January 22, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
If it’s time to renew your vehicle registration be sure to check your mail closely because notices being sent from the state now have a much different look.
Starting this month, the Department of Revenue is sending postcards to motor vehicle registrants to remind them of upcoming renewal dates.
The postcards are replacing traditional letters and will reduce state mailing expenses by an estimated $500,000. Other states – such as Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming – also send postcard notices for registration renewals.
“The renewal notices provided by the state are much smaller than the previous envelope style and have a new look in the form of a two sided card,” said DeKalb County Clerk James L. (Jimmy) Poss. “Be sure to check your mail closely because you don’t want to mistake your notice for something else and possibly discard it”.
“This is a more efficient, effective way to remind citizens about their upcoming registration renewals,” Commissioner David Gerregano said. “It’s also a good way for the state to save money without sacrificing any services.”
The department partners with the state’s 95 county clerks to administer vehicle title and registration in the state. You can find more information about renewals, as well as a sample postcard, on the department’s website at www.tn.gov/revenue/renewals.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the department encourages motorists to renew their registration online at www.tncountyclerk.com. If you do not have online access or your county does not have online renewals, you can mail in your renewal to your local clerk. The TNCountyClerk website also allows registrants to sign up for e-mail and text message reminders about renewal dates.
The Department of Revenue is responsible for the administration of state tax laws and motor vehicle title and registration laws and the collection of taxes and fees associated with those laws. The department collects about 87 percent of total state revenue. During the 2020 fiscal year, it collected $15.1 billion in state taxes and fees and more than $3.2 billion in taxes and fees for local governments. To learn more about the department, visit www.tn.gov/revenue.