MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Long lines at the Shelby County Clerk’s Office have become an issue for those new to the state looking to get a new car registration.
Thalia Hayman has tried to get her Tennessee car registration four times.
Monday, she waited in line for about five hours, only to be turned away at a surprise early closing time of 3 p.m.
“I got there at 9:30 a.m. I didn’t get into the building around 12 and I didn’t get seen until about 3,” she said.
Hours of her day were gone after a day taken off only to get turned away a fourth time in two weeks.
Hayman has had enough.
“They were separating the lines from people that were getting tag renewals and then everything was in another line so I was in an everything else line,” Hayman said.
The first attempt was last Wednesday just before 2 p.m. She wasn't let in.
Thursday, she was told to come back with her current registration copy since the original was stolen out of her car.
Friday, she did that and stood in line for at least two hours before the line was cut off at 3 p.m.
Monday brought another delay.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” recounted Hayman. “It was a little bit frustrating because the people who were behind me that had tag renewals were actually seen before me and they were out of there in a matter of like 30 minutes to an hour."
The lady at the desk also informed her a registration copy wouldn’t suffice, adding the Mullins location was closing at around 3 p.m. The original time online states the location closes at 5:15 p.m.
”Closing basically two and a half hours early, I honestly don’t think a government building should be closing earlier without approval," she said. "I don’t think anyone approved this.”
Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert said if you’re having a problem like this, report it to executive leadership.
Halbert said office locations may cut off the line and close early based on the length of folks needing services to address financials that go through the state.
Meanwhile, Hayman is going to be trying a fifth time for that new car registration, which does mean another day taken off of work.