Automated auto registration kiosks?

[y_p_w]

I kind of wish we had those here. But they usually give you a couple dollars discount online. Extra $5 or $10 if you do it in person at the DMV. I just prefer to save a couple bucks and do it online. In my state you can do up to 3 years I always try to do 3 even though now I have expensive plates so maybe sticking with one or two years haha. Plus where I like to switch plate designs mid cycle it’s easier just to do everything online. Bet you can’t order new plates at those kiosk. We do have a mobile DMV unit not sure if they charge the extra fees or not to do it in person. I actually have a California registration and brand new set of unused plates with the original decals never used too. Found on eBay haha. June 2004 sticker and registration.

That's different than here. Because of service fees to use credit or debit, the cheapest way is to mail in with a check or do pay by cash or check at the DMV office or authorized agent. There's zero discount here for going online. I'm still not sure exactly what the fee is, but it says either 1.95% or 2.3%. This also says that some automated California DMV kiosks take cash, although it's probably a different type of machine than the ones I've seen.

It looks like online registration can be paid for in California with a checking account with no surcharge. It's the standard ACH payment using the routing number and account number. But that would still mean waiting for the card and sticker.

As for these kiosks, the same manufacturer apparently supplies a bunch of states. A lot of them just use the "DMV Now" name from the manufacturer.

Colorado:
https://comvexpress.com/

Nevada (although they might have different suppliers):
https://nvdmvnowkiosk.com/kiosks/

California:
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/locations/kiosks/

West Virginia:
https://transportation.wv.gov/DMV/Pages/DMV-Now.aspx

Hawaii:
https://hawaiidmvnowkiosk.com/

Florida:
https://flmvexpresskiosk.com/

Apparently these states are supplied by a company called Intellectual Technology based in Indiana.

https://intellectualtechnologyinc.com/self-service/

 

[Skippy722]

I use them all the time… generally because I forget to do it till the day before they expire They’re available 24/7, I’ve gone in at 3am after work.

 

[Bladecutter]

Just renewal. I prefer getting everything in person rather than waiting for the mail. And I doubt she’ll do that, which would legally be a title transfer.

I used the kiosk here in Colorado at my local King Soopers once for the renewal on one of my motorcycles.
Overall, it meets the needs of your desire (renewing your wife's car without her being present), but you do have to pay a small fee (as you know).

I didn't like the size of the printout for my motorcycle, but I don't think it would be an issue for a car, since they have large glove boxes and center consoles, while the registration for my motorcycle goes in my jacket pocket instead.

Personally, I prefer paying online at the CO DMV website, and waiting for it to arrive a week later.
It's printed up the street at my local county clerks office and mailed locally, so it's supporting local jobs at the county clerk's office, and at the 2 local post offices.

 

[Vil_Riker]

I do it online and pay the service fee. Far more convenient and saves me time.

 

[y_p_w]

I used the kiosk here in Colorado at my local King Soopers once for the renewal on one of my motorcycles.
Overall, it meets the needs of your desire (renewing your wife's car without her being present), but you do have to pay a small fee (as you know).

I didn't like the size of the printout for my motorcycle, but I don't think it would be an issue for a car, since they have large glove boxes and center consoles, while the registration for my motorcycle goes in my jacket pocket instead.

Personally, I prefer paying online at the CO DMV website, and waiting for it to arrive a week later.
It's printed up the street at my local county clerks office and mailed locally, so it's supporting local jobs at the county clerk's office, and at the 2 local post offices.

I usually don't keep the original. At least in my state a photocopy is all that's required. It says a "facsimile" is OK, so I'm thinking even a photo of the registration card might be acceptable. But I like to keep things simple and keep a photocopy. The other deal is that the perforation on the forms that are used at California DMV offices and authorized agents is pretty flimsy and after folding them it breaks pretty easily. They say it's not to be detached, but the top part of the form really only has the information that would be on the back of the registration card that would be mailed out.

Just for reference, this is what we have in California.

The first is the kind that DMV mails out from headquarters in Sacramento. There's a perforated stub with the registration sticker glued on.

The printout version from offices. The sticker comes from a spool of them in bags and is usually stapled to the form. Never gotten one handed to me in the little bag without being stapled.

And the new one from the kiosks. I'm sure the format is based on the manufacturer's template. I don't believe the sticker is on a stub that tears off, and apparently the sticker itself is different, with only the last two digits of the year and rounded corners. I'd noticed these before but wasn't sure what the deal was with them.

 

[y_p_w]

I usually don't keep the original. At least in my state a photocopy is all that's required. It says a "facsimile" is OK, so I'm thinking even a photo of the registration card might be acceptable. But I like to keep things simple and keep a photocopy. The other deal is that the perforation on the forms that are used at California DMV offices and authorized agents is pretty flimsy and after folding them it breaks pretty easily. They say it's not to be detached, but the top part of the form really only has the information that would be on the back of the registration card that would be mailed out.

Just for reference, this is what we have in California.

The first is the kind that DMV mails out from headquarters in Sacramento. There's a perforated stub with the registration sticker glued on.

The printout version from offices. The sticker comes from a spool of them in bags and is usually stapled to the form. Never gotten one handed to me in the little bag without being stapled.

And the new one from the kiosks. I'm sure the format is based on the manufacturer's template. I don't believe the sticker is on a stub that tears off, and apparently the sticker itself is different, with only the last two digits of the year and rounded corners. I'd noticed these before but wasn't sure what the deal was with them.

Just noticed that this has the license plate # printed on the sticker. So obviously the kiosk ends up printing that on the sticker. It looks like it's printing everything, including the specific license plate # in the directions.

Also - I meant that I don't normally carry the original in my vehicle. I try to put it in a safe place, but I've occasionally lost the original.

 

[wander2039]

Here in KCK we can do it all online. With 5 cars takes about 15 clicks, typically add on the state park. Pay and get it within the week. I've doing it that way for years with no issues. Hopefully where ever we move to someday is just as easy.

 

[Bladecutter]

OP doesn't want to wait for it to be delivered by his mailman.
He wants to receive it same day, so online ordering is out of the question.

OP, do you have a question about the kiosks anymore?
You seem to know as much as there is to know about them, and a couple of us have given you our experiences.

If all you want to do is get the registration papers the same day as you hand over the money, and not involve your wife in the process, then this sounds like the only way to do it. Just going to cost you the "No wife involved" fee.

You can figure out how to make her repay you for that fee, though.

 

[y_p_w]

I tried using one after I got my California Smog Check completion after paying for the registration fee. I was hoping it could just print it out even though there were no additional fees due. When I paid for my registration fees without the Smog Check completed at a AAA office, my notice was stamped that I needed to return to a AAA branch or DMV office to get the final registration card and sticker after everything was done. I thought that maybe I could do that through the kiosk but there was no option to do that.

There's an option to get a replacement card sticker through the kiosk, but I think that costs extra and I probably need to be issued an origiinal card and sticker first. It also occurred to me that these could be more or less lax on the issuing of the stickers (which could theoretically be resold) because the license plate has to match what's on the sticker.

I did have to wait because the machine was being serviced. I got to see what was inside, which included two printers - apparently one for each sticker color that was currently being used. Orange is still being used for 2023, since they can still be used to renew expired registrations or to register full operation from a previous "non-planned operation". I also got a good look at the paper (in rolls) they use. The paper is completely blank on the print side except for blank stickers already attached. So everything on the front is printed on demand, including the black print on the stickers. I saw the tech had printed out a sample card and I asked if maybe I could have it as a souvenir but was told they have to account for everything and he'd get in trouble if he gave it away.

OP doesn't want to wait for it to be delivered by his mailman.
He wants to receive it same day, so online ordering is out of the question.

OP, do you have a question about the kiosks anymore?
You seem to know as much as there is to know about them, and a couple of us have given you our experiences.

If all you want to do is get the registration papers the same day as you hand over the money, and not involve your wife in the process, then this sounds like the only way to do it. Just going to cost you the "No wife involved" fee.

You can figure out how to make her repay you for that fee, though.

I started doing more research afterwards, but I still haven’t gotten a validated registration card or sticker through one. I ended up going to a AAA office after I couldn’t get a kiosk to spit out the card. The tech said it wouldn’t print up an already paid registration that needed a passing Smog Check. He said that those came in the mail, even though the stamp said I had to go pick one up. And when I picked it up I had to wait a while because they were having problems matching the fees (including lots of penalties) to what was required. I even had to fill out a form attesting to paying all required fees before the expiration date. I doubt that the kiosk was “smart” enough to figure something like that out.

I was wondering who might have actually used one successfully, and maybe why some chose it over mailing, online, or an office. I haven’t been successful yet, but that wasn’t for lack of effort.

 

[researcher]

I tried using one after I got my California Smog Check completion after paying for the registration fee. I was hoping it could just print it out even though there were no additional fees due. When I paid for my registration fees without the Smog Check completed at a AAA office, my notice was stamped that I needed to return to a AAA branch or DMV office to get the final registration card and sticker after everything was done. I thought that maybe I could do that through the kiosk but there was no option to do that.

There's an option to get a replacement card sticker through the kiosk, but I think that costs extra and I probably need to be issued an origiinal card and sticker first. It also occurred to me that these could be more or less lax on the issuing of the stickers (which could theoretically be resold) because the license plate has to match what's on the sticker.

I did have to wait because the machine was being serviced. I got to see what was inside, which included two printers - apparently one for each sticker color that was currently being used. Orange is still being used for 2023, since they can still be used to renew expired registrations or to register full operation from a previous "non-planned operation". I also got a good look at the paper (in rolls) they use. The paper is completely blank on the print side except for blank stickers already attached. So everything on the front is printed on demand, including the black print on the stickers. I saw the tech had printed out a sample card and I asked if maybe I could have it as a souvenir but was told they have to account for everything and he'd get in trouble if he gave it away.



I started doing more research afterwards, but I still haven’t gotten a validated registration card or sticker through one. I ended up going to a AAA office after I couldn’t get a kiosk to spit out the card. The tech said it wouldn’t print up an already paid registration that needed a passing Smog Check. He said that those came in the mail, even though the stamp said I had to go pick one up. And when I picked it up I had to wait a while because they were having problems matching the fees (including lots of penalties) to what was required. I even had to fill out a form attesting to paying all required fees before the expiration date. I doubt that the kiosk was “smart” enough to figure something like that out.

I was wondering who might have actually used one successfully, and maybe why some chose it over mailing, online, or an office. I haven’t been successful yet, but that wasn’t for lack of effort.

We have those exact kiosks here in Michigan and I've used it many, many times. I read the whole thread, what did you want to know?

The kiosk here does calculate late fees, asks if you want a new plate (would be mailed to you) or if you want the state park endorsement.

You don't need to be the original person on the renewal paperwork, it's not artificial intelligence. Also, I like using the kiosk because the printers that they are using in the kiosk are better than whatever they had at the secretary of state office (our DMV). They do charge something like a 2.3% fee for using a credit card compared to going into the office. Some units in better parts of town accept cash, that's what I used last time, worked great! At the sec of state offices they're in the outer lobby and that's open 24/7. They also put these in supermarkets (Kroger, Meijer).

The other reason I like the kiosk, the paper stock they use to print the registration on is thicker than what's in the office. Easier to stick into my wallet than that thin regular printer paper. Maybe it's changed didn't care to find out!

We don't have smog/emissions checks here in Michigan anymore so can't comment on that.

If you want to know anything else, just ask.. It's been a long time that Michigan has had those kiosks.

 

[y_p_w]

So I ended up renewing the registration on my wife's car on one of these machines. So it was a little bit different now that I could handle an actual printed card.

I'm not sure exactly what's used to print. I guess it could be some sort of thermal printing, but I would think that it wouldn't be a great idea if the sticker has some sort of thermal print surface with it exposed to sunlight. But whatever it is, it's pretty smooth and looks almost like thermal printing. I'm not going to test it with an iron or anything, as there's no stub for the sticker.

All the fees and transaction numbers are printed in really fine print at the bottom. Which is kind of annoying because the paper or print didn't look properly aligned and part of it just drops off the edge. There's a matrix code, and I used a code reader on it (you can do it on the photo there). It's the DATAMATRIX format with the 1, the license plate number, and the data. The example in the photo (for license plate 6VOD759) is "16VOD759 |04/17/2017". I believe that's the date the card was printed. It's on some sort of light card stock and has basic DMV information on the back - basically the same info that would be on the back of a card mailed from the DMV or the top portion of a registration card printed at an office.

 

[1uz_4me]

I know others who've used it, but I haven't. I renew online