Call Kurtis: Viewers report confusion around DMV's e-check payment feature
Multiple viewers have reached out to CBS13 saying that they're paying their registration and getting their tags, only to receive letters from the DMV demanding more money. It was time to call on Kurtis Ming to investigate.
"I thought everything was fine on my end," Jason Greenhalgh told CBS13 after he says he paid his DMV registration on his Toyota 4-Runner two months early. He even got his 2024 sticker.
But then, Jason received a surprising letter from the DMV, demanding payment in addition to $135 in late and bounced check fees.
"I'm trying to pay early and get my finances straight," Jason said. "It's not right."
The same thing happened to Richard Bollino of Citrus Heights. Both paid online, using the DMV's e-check option. Both got confirmations of their payments, but the money never came out of their accounts. Why?
We took that question to the DMV, which admits others are having the same problem and adding, "e-checks can take some time to be processed," and in some cases "account numbers are ...[not] matching the bank's records."
But if the payments end up rejected, why send out the tags?
"My feeling is that they had a screwup at the DMV," Richard said.
A spokesperson for the agency said that it sends tags "as a courtesy to customers... upon submission of payment information." The spokesperson added that the DMV will be waiving late fees and penalties, when applicable.
But that didn't happen for Jason or Richard until they called Kurtis.
"It just feels like the DMV doesn't care sometimes, you know?" said Jason.
The DMV says it will also be putting up better instructions online for those paying by e-check and is working on other solutions to make sure bank numbers entered are accurate.
