GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — If your license, state ID or tabs are out of date, the clock is ticking to get them renewed; September 30th to be exact.
Tracy Wimmer, the Media Relations Director for the Secretary of States office said, “After that the expectation is that people have their license and registration updated."
Wimmer reminds residents that renewing vehicle registration tabs is very easy.
“You never need to get your tabs renewed in-person, that can be done by mail, that can be done online and that can even be done at one of the 122 self-service kiosk we have across the state."
Wimmer said that those kiosk's are often overlooked, but they're the quickest option for vehicle registrations.
“If people are concerned about getting pulled over that is something you can get handled in five minutes. You can have them in hand when you leave the store," she said.
The big question right now is will you get a ticket if things aren't up-to date?
Sgt. Joy Matthews, the Public Information Officer for the Kent County Sheriff’s Office said, “Our officers will definitely use discretion on every traffic stop, whether it involves an expired driver’s license, chauffeurs license, or expired registration."
Sgt. Matthews said that they're aware of the backlog and limited hours at SOS branches as a result of the Pandemic and will be keeping that in mind.
She said, “Our officers will not be targeting or looking for vehicles with expired registration or an expired drivers license."
If you've renewed your tabs online or through the mail and still haven't gotten them back, there are a few things you should keep handy in your vehicle.
Wimmer said, “You should have also gotten a digital receipt if you did it by email and if you conducted it by mail and it has been withdrawn from your bank account, you can use that as well."
Wimmer and Sgt. Matthews said that you can show an appointment reminder from the SOS, proving you have a time on the books to get them renewed.
But, what if you need to renew your license in person and can't get an appointment until after September 30th?
Wimmer said the best thing is to try to get a next-day appointment at a branch office.
She said, “Next-day appointments open up every day at 8 am and noon, so if you can check the website then usually a couple will pop up for locations in your area. You can also always call 888-SOS-MICH."
The SOS is also holding appointment time slots specifically for these types of transactions from 4pm to 7pm. “We realize that they were probably more people who needed to be included in these special appointments, so we extended it to people who had expiration's through October 31st as well," Wimmer said.
If you do happen to get a ticket for an expired registration or license, you can always appeal it in court.
For help finding a kiosk or to make a same-day appointment, head to the Michigan Secretary of State's Office Website.
