ComplaintsforCalifornia DMV Renewal

• Initial Complaint

  02/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I just received a letter from DMV for a Dishonored check. I had paid my registration before I had to online I know I entered my bank account number correctly it took it it said it was confirmed I got my tags in the mail. And now I got a letter stating that it didn't go through and I owe penalties and late fees it's a doubled. Apparently this is happening to a lot and I mean a lot of people in California. I don't think all these people answered their information wrong there's something wrong with the machines or DMV is scamming people not sure which one but something needs to be done about this I am not paying the penalty fees I will pay for the registration and that is it.

• Initial Complaint

  01/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid for my REAL ID and California ID in June 2021. I received my California ID within a couple of weeks but never received my REAL ID. I called the *** multiple times. They told me not to come in person because of COVID. I was told a replacement REAL ID would be sent. Nothing ever came. I had to pay for a replacement ID in October 2022 $31.60 which came in a week. I want my complaint known that I had to wait over a year to get my ID after repeated calling and was told not to come in.

• Initial Complaint

  11/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid my vehicle registration fee of **** to the Department of Motor Vehicles on August 24th, 2022, using an Echeck. I received an email indicating my payment was successful and my tags shortly afterwards (Please see DMV receipt of the payment email attached). On November 14th, I received a letter in the mail that I had a "dishonored check,' and now owe **** due to a ********** check fee and the highest late penalties due on my registration. After doing some research, it states that the late penalty can be waived if you pay the fee before the last day your registration is due. However, I had no idea my payment did not go through (of which I had way more than sufficient funds to pay) until after this date, in addition to the email receipt that indicated my payment was successful. "Demand for payment" letter was dated on 10/10/2022 (Please see letter attached) and letter was mailed on 11/11/2022 (Please see envelope attached). My car registration renewal date was due on 9/28/2022. I did pay the registration fees a month earlier than due date and after several months in November I receive a "demand for payment" letter, which I do not understand why so late. After looking into this online, it seems like this is happening to many people. Wait times exceed over two hours on the phone to discuss this, often ending up with hung up calls on the DMV's part. Please look into this.

• Initial Complaint

  11/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I filed application for change of address on my drivers license, this was granted and I still didn't get the card. All attempts at calling, email or going through rigamarole of DMV online are not working

• Initial Complaint

  11/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid my registration renewal for my vehicle on *********** using the DMV's website and their "echeck" option. I double checked my bank checking account and routing number and submitted the payment. I was then presented with a page showing my order number and "Payment Processed". Two weeks later I received my new registration paper and tags in the mail. On ********** I received a "Demand for Payment" letter, which states "The check submitted for payment of fees on the above described vehicle(s) was not honored by the bank." It then goes on to demand not only the original renewal amount, but an additional **** in fees! It also demands tht I can only pay this be certified check or money order. I check with my bank and they have NO record of ANY attempt being made to charge my account from the DMV. Therefore the check there is now way the check could have been ***** honored" if it was never presented. I am happy to pay my registration renewal AGAIN, but it is unethical to charge $334 in fees and claim my bank did not honor a check that the DMV's system clearly never processed correctly. I can see MANY other similar complaints to the BBB an across the internet. Is there anything you can do to help?

• Initial Complaint

  11/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid for my DMV registration before due date online. Registration and tags were delivered accordingly. Last night I received a letter telling me that my check was dishonored and I now owe them 325 dollars. The original amount paid was 208 dollars. I followed up with the bank to see if there were any denied transactions but there were none. I had a balance to cover costs so there was no chance of this happening. A quick search yields many citizens with the same scenario. I believe this was mishandled by the 3rd party DMV vendor. Why are citizens being penalized for this?

• Initial Complaint

  10/31/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid my vehicle registration online and received my registration stickers for my car in the mail. I then received a statement from the Department of Motor Vehicles for a dishonored check. At first, i thought this was a scam based on the amount $1,024. I never submitted a check and did all the registration using online registration system. There were sufficient balances in my bank account to cover this, and was never notified that the transaction never went through. Why did I get a registration sticker in the mail? I've tried calling the Department of Motor Vehicles to discuss this, but never able to get through **** ****** ****************

• Initial Complaint

  10/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I need a replacement title for my daughter's car. She is out of the country serving the Navy in Okinawa. I have a special power of attorney to handle her car. I have tried through there website to get it. They claim there is a lien on it, it doesn't. I have a release of lien letter. I have tried chatting with real agents. I need this form and that form. I have them filled out and ready to submit. I can't because they claim a lien is on the car. They say mail it in. They have given me multiple addresses. I don't know what to send where. Evert time I ask why I can't submit on line, I get no answer. I can't sell, park, or store the car without the title.

• Initial Complaint

  10/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I received the Dishonored check letter from DMV. I payed my Vehicle registration online and form was submitted and excepted. Their program for payment excepted my payment and I think that everything that I did, I did correctly. I get my registration, and checking on my DMV account shows me that I completed renewal. Then CA DMV having a bug, or mistakes in their payment system cannot get money from my Bank account, and create a case for me saying my check was dishonored. This looks like fraud to me, there is no indication that I did something wrong, system says I am all good, time goes and now they charge me twice the amount I had to pay originally. This is what DMV says: "As a courtesy to our customers, the registration card/sticker or driver's license/identification card is mailed before the bank information is verified by the bank. If any of the bank information submitted to DMV is incorrect, DMV will not be able to locate your account and your bank will not show an inquiry or withdrawal. If the bank information cannot be verified by the bank, it becomes a non-payment and a dishonored check account is created." There should be no such courtesy, it is absolutely wrong to send something before it is payed. There is no evidence that one filled out renewal form incorrectly because DMV page says "Our records indicate that a transaction for this vehicle was already completed" In this case it is 100% fault of CA DMV for not being able to create online payment system to control the renewal process.

• Initial Complaint

  10/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I am currently having the same problem described by many others with the CA DMV. We paid our fees on time and received the tags for 2023. We just received a letter stating the the "check" was bounced so now we owe registration fees, penalties and a dishonored ck fee. The letter is misleading (and leads many of us consumers to believe it is a phishing or scam letter) because we did not send a check, we paid electronically. To attempt to resolve the issue with the DMV, you must wait on hold for hours, there is no email address and no way to leave a message. We, as consumers, need somebody to advocate for us because the DMV has the power to garnish our income tax return based on THEIR clerical errors. They must 1. hold tags until the verify pmt 2. not "take back" the confirmation later and claim that those of us that received tags did not pay for them 3. They must increase their staffing to deal with their clerical errors if they continue to send out tags while also claiming that they did not receive pmts for those tags sent. The attached image is from the CA website that shows that there are no fees due. 4. Their online payment system requires a serious overhaul.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩