Georgia DRIVES Motor Vehicles System

Georgia Department of Revenue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 29, 2019

Putnam County Tax Commissioner in Partnership with the Georgia Department of Revenue will Implement new Georgia DRIVES Motor Vehicles System

 

The Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) is installing a new state-of-the-art system, Georgia Driver Record and Integrated Vehicle Enterprise System (DRIVES), to upgrade and modernize the vehicle registration and titling system. The new Georgia DRIVES system will enable more self-service options, improve customer service, and enhance data integrity.

Beginning May 20th, some online vehicle services and location hours may be reduced in preparation for the system upgrade. Implementation of the new system will require our current system to be shut down from noon on Thursday, May 23 through Monday, May 27.  The tax office will be closed and vehicle registrations and titling services will be unavailable during this time. Beginning May 28th, and for a few weeks thereafter, customers may experience longer than normal wait times when visiting the tag office. Vehicle owners with renewal dates in May and June who normally renew in person are encouraged to do so prior to May 20 to avoid delays. 

Putnam County Tax Commissioner, Pam Lancaster states, “Implementation of the Georgia DRIVES project will improve and update our system for handling title and vehicle registrations in Putnam County and throughout the state.   We have been training for months in an effort to provide a smooth transition to the new system.  The goal of our entire staff is to continue providing excellent customer service, both before and after the launch of the Georgia DRIVES system. It is important for residents to be aware of which services will not be available leading up to Memorial Day and for them to plan accordingly. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we transition to this new and improved system.”

What to Expect:  

Putnam County Tax Offices will close at 12:00 noon, Thursday, May 23, and re-open 8:00am, Tuesday, May 28.
All online motor vehicle related services including online tag renewal services will be offline May 21 – May 27.
Motor Vehicle Self Service Kiosks will be offline May 21 – May 27.
The Motor Vehicle Division will only be able to process Trip Permit transactions at the DOR Southmeadow facility. All other transactions including International Fuel Tax Agreements (IFTA) and International Registration Plans (IRP) will be unavailable.

How will this impact Georgia customers and drivers?

  • In the first month of the DRIVES system, walk-in customers may experience delays and longer than normal wait times. To avoid such delays, Georgia residents with May and June renewal dates are encouraged to renew prior to Monday, May 20. 
  • Customers and dealers seeking to conduct any title transactions should complete their business at a county tag office prior to Thursday, May 23.
  • Dealers will be able to conduct business and issue temporary operating permits (TOPs) during this time.  However, electronic title and registration (ETR) transactions may be delayed May 20-May 28. 
  • Law enforcement will still have access to motor vehicle records through a statewide backup file.
  • The Department of Driver Services (drivers’ license services) will not be affected.

Please visit our county tax website at www.putnamgatax.com for more information. 

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