New policy allows vehicle owners to renew license plates online

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Michigan is now allowing vehicle owners the option to renew their license plate registrations online which expands options for renewing vehicle registrations.

People will also be able to print off a temporary registration document to keep in their vehicle until their new registration and tabs arrive in the mail.

Secretary of State Ruth Johnson made a recent announcement about the new policy, which she said should eliminate the need for vehicle owners to drive to their local Secretary of State branch office, along with reducing branch lines.

“In some of our busiest offices, we have wait times of up to two to three hours. That is unacceptable,” Johnson said in a press release. “Given budget and staff level constraints, we have to come up with creative ways to reduce customer wait times. Putting more services online will be critical in doing that.”

Rothbury sophomore Brandon Kieft said he thinks the vehicle registration online will benefit a lot of people.

“The Secretary of State that was the closest to me shut down because of lack of funding,” Kieft said. “So I actually had to drive 45 minutes to get my vehicle registered.”

According to the press release, nine million vehicle registration transactions are processed each year in Michigan, and about 75 percent of those transactions take place in the branch offices.

Fred Woodhams, spokesman for the Secretary of State, said it will allow the indoor branch staff to devote more time to customers who are at the branch office with more complicated transactions.

“It’s the most common thing that people do at the branch offices, which can be done in person or online,” Woodhams said. “Ideally, this will keep people out the offices.”

Woodhams said in the future, changes could be made for driver’s licenses to be renewed online, along with the ability to print out a temporary license.

“That is something we’re working on,” Woodhams said. “We do plan on making a change with that as well.”

For more information about online vehicle registration visit www.michigan.gov.