Nevada Department of Motor Vehicle offices were crowded with immigrants seeking driver authorization cards Thursday, the first day they became available under a new state law.

Nevada is the 11th state to offer driving privileges to people in the country illegally.

In Las Vegas, long lines began forming before the doors opened at 8 a.m.

By early afternoon, DMV officials had stopped applications because of wait times and a backlog of people waiting to take the written exam.

Nevada Senate Majority Leader Mo Denis said he visited one DMV office that had 150 people in line waiting to take the test.

DMV spokesman David Fierro said the waiting time for service in both Reno and Carson City was about a half hour at midday.