Renewing Your Vehicle Registration? A Few Things You Should Know
Posted on: 16 October 2017
You can see the expiration month for your vehicles registration every time you walk by your car because it is on the license plate. However, it is still easy to forget about or put off renewing it until the last minute. Here are a few things you should understand about keeping your vehicle legal.
Fees and Fines
If you do not renew the registration on time, you will probably be charged late fees by the registering authority. In addition, if you are stopped by a police officer you can receive a ticket. You can be stopped solely because your registration has expired. Remember, everyone can see the expiration month and year on the license plate.
Grace Period
It is important that you understand the exact day your registration will expire to avoid fines and fees. In some states, the expiration date is always the last day of the month while in other it is exactly one (or two) years from when the last registration. However, there may also be a grace period after that date. While your registration is expired, you will not be charged any late fees if you renew before the grace period is up. However, you can stil be stopped and fined by a police officer.
Renewal Options
If time is the reason you have not renewed the registration yet, take advantage of the different options available. You may be able to do the renewal online if you have received a notice from the DMV. This only takes a few minutes and an accepted method of payment. You may also have a friend or family member do it for you in person. There are also businesses that will go to the DMV for you, but you will have to pay for this. Finally, if all else fails, many offices have a kiosk to use for renewals if you have a notice. Instead of having to wait in line for a long time, you can get the task done in just a few minutes.
As soon as you get a notice that the registration needs renewed, decide which option works best for you and get the task done. If you need to get the money together, make sure you get on it right away so you won't be paying more due to missing the deadline. Keep the notice someplace you see it every day to be sure to stay on track.
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