Customers have successfully completed more than 100,000 transactions on the new self-service stations that have been installed since Oct. 27, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced today.
The 100,000th transaction in the program was completed at 9:23 a.m. Tuesday on the kiosk at the Brownstown Township branch office in Wayne County when Kevin O’Hagan of Lincoln Park renewed registrations for his truck and his wife AnMarie’s vehicle. He was pleased with the new technology he encountered.
“It went relatively easy and quick. I liked it,” he said. “I had a lot of trouble at the older ones.”
Outdated and unreliable self-service stations are being replaced statewide and many of the new stations are being placed in Kroger and Meijer grocery stores, meeting customers where they already are doing business. To date, 71 new machines have been installed. By the end of January, all 93 existing kiosks will be replaced and another 57 more will be added by the end of April, increasing the number of stations by more than 60 percent.
Most of the stations are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For an up-to-date listing of locations with the new self-service stations, visit Michigan.gov/SOSSelfService.
“Our self-service station upgrade project is off to a promising start and customers are enjoying the user-friendly machines in many convenient locations,” Benson said. “Providing residents with good options to complete their transactions online, at a reliable self-service station or by appointment is part of our plan to decrease customer wait times and increase customer satisfaction.”
Residents don’t need to have their renewal packet with them to renew their registration at a self-service station. Eligible vehicles can be renewed with only the plate number and the last four digits of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Like the previous kiosks, self-service stations offer renewals for automobiles, motorcycles and watercraft. The stations can print auto and motorcycle tabs. Watercraft tabs are mailed to customers. The new self-service stations will add numerous driver-related transactions once the Department of State completes the second portion of its computer system upgrade in March 2021.
The department is partnering with vendor Intellectual Technology Inc. (ITI) on the new stations, which are being provided at no cost to the state. Customers pay a technology service fee of $3.95 for every vehicle renewed at a self-service station. Transactions normally take less than two minutes. The fastest transaction recorded to date took a customer just 63 seconds.
Working with ITI is allowing Michigan to serve customers in multiple languages at the self-service stations. The kiosks initially offered transactions in English and Spanish and have been updated to include Arabic, with the ability to add more languages as the need arises.
Many of the new machines accept cash, which was not an option on the old kiosks. The new stations also accept American Express credit cards in addition to Discover, MasterCard and Visa credit and debit cards. Transactions on the new self-service stations offer ATM-level security and 24/7/365 technical support is available by phone for customers.
The new self-service stations are part of a system-wide overhaul being carried out by Secretary Benson and her team. Other work includes expanding online appointments, redesigning renewal mailings to better support and prepare customers, and improving self-service options such as the Secretary of State website. Appointments are available at all branch offices and customers are encouraged to plan ahead by visiting Michigan.gov/SOSAppointments or by calling 888-SOS-MICH to schedule one.
Customers also have the option of completing transactions online at ExpressSOS.com. Most license plate types can be ordered or renewed on the site. Registrations for vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles or boats may be printed when renewing online, allowing motorists to drive legally until they get their plate and tab in the mail. Most driver’s licenses and state ID cards also may be renewed online unless a trip to a branch office is required, as is the case to upgrade to a REAL ID license or state ID.
