[kwhitefoot]

> vehicle registration is every second year

For those of us not in the US, can you explain what this means? And why it necessitates a physical visit to an office?

I have owned vehicles in the UK and Norway for fifty years and never had to visit such a place for the purpose of registering a vehicle. Even before it was done online all that was needed to register change of ownership was to send in the registration document. And we don't have to do it again. We have to pay an annual fee to the roads authority but that is now collected by the insurance company automatically in Norway so it cost money but not time or effort.

[WarOnPrivacy]

Is the tag tied the tag to the car there?

In most US states, the tag is registered to the owner and the car. I put old cars on/off the road and have 3-8 tags/yr come and go (+3 on daily drivers).

While the tag is in your possession, insurance must be kept active on that vehicle. If you pull a car off the road, you have to turn in the tag before canceling insurance.

Like lots of people, I've had my license auto-suspended for non-insurance. My company notified the state of renewal (old end+new begin) and state only recorded the old policy ending. I only found out because I routinely checked my license status online. Saved me a trip to jail and an impounded vehicle.

[pard68]

Its varies by state. In MO I can theoretically do it online, but I can't get through the ID verification step. I have to go to town to get my car inspected, so it's only an extra five or ten minutes to stop off at the License Office. If the experience was poor I'd work harder to get the online registration working, but it's so easy I don't see the point.

[HeyLaughingBoy]

Like so many things, it varies by state. Where I live, the only reason I've had to physically go into the DMV in years, is to get a new license (they have to take a photo and capture a signature). Otherwise, it's just fill out a form online and they send me an updated registration in a week or so.