Vehicle Registration Renewal Georgia
Registering a new vehicle or renewing your registration in Georgia can be a headache. It is regulated by the Georgia Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), which is saddled with the responsibility of issuing and renewal of registration for vehicles in Georgia. Georgia MVD is constantly looking out for ways to make the registration and renewal process easier, faster, and more convenient for its citizens.
In Georgia, vehicle registrations take place every year. The counties in Georgia decide how to go about their vehicle registrations and renewal. Most counties give a grace period of 30 days before your birthday to renew your registrations. Some counties like McIntosh, Turner, Calhoun, Stewart, Mitchell, Charlton, Randolph, and Clay only allow registrations between January 1 and April 30 every year. Citizens who live in those counties have to register their vehicles within that period; else, their vehicles will not be registered for the year.
In some counties, renewal notices are sent out to vehicle owners, while some counties do not. The renewal notice is a reminder the MVD sends to vehicle owners about registrations. It reminds vehicle owners of their current registration expiration date and the renewal fees for the following year. Some counties like Forsyth, Rockdale, Coweta and Cherokee require the owners of vehicles newer than 1990 to show an emissions test before renewal can be made for them.
Renewing Your Vehicle's Registration in Georgia
Renewal of tags in Georgia can be done in person at any County tag office or through the mail. Service providers like swift-tags.com can take care of your registrations and renewal when you apply online through their platform. These service providers save you the hassle of visiting the MVD in Georgia, making registration and renewal easy and stress-free.
To renew your registration at the MVD, you need to go to the county tag office with your renewal notice, Driver's license or ID card, proof of insurance, title application, smog check pass, and payment for registration renewal, and make the renewal. When making the renewal through mail, you need to send these documents and expect your renewal after some time.
You can also get it done on online platforms like Swifttags. You can apply through their online platform using any device connected to the internet like a PC, tablet, or mobile phone. Swifttag performs registration for other states apart from Georgia. The requirements for each state differ, and for Georgia, you will need a functional email address, a credit card for making payments, and vehicle details such as the plate number
Self-serve Tag Kiosk
There are self-serve kiosks that can renew your registration autonomously. Not all counties are participants of the self-serve kiosk; however, residents of counties where it operates can take advantage of the system to get their registration renewed seamlessly. It is an alternative method of renewing your registration and is fast and convenient. People in counties where it is available can use the kiosk to renew their registration. Requirements to make use of the self-serve task include:
- Your vehicle must have been registered in a county participating in the self-serve tag kiosk.
- The Driver must own a valid driver's license from the Georgia state
- If applicable, a proof of liability insurance must be made available
- A correct address, up until a renewal notice arrived in the mail
- Owners of vehicles newer than 1990 will need a vehicle emissions inspection
To use the self-serve kiosk, all you need to do is follow the prompt on the screen and input your details. The machine will print your supporting documents immediately when your registration is complete. In one renewal transaction, you can renew up to ten vehicles. Applicants for renewal can make payment at the self-service kiosk with a credit or debit card like Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or an American Express card; only a few kiosks permit cash payment. Convenience fees may apply in addition to the total costs.
Replacing Your Damaged or Lost License Plate
During the course of driving, you may lose a license plate, or it may get stolen. You cannot renew your registration, or drive around with only one license plate, hence the need to replace it. Whether it was stolen or lost in transit, you need to report the case to the police station as soon as possible. Driving with only one license plate may cause you to be pulled over for stolen plates.
You should take a copy of the police report, a completed MV-7 form, and the other license plate to the county tag office in your locale. You will pay for replacing the license plates, and when it is ready, the clerk at the tag office will collect the old plates and hand over the new plates to you.
Replacing a Lost License Plate Decal
Your license plate decal may get worn out and unreadable or lost totally; you would need to replace it. If you have shreds of the old one, then take it along with a completed MV-7 form to the local county office. If you never received new tags in the mail after renewing your registration, you need a T-200 form, and new tags will be issued to you.
Replacing Your Vehicle Registration Documents
Your vehicle's registration documents may get missing and need replacing. To replace it, visit the local county tag office with your Driver's license, proof of insurance, and Vehicle title. You will need to pay a duplicate registration fee to have a replacement issued to you.
First Time Vehicle Registration in Georgia
Whether you are new to Georgia or a young champ getting your first vehicle in Georgia, you need to get it registered before driving around. Before getting it registered, you need to have a driver's license issued by Georgia and Proof of vehicle ownership. First-time registrations are carried out by Georgia's Department of Revenue (DOR). Ensure your car meets all the requirements in your county, such as emissions tests. After first-time registration in Georgia, all you have to do is renew it when it expires.
Registrations and renewal of registrations can be carried out by swifttags online. It is easier and more convenient than visiting the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) in your local county. Swifttags sends you reminders for renewing your registration annually to give you enough time to renew your registration. It manages your registration and renewal processes and sends you a digitalized copy of your registration and the actual registration via mail. Swifttags also makes support available through telephone, email, and live chat in English and Spanish to resolve customer issues.
