Michigan SOS Now Offering Walk-Up Appointments, Slots Still Not Guaranteed

(CBS DETROIT) – Logging online to book an appointment at the secretary of state left many customers waiting months to be seen and same day appointments were even harder to snag.

"Thinking I could just walk on in and get it done and they told me I have to have an appointment so I talked with one of the ladies inside. She gave me a number to call and I came out and sat in my car and called the number and she checked to see if there would be a cancellation and it was," said Glenn Walker, an SOS customer.

But now new changes are in place to get customers in and out with possibly little to no wait time.

Michigan Secretary Of State Jocelyn Benson says a new operating model will help branch offices move through transactions more efficiently since a demand in services spiked and customers voiced frustrations over mandatory appointments.

"Our commitment is to providing those in-person services for people at a time when they need them. For the most part that will involve same day operations but someone may choose to come back later in the day or to come back another day," said Benson.

Initially, post pandemic operations required customers to make appointments online, but now visitors can walk up to any location and get same day service if available, or schedule the next opening.

"You don't have to come and sit you know like you used to. You know you could get the appointment, go and come back and so that kind of made it convenient to come for your appointment," said Walker.

Office times will also be extended by an hour.

Starting July 19, Mondays and Thursday offices will stay open until 6 p.m.

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, branches will open an hour early at 8 a.m.

Expired IDs can now be renewed at self-service kiosks and in-person visits for photo updates are now every 12 years.

"If people come up and want that same day service they may likely find that they don't need an in person transaction. They can do it from a self-service station which are located both in branch offices and grocery stores and so that will be a possibility as well," said Benson.

Appointment times are available at Michigan.gov/sos or by calling 888-SOS-MICH.

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