How to Renew License Plates Online

Article provided by wikihow the wikihow manual.

Renewing your license plate online can help save you time standing in line at your local branch of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Most states offer the service as a convenience to their registered motorists. While the actual procedures may differ slightly by state, how to renew license plates online (the requirements to use the service and the steps involved) are similar and simple to complete.

Steps

1. 1
   Have your printed notice from your state in hand before starting the process of online license plate renewal. If you didn't receive a notice, but know it is time to renew, you'll need to renew your license plates in person.

   
   

   • All the printed information on the notice should be correct and may require a PIN number, or chances are good you will need to complete the renewal process in person or by mail. Call your local DMV to verify its policy.
2. 2
   Pay and/or update all your necessary taxes, insurance, fines and inspections before attempting an online renewal of your license plates. Depending on the laws in your state, this could include personal property tax, vehicle inspection and emissions testing.
   • If emissions testing is a requirement for vehicle registration renewal, you may need to wait at least 24 hours after having your vehicle tested to allow the system to register the record of your test.
   • Some states will also check for outstanding moving violations or parking tickets involving your car before allowing you to renew your license plates.
3. 3
   Access your state's online license plate renewal web page to verify that the vehicle's plates you want to renew are indeed eligible for online services. This varies by state, with larger vehicles like buses or commercial vehicles, out-of-service vehicles (those not driven for more than a year), tractors and trailers often requiring in-person renewal.
4. 4
   Understand what payment methods your state will accept for online renewals. Some states require a valid credit card only when renewing online while others offer e-check services and accept debit cards for payment.
   • Some states charge a convenience fee for using the online renewal process. It's a minimal charge, usually no more than $1 to $3, and helps reimburse them the cost of the e-check service or credit card processing. It certainly is worth not having to stand in line, sometimes for an hour or more if you put off your renewal until the end of the month, which is usually the office's busiest time.
   • If your registration is overdue, some states will not allow for online renewal while other states will simply charge a late fee (usually around $10 to $20). Vehicles that are more than a year overdue generally cannot be renewed online.
5. 5
   Print the online renewal receipt to keep in your car as proof of registration. This is especially important if you waited too close to the end of the month for your new plates or stickers to arrive before your registration expires. Having the printed confirmation in your car gives you something to show an officer should you be stopped before the new stickers or plates arrive.

6. Article provided by wikihow the wikihow manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Renew License Plates OnlineAll content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.