Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — It's been several months since the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles ended its postcard reminder program for expiring vehicle registrations. But registration renewals have dropped since the program ended, according to a DMV news release.
So the division is sending one last postcard reminder for Utah drivers to sign up for email alerts, instead.
The end of the postcard program was first announced over the summer as part of coronavirus-related budget cuts. DMV Director Monte Roberts said the new email program could prove even more valuable to Utah drivers — if they sign up for it.
"If you've opted in to receive an email reminder, and your registration's due in September, you'll get a notification in your email that has the same content that was on the postcards," Roberts said. And since emails are free, the DMV can now send follow-up reminders instead of just the one postcard.
"If you fail to renew that month that it's due, a second email reminder will go out," Roberts said. "... And then a third time we'll do that, if you have still not remembered to renew. Because we know that life gets busy, but we felt like that's something we can provide better than just a one-time postcard that often gets forgotten."
Roberts said the DMV is looking into a text message reminder service in the future, as well, but there is no timeline yet for when that will be available. He told KSL.com in August that the end of the postcard program will save the state nearly $500,000.
The final reminder postcard from the DMV will direct Utahns to visit dmv.utah.gov and sign up for email reminder alerts. Utahns can renew their registration online at renewalexpress.utah.gov, or at "On the Spot" service stations. A list of participating service stations can be found here.
Roberts said the penalties associated with an expired registration will depend on how overdue it is. But vehicles that are more than 90 days past expiration are subject to being impounded.
The Utah Division of Motor Vehicles is overseen by the Utah State Tax Commission; it is separate from the Driver License Division, which is part of the Utah Department of Public Safety.
