a good degree friendler while still being effecient and effective at pumping people through the line. Anything I can take care of here, I will definitely do in the future.

I’ve been to this DMV twice now. The first time was great with a very short line, and the second time was even better.
I went on a rainy spring day, and there was only one other person in line ahead of me. I was in and out in about 15 minutes total, and got exactly what I needed.
They couldn’t renew my boyfriend’s license because his current one is from another state (so he needs to go to the full-​service DMV a block away), but even so, they were still helpful — they gave me a pamphlet and a form to bring to him so he could be ready with what he needed at the full-​service DMV.
I see no reason to ever go to any other DMV. This one is so easy!

I don’t even go to Clark/​Lake anymore because this location is so much faster. I am willing to walk an extra 10 minutes to avoid the huge lines at Clark/​Lake. I’ve been there 3 – 4 times for various things and I’ve never had to wait for more than 5 – 10 minutes.
I’m so glad to have found this place.

This is the best DMV i have ever been to.
I need to renew my driver’s license and registration. I came here on a weekday at 9am and I was out in 10min. The staff is friendly and super efficient.
There is absolutely no hassle :)

I’m not exaggerating when I say that I was in this DMV for maybe 90 seconds. I needed to replace my lost driver’s license and I was not looking forward to this trip. As soon as I entered I was greeted with a smile (A smile at the DMV? I thought that was against the law!). The person who took care of me was quick, efficient and didn’t look like he was ready to kill himself. The process of him looking me up, checking my identification and filling out the form took maybe 60 seconds. I was then told to go over to the cashier and pay for my ID. I took my form, my $ 5 and handed it to the cashier and she immediately printed my ID and handed it to me still hot from the printer. I walked out not believing what I had just done. I reserved an hour and a half for the process.
Now let’s look at the bigger picture and say that if you go on a Friday at lunch– you might not get that kind of speedy and happy service, but if you have the time during the week before lunch hour then you just might have the same luck as me. However, even if there was a line, I can’t imagine I would have been out there later than 30 minutes.

ARGH, fuck this place. Back in 2010, I’d have given it 5 glowing stars. I came in, handed in my TX DL, took vision and written tests, took a photo and was out the door in 20 minutes. Not today. Today, this place lived down to the worst cliches of the DMV.
Couple of harbingers of the shit to come when I walked up and saw some Disney-​style lines and a man cursing as he was being escorted out by Security. «GET YOUR GODDAMN HANDS OFF OF ME!» Good times.
All I needed to do today was renew, and I came down here in person instead of mailing it in to get rid of the most horrendous DL pic I’ve ever had in my life. FINALLY. THIS DAY IS HERE. Begone, sweaty 2010 summer pic. Hello, properly makeupped 2014 renewal pic! Hello, I even wore mascara, which I do between, oh, twice a year and never.
Got my #, took a seat and waited, and waited. Finally, my # was called and I told the lady I was there for a renewal, NO CHANGES. Took vision test, paid, took a photo, and waited for my printed license. Finally got it and was shocked by two things: (1) the photo was actually good, and (2) my address was totally incorrect.
She’d somehow retyped my address in some sort of dyslexic fit, because even though there were zero changes, somehow the DMV has to manually re-​enter your address. So of course they’d botch it. Of course. Went back over there, got it corrected in the computer, then went BACK to the camera area for a reprint. Imagine my shock when the new DL came out with the FUCKING OLD PICTURE. The 2010 Photo of Horrors.
WHYYYY the hell had I bothered to take time off, take the time and expense to brave the CTA and a snowy day to get the same goddamn picture I could’ve gotten in the mail? When I asked the previously flirty camera-​area dudes what was up with that, they were like, «Sorry.» Yes, yes you are.