How a Georgia computer system update could affect your trip to the tag office this month
Planning to get new tags for your car or truck? Be warned. If you don’t do it before May 20, you may be in for a longer wait than usual.
According to the Georgia Department of Revenue, due to planned computer upgrades:
▪ Some county tag and motor vehicle office hours may be reduced May 21-23 and May 28-29. Contact your local tag office for specific hours.
▪ Online and kiosk services will be unavailable May 21-27.
▪ All vehicle registration and titling services will be unavailable for everyone statewide from May 24-27.
The state is putting in a new computer system for motor vehicle registration and titling after using the current one for the last two decades.
The new system will start Monday, May 27, or Memorial Day, and go live to the public at noon on May 28.
The update could result in longer than normal wait times for customers in June, and customers should allow for extra time to process tag renewals.
“Vehicle owners with renewal dates in May and June who normally renew in person are encouraged to do so prior to May 20 to avoid delays,” according to a press release.
Customers and dealers seeking to conduct any title transactions should complete their business at a county tag office prior to May 24. Dealers will be able to initiate electronic title and registration transactions and issue temporary operating permits over Memorial Day weekend.
The new computer system, called Driver Record and Integrated Vehicle Enterprise System (DRIVES), will make it easier for the state’s department of revenue and the Department of Driver Services to work together, according to according to Muscogee County Tax Commissioner Lula Huff. The DDS handles services related to licenses and identification, while the Department of Revenue provides registration and car titling services.
Huff said that in 1999, the state changed the way motor vehicles are registered and began using the Georgia Registration And Title Information System (GRATIS), which will be replaced.
“They’ve come up with a new system, which both departments of the state can occupy,” Huff said. “When we pull up someone’s registration right now, normally we would ask for your driver’s license. (With the new system) we can now access the DDS system itself, we have direct access to their driver’s license...so we can better track who is living here and not paying taxes here.”
This first phase of system upgrades is being implemented by the Department of Revenue this year, while phase two, to be implemented by DDS, will go into effect in January 2021.
Key dates to remember
Muscogee County:
▪ Last day for renewals over the phone and online: Monday, May 20
▪ Last day for renewals in person at the tag office: Wednesday, May 22
▪ Tag office closed for motor vehicle services: Thursday and Friday, May 23-24
▪ All county offices will be closed Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day
▪ Tag office reopens for motor vehicle services: 12 p.m. Tuesday, May 28
▪ The office is located on the second floor of the City Services Center at 3111 Citizens Way in Columbus. Normal hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Bibb County:
▪ Last day for online tag renewals: Wednesday, May 22
▪ Last day for in person tag renewals: Thursday, May 23 before noon
▪ Tag office closed for motor vehicle services: beginning at noon Thursday, May 23 and continuing Friday, May 24
▪ Tag renewal kiosk will be unavailable from 6 p.m. May 20 to 8 a.m. May 30
▪ All county offices will be closed Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day
▪ Tag office reopens for motor vehicle services: 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 28.
▪ The office is located at 1888 Third Street in Macon. Normal hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Houston County:
▪ Tag office will stop processing any motor vehicle transactions after 1 p.m. Thursday, May 23 and closed for all tag transactions Friday, May 24.
▪ All County offices will be closed Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day.
▪ Tag office reopens for motor vehicle services: 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 28.
▪ Services will be affected at the Houston County Annex at 200 Carl Vinson Parkway in Warner Robins as well as the Houston County Courthouse at 201 N. Perry Parkway in Perry. Normal hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
This story was originally published May 4, 2019 at 5:00 AM.