DMV starts Internet registration renewals program

Take a good look at that Department of Motor Vehicles renewal form that just arrived in the mail. You may be able to renew the car's registration or a drivers' license by phone or Internet.

Kim Evans of DMV says residents can renew by Net using the code number at the top of the form. She said it's a test program so not every renewal has the code number.

But it's a big test, with 1,000 registration renewals and 200 drivers' license renewals going out bearing code numbers every day.

The program started May 3, so the first of those coded letters should have arrived at Nevada homes last week.

"It's a one-time access code," she said.

Dick Kirkland, who takes over as director of DMV June 1, said that in a matter of weeks the agency expects to roll out the program so that everyone receiving a simple, straightforward renewal will be able to do it through the Net or by phone.

Kirkland said it's another key to simplifying the process of dealing with DMV and reducing the number of people who have to go to a department office and wait in line.

Evans said the program is available only for those people who have simple registration renewals and not for such things as new registrations, which require an actual inspection of the vehicle.

But she and Kirkland pointed out earlier this week that the majority of renewals are just that with no changes in the vehicle, the owner's address or other information.

For drivers' licenses, the Net renewal is available to those whose vital information and address are unchanged and who appeared for their eye test and new photo at their last renewal. Nevada law requires the eye test and photo only every other renewal.

She said the test program allowing simple registration renewals at selected smog stations in Reno and Las Vegas has been in effect for a month now. Without advertising, she said some 200 motorists have renewed at the one Reno and two Las Vegas smog inspection stations set up to do the renewals.

Only those renewals with no changes in address or other information can be done by remote.

Surf for yourself

http://www.state.nv.us/dmv_ps/