Vehicle Registration Renewal Notice

I could likely leave it there and solicit a good bit of participation but I can’t just leave it there. I have to give you a little ‘show me state’ show ya! So, I get my renewal notice in the mail and along with it an instant pit in my stomach. I remember this process from two years ago. And, it is nothing short of mind boggling. Especially in a technology driven economy. Ah, I forget, this is the government I speak of…

Step one: Submit last two years personal property tax receipts. Who keeps receipts? Yeah, not me.

Step two: Current emissions inspection. Okay, I get this and agree. Chalk one up to the environment.

Step three: Show proof of insurance. I get this one as well. Where it all falls apart for me in Step one. Mind you, you can get this all done on line if you have receipts in hand. Cool, I thought. So, I went to the personal property tax website, thinking I could just log in and print the receipts. Yeah, no. Next, I thought a quick call to the office would yield my precious pieces of vehicle registration gold. Yeah, no. Not only was I told that I would have to submit for them in writing and wait a couple of weeks to receive them; I would have submit to two locations given that I changed residence in that time frame. My alternative was to visit the two court houses and pick them up in person.

Missouri – Get with the times

Let’s think this through a bit. Maybe a roll play…

DMV: Hi Mr. Brewer

Mr. Brewer: Hi – Hey there, how are you? How is your day going? [Maybe I insert a cool karate chop hand wave for dramatic affect – depends on how I am feeling in that moment.]

DMV: Mr. Brewer, do you have all your paperwork to include your PP Tax receipts?

Mr. Brewer: No.

DMV: [Read: in a Flo from Progressive like voice] That’s not a problem Mr. Brewer.

You see; with the advent of the internet and along with it the ability to integrate with our other fine government institutions we can access that information right here. On a much cooler note, Mr. Brewer, we see that you have passed your emissions test and your insurance is current as well. Blame it on that uber cool integration thing again. I know – it rocks! And, next year, come see me on line. You will not be shut down at the ‘insert the payment receipt number from your PP tax receipt’ section. It’s truly a chillaxin’ experience.

Mr. Brewer: Whoa! You remind me of the uber-cool Flo gal from the Progressive commercials! Thank you!

Fast forward, rewind and or back to the regularly scheduled program. Yes – I am late in getting my tabs renewed. Again. Not that I am pushing off responsibility. Okay, maybe a little. But, in a connected world, I have come to expect making it by the deadline – even if I am turning it in in the eleventh hour.

Your show me state contributor, M

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