License Office

I recently needed to renew plates on my car. Dreading what is somehow never a simple process, I waited until the last minute.

The easiest part was getting the emissions and safety inspections. The nature of a higher-mileage vehicle meant there were a few things to tune up. So I camped out at a coffeeshop close by and worked on the laptop while they replaced my alternator belt.

Next stop: license office. This is the same location that I got my driver’s license over 16 years ago, on my third attempt. Since then, these offices have become privately managed. They are actually quite efficient, with a tablet to get in line and text notifications. This was the last day of the shortest month of the year, so they were especially busy

While waiting, now that I had my required inspections, I attempted to renew again online. The status was updated, great. But now the system is not able to verify my city personal property tax. Did I pay that? I looked up my taxes, and indeed I missed them. Ok, I can pay this online now, great.

My turn at the counter. I showed the post card from the state, inspection, insurance, and pulled up the payment I just made.

“Ah, you paid this online. So this is not going to be in our system for 3 business days. It’s only $5 to file late, or you can get a receipt at City Hall today.”

That was my biggest fear… Unfortunately we were driving to Kansas over the weekend and zig-zagging though Missouri on the way back. There isn’t a chance St. Louis City Police would write a ticket for expired plates, though the municipalities between here and Topeka are likely not as busy. So I hop on the highway. At least there is no screeching or hesitation coming from the engine now.

After more than two hours and three offices, it was confirmed that, contrary to what the first License Office advised, there is not a way to get a personal property tax receipt any faster if I paid online. After nearly 8 hours, 5 of which was spent in 4 different offices, I was only a little closer to renewing my plates. Now, inevitably expired despite my best, late efforts.

I made most of the planned trip, careful about my speed, without gaining a citation. I could get upset about the inefficiencies and confusion, and how in 2019 this process is still so archaic.

After visiting Peru in 2017, though, I will hands-down accept this mess of a process in exchange for being able to breathe walking down the street. Hopefully it become more streamlined, and in the meantime I’ll be sure to take care of those things with plenty of time to burn…