Michigan Lets Drivers Renew Licenses Online Close to Expiration

A new state policy will let Michigan drivers renew their vehicle registrations online through their birthdays even if they do it close to the expiration.

The Michigan Secretary of State’s office said it used to warn motorists against renewing online if there was less than two weeks left before their birthdays. It needed time to send the customers’ registrations and license plate tabs in the mail before the old ones expired.

Now, motorists who renew online will be able to print off a temporary registration document until their new tabs and registrations arrive in the mail.

State officials hope the new policy will encourage more people to renew their registrations online and cut down on lines at branch offices.

About 75 percent of the state’s annual 9 million vehicle registration transactions currently take place at a branch office.