Driver license cash grab

[mechanicx]

I lost my driver license a few days ago, probably at a store. Some one probably found it but no one ever returned it. Big surprise there

.

In Ohio, licenses must be renewed every 4 years on your birthday at a fee of ~$25. Kind of steep but not too bad. I had about a 1.5 years left on my lost license.

I saw that a replacement was the same price as a renewal, so since they don't prorate the price I'd assumed I'd get 4 more years but lose the 1.5 years on the original. Nope the replacement expires in 1.5 years too.

So I was charged essentially for 5.5 years and only given 1.5. They could offer a replacement for free with a small replacement fee of say $5, or give you at least 4 more years if they are going to charge full price. But no, that would just be too fair .

 

[Stelth]

Something to remember about government agencies at all levels: they want your money.

 

[eljefino]

On the flipside the cops are probably going to expend more than $25 worth of manpower in trouble... either kids buying booze or someone stealing your identity.

I do agree many license policies are asinine. I got a Mass license the first day I was eligible. Like many others who did this it expired on my 21st birthday. I renewed it a week early due to convenience and they gave me a paper temporary license with my real one coming in the mail (so they knew they had my real address on file.)

Several days past my 21st birthday, it comes in the mail, with a brightly colored "Under 21" stamp on it. This of course waters down its meaning, but it made the tea-totallers happy I guess.

 

[L_Sludger]

$25 on an early DL replacement is not really what I consider a cash grab compared to some truly egregious DMV fees that others have to contend with.

 

[Quest]

25 bux not bad.

we pay 75 every 5 yrs.

Q.

 

[PandaBear]

Come on, $25 is not really a cash grab, $250 will be.

Remember it does take time and they have to hire people to do the work, and you are not doing it once a year, just once or twice a decade.

You should have seen how used car title transfer are charged sales tax here. That's a cash grab.

 

[TC]

I don't think they're charging you for "years," but for their service and the costs involved during your visit. So $25 to issue a new license, or replace one, without pro-rating that $25, makes sense. But it's a bummer that they didn't just make the expiration date four years from now -- that sounds weasel-ish, but there may be a reasonable, logistical reason for that. People are quick to trash government agencies, but from the experience of myself and others I know, private firms that run monopolies (local cable TV or phone service, for example) can be exceptionally expensive and unresponsive -- I've heard plenty of stories of peoples' internet access being down for days on end before the cable TV firm got around to attempt a fix, for example.

 

[mechanicx]

No, the registar charges $3.50 and a $1 for lamination. This covers the cost of lamination and producing your license on site. that's where I came up with $5 to replace a licenses. The other ~$20 is just the states fee every 4 years to have a licenses. If they are going to charge you the full renewal fee, then you should get at least the full 4 years. I don't care what some of you here say

.

The fact that they don't prorate licenses and registration when they can easily do so at no additional cost to them is just a cash grab. Used car transfers are charged sales tax here too.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I lost my driver license a few days ago, probably at a store. Some one probably found it but no one ever returned it. Big surprise there

.

In Ohio, licenses must be renewed every 4 years on your birthday at a fee of ~$25. Kind of steep but not too bad. I had about a 1.5 years left on my lost license.

I saw that a replacement was the same price as a renewal, so since they don't prorate the price I'd assumed I'd get 4 more years but lose the 1.5 years on the original. Nope the replacement expires in 1.5 years too.

So I was charged essentially for 5.5 years and only given 1.5. They could offer a replacement for free with a small replacement fee of say $5, or give you at least 4 more years if they are going to charge full price. But no, that would just be too fair .



Yup, lovely isn't it. My recent experience: Used to be in the "good old days" when you finished paying payments on your car (including a $250 state set doc fee,) you would get the title in the mail. No more.

It cost me $19.00 to get a paper copy of the title to my Mustang. Unbelievable. Thanks Kasich and thanks Ford Credit.

 

[mechanicx]

Yeah they have so many new ways to nickle and dime you, or should I say $5 and $10 you lol? They now have a $20 late fee if you are over 7 days late in renewing your registration (could still be within the same expiration month).

Another example the deputy registrar only accepts cash or check (who carries checks anymore?). If you want to pay with your debit card they direct you to their ATM with high fees like $2 or $3.

 

[daves87rs]

I had to stop at the SOS office today ....at least they didn't charge me to change my address...

 

[MNgopher]

$25 bucks is steep? Man, we have way too much time on our hands and don't realize how good we have it.

My workplace is also a registrar. In our case, we are cash and check only because state law does not allow us to cover the processing fees charged by a credit card company, and all the fees are set by the state. Taking credit means we don't cover our costs - it isn't a money making proposition for us -we are only providing a service that would otherwise not be nearby. Taking plastic would mean that general fund money would have to cover this service. What gets cut to cover that subsidy? We've covered this ground every year that I've been here.

The ATM in our lobby is provided by a local bank. We get none of the fee charged by the ATM. We put the ATM out for bid from time to time, and select the vendor with the lowest cost to the consumer.

Seems like everyone wants something for free or darn near it. Realize there are real costs to providing your license and frankly it doesn't make one bit of difference whether its valid for 4 years or less than that. Either way, it takes the same amount of effort.

 

[AVB]

My motorcycle registration expired last fall, my insurance expired 2 days after my tag. I wasn't riding at the time so I didn't renew either. I renewed both this spring when I got ready to do some riding again, I had to pay the late fee for my tag which is normal. About two months after I renewed the registration and insurance I got a letter from the state wanting me to pay a penalty for the lapse in my insurance or they would suspend my registration. Why would I need continuous insurance coverage if my tag is expired?

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

We pay $50 in FL. It used to be $10

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N37IWeQFwqs

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
$25 bucks is steep? Man, we have way too much time on our hands and don't realize how good we have it.

My workplace is also a registrar. In our case, we are cash and check only because state law does not allow us to cover the processing fees charged by a credit card company, and all the fees are set by the state. Taking credit means we don't cover our costs - it isn't a money making proposition for us -we are only providing a service that would otherwise not be nearby. Taking plastic would mean that general fund money would have to cover this service. What gets cut to cover that subsidy? We've covered this ground every year that I've been here.

The ATM in our lobby is provided by a local bank. We get none of the fee charged by the ATM. We put the ATM out for bid from time to time, and select the vendor with the lowest cost to the consumer.

Seems like everyone wants something for free or darn near it. Realize there are real costs to providing your license and frankly it doesn't make one bit of difference whether its valid for 4 years or less than that. Either way, it takes the same amount of effort.


LOL is all I can say to that. The driver license is digitally on the computer system and they are charging full 4 year renewal fee for just a physical replacement copy but only giving the remainder of 1.5 years or could be even less, that was already payed for. I can go most anywhere and buy something for under $1 and use my debit card. My beef is not with the registrar but the rules and fees set by the state BMV. If every place refused to take anything but cash or check even for a $25 or more purchase and directed you to an ATM, would that be OK? The person wanting something for nothing is the BMV. And it is a difference if you pay $25 and have to pay $25 dollars again in 1.5 years instead of 4 years, or else they'd give you the 4 years.

 

[Tdbo]

LOL+1. In my case (I misspoke,(my error) the fee was $16.) Still,"fees" more than tripled the final cost of the title ($5.) I'm not necessarily blaming the registrar. but "fees" more than double the cost of the title. Seriously?

In the case of the license, maybe I could see 1/2 the cost of replacement, but the whole cost when you don't even derive the benefit of a full renewal? I know that at some level we are fortunate because I have friends in other states that I know that have it much worse in regards to registration fees, etc, but examples like these two show that it is just a grab.

 

[mechanicx]

Yes exactly. $25 for a 4 year licenses is not steep. But charging you the full $25 for nothing more than a copy of your orignal licenses that expires in the same time as the original is. $5 is fair for a copy or just give you a 4 year renewal at standard rates, and I won't even quible about the lost year and half on the old licenses.

I'm thinking replacement copies use to be a lot less than renewals, but I don't remember because I've rarely lost a driver license. Also I paid $25 2.5 years ago, then I think $25 about a year later to add my motorcyle endorsement, and now $25 for a replacement. I'm up to $75 in 2.5 years now and I'll have to make a trip to the registrar and pay $25 again in 1.5 years. It starts to add up.

 

[Tdbo]

I think that it used to be $7.50 for a replacement + registrar fee which made it something like $9.00. That fee is not unreasonable IMO. However, full tilt + not getting the extra years = highway robbery.

The state of Ohio has some interesting ideas about fees. I had moved from Licking County ($5 additional license tax) back to Delaware County ($20 additional license tax) Bought a new car and had to transfer plates. I got to pay the full $20 tax in December when the plates were transferred to the new car and then got to pay another $20 in tax to renew plates in February. Should have forgot to transfer the plates.

Really no difference then my professional fees in the state as well. Started out as $2.00 for 4 years in the 80's (which obviously is unrealistically low) to $200.00 for 5 years now. I'm glad that I just renewed for the last time prior to retirement.

 

[PandaBear]

It takes the same amount of money in labor and material and overhead (rent) to replace a license.

I suspect that they don't want to have a new exp date when you lost your old license for security reason. Someone may play game to extend their license exp date by "losing" their licenses right when they are about to lose it or for other ID purposes.

If you do not lose your license that often, $25 is not really a big deal. Calling it a cash grab seems harsh.