KSHB 41 anchor/reporter Daniela Leon covers transportation-related issues in Kansas City. Share your story idea with Daniela.
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According to 2020 population data from the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), Johnson County, Kansas, is the largest county in the Sunflower State, beating other populous counties like Sedgwick County and Wyandotte County.
But the surge in population has caused demand at Motor Vehicle locations to skyrocket.
The county has two DMV locations — one in Olathe and one in Mission.
Annually, 600,000 transactions are processed, but currently, customers are experiencing wait times of three hours, with online appointments sometimes booked 30 days out.
Barbara Gardner, Prairie Village resident, tried earlier this month to go to the Mission office as a walk-in and register her new vehicle. However, she was told she couldn't be served due to the current wait lines and appointments.
“I’m just going with the flow and [will] try harder tomorrow," Gardner said.
When asked if she had experienced this before, she nodded her head up and down.
"We've had this happen before with another issue," Gardner said.
Tom Franzen, who serves as the county's treasurer, executes motor vehicle functions on behalf of the Kansas Department of Revenue. He said wait times are averaging around the three-hour mark.
"When we talk with our Board of County Commissioners each year during the budget cycle, one of our key performance indicators is wait times, and that target has been about an hour in the past," Franzen said. "But the last couple of years, it's been slowly getting longer and longer because the community continues to grow."
Adding to the current backlog, Kansas personalized plate renewals are due this year. Plus, the current workforce structure, despite staff working additional hours, continues to struggle to meet demand.
"It's unfortunately the reality we live in because of the staffing model we have," Franzen said. "We just added two additional staff this year, but that's still less than what we need. But the reason we're not fully staffed to where we think we should be is because the revenues that come with this operation are set in Kansas law, and the legislature has the ability to make that change."
In Kansas, the Department of Revenue makes the rules for vehicle titles and registrations, with county treasurer's offices acting as agents, doing the work for the state. Franzen explained that means changes have to come from the top.
KSHB 41's Daniela Leon filed a records request and learned fee revenue collected in 2024 within Johnson County equated to $32.4 million. However, only $4.7 million of those funds were retained by the county, which goes toward supporting the DMV operation, staffing.
Johnson County provides subsidies annually, which have steadily increased, coming from the county property taxes residents pay.
"The board is trying to strike a balance of not fully funding this because, at the end of the day, it's a state issue, but they also understand you just can't let it be a problem," Franzen said.
In 2016, an assessment was performed by KSM Consulting on Johnson County Motor Vehicle operations. The results determined continued growth and the increase in transactions would further burden the system.
Also, the consulting firm said the county would need to continue its use of technology and self-service options for customers to meet demand, manage costs and tackle changes to the operating model, along with changes in state law. Otherwise, coordination with the state would be needed.
The Kansas Legislature is expected to return to session in January. In the meantime, Franzen said other treasurers are working to draft bills that could be considered once lawmakers are back in Topeka.
KSHB 41 reached out to Gov. Laura Kelly's office, but we did not hear back. The Department of Revenue also declined to comment on this story.
Senate President Ty Masterson did issue a statement to KSHB 41, saying in part:
"We're fighting in the Senate to fix this issue and make life easier for Kansans. The Transportation Committee advanced SB 119 in 2025 to tackle it head-on. Next session, we’ll be working to ensure that counties can retain an adequate amount of revenue to successfully fulfill the needs of Kansans without adding more burdens, all while continuing our active review of any legislative options to boost efficiencies.”
To avoid delays as best as you can, Franzen said you should come prepared with all documents needed during your appointment.
He also recommended taking advantage of online services like renewals and address changes, and if you have to register a new car, you can join the wait list at 6 a.m.
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