SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Annual vehicle registration renewal postcards will be returning the mailboxes across the state after the Utah Legislature approved funding to reinstate the Divison of Motor Vehicles’ postcards.
DMV officials said the first postcards will go out at the end of April for vehicles expiring in May. They also encouraged residents to update their physical addresses online.
“The DMV still encourages the public to register for an email notification at dmv.utah.gov,” officials said. “However, be advised that by opting in for an email renewal notice, you will not receive a reminder postcard.”
Officials said opting for an email reminder includes the following benefits:
- Easily printable with all required renewal information, including PIN
- Follow-up emails if you forget to renew
- Improved protection of your vehicle information
- Successful reminders even if you move and forget to notify the DMV
The DMV ended the postcard program last September, saying hundreds of thousands of postcards were being mailed each month, and boxes were returned as undeliverable and destroyed.
Utah State Tax Commissioner John Valentine said the postcards cost around $900,000 each year.
After complaints flowed in from across the Beehive State, lawmakers worked to pass HB170, which reinstates funding for the annual postcards.
An emailer who manages an emission inspection shop in Spanish fork told KSL-TV about 90% of their customers are upset they are not getting the renewal notices.
“I’ve actually had a few elderly customers in tears over it because they stress about getting a ticket from law enforcement,” the shop manager wrote.
Rep. Scott Chew, R-Jensen, who sponsored HB170, said “it’s OK to move forward toward electronic” notices, but it shouldn’t be done “cold turkey.”
And registrations dropped — KSL’s Matt Gephardt discovered that in September, just 30.9% of vehicles were renewed before their expiration date — down from an average of 58.54%.
