Virginia vehicle owners can renew their registration five ways: Internet, telephone, mail, DMV Select or customer service center (CSC). However, beginning July 1, 2008, they save money and time by renewing registrations (decals) online.

Customers are urged to avoid renewing in Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) CSCs where a statutory $5 fee will be added.

"Customers do not need to visit DMV to complete routine vehicle renewal transactions," said DMV Commissioner D.B. Smit. "This law emphasizes cost and time savings for our customers. Plus, it improves DMV's efficiency and customer service by letting our agents focus on customers who have complex transactions."

Here are the service options:

· Internet. Customers who renew online at www.dmvNOW.com receive a $1 discount and avoid the $5 fee.

· Mail. Customers avoid the $5 fee by mailing in their renewal notice.

· Telephone. Customers may renew vehicle registrations by using DMV's touchtone service (1-888-337-4782) to avoid the $5 fee.

· DMV Select. Customers may visit one of 50 DMV Select satellite offices throughout Virginia to complete their vehicle registration renewals without being charged the $5 fee. For a list of DMV Select locations, visit www.dmvNOW.com.

· Customer Service Center. Customers who renew their vehicle registrations in a CSC beginning July 1, 2008 will pay an additional $5. The fee will not apply if the registration renewal is conducted with another transaction for the same customer, and the second transaction cannot be completed online, by mail, by phone or at a DMV Select location. Only a few transactions must be completed at a CSC, such as an application for an original driver's license.

The new law also awards more discounts to customers who renew their vehicle registrations for multiple years. If customers renew for two years, they receive a $2 discount. The discounts awarded for Internet and two-year renewals are not prorated and are not refundable if a person cancels their registration before it expires.

"Virginians who use the Internet or renew for multiple years are rewarded for helping reduce future DMV operational costs," Smit said. "The next time you must visit DMV, you should experience a shorter wait for service since the plate renewal transactions won't be in the mix."

Another cost- and time-saving measure of the new legislation extends driver's license validity. Currently, Virginia driver's licenses expire after five years. Licenses issued beginning July 1, 2008will be valid for eight years, allowing customers to visit DMV less frequently. The cost of a driver's license remains the same, $4 per year. An eight-year renewal will cost $32.

Comments (1)

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DMV fees
written by citizen, June 30, 2008

Great info! Hence, I went to the DMV today and renewed everything early, avoided $5 fee, saved on postage (I was in the immediate area, anyhow)...better to give something to the Humane Society than to just waste it. Internet or mail can be risky; example: Used internet once..decals came, but not my tags..they were "out" of tags (*never does this happen at the DMV, even some auto dealers disperse real tags.) Waited for 2 weeks for tags. There can be times the $5 is a wise expenditure, for meeting timelines,etc.

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