Updating my car registration - DMV face-to-face by Tony Green

Image of California License Plate

I received a call from my wife informing me she had been pulled over by a police officer for driving with an expired car registration.

A long time had lapsed since I mailed my paperwork off but I was not too alarmed since the new registration for my other vehicle arrived six weeks the intended renewal date.  Furthermore, I mailed my paperwork well ahead of the deadline and possessed the statement from my bank stating my fee had been deposited by DMV.

Those living in California are familiar with the furlough schedule of California state organizations under Governor Schwarzenegger can understand how my paperwork had been delayed.

It turned out my registration was on hold due to the fact my smog report never arrived at DMV. I completed the check months before at my local Toyota dealership.  The electronic copy of the car passing smog should have been forwarded to DMV.  In this case it did not.

Once I printed the documentation I went to Toyota and asked them to send a copy of the report again. The manager on duty told me his smog paperwork did not through and presented with a statistic that 3% of the electronic forms did not get processed.  I didn’t care, after thinking; he just told me their mistake had become my problem. I would think Toyota can get electronic paperwork to DMV without a glitch.  Unless I missed the memo isn’t insuring paperwork gets to DMV part of the reason you pay them over 100 bucks? Without doubt my intention did not cover paying them out of the generosity of my heart.

I determined until I dealt with the issue either my wife or I would be repeatedly pulled over. I decided to head over to the local DMV and see if I could get things moving along. As I walked up to the front door a lady was walking out mumbling that her experience had been a good one. (i.e. something got accomplished without a long winded hassle). I wondered if I had arrived at the right place. Interestingly enough I was.

I explained my dilemma to the worker and after she verified the legitimacy of my smog certification the lady printed by my registration with a sticker. Why hadn’t I just taken the smog paperwork taken over to DMV by hand? (in accordance with the “requirement” to hand hold the process)

I doubted this seemingly increased efficiency has anything to do with Jerry Brown now being governor of the State of California. Maybe hope exists for this state I have decided to live in after all.