New Massachusetts driver’s licenses will require proof of identity; Registry closing to prepare for change
By
Brian Lee
Telegram & Gazette Staff
Posted Mar 20, 2018 at 3:45 PM
Updated Mar 21, 2018 at 6:30 AM
Registry of Motor Vehicle offices throughout the commonwealth will be
closed Friday as the agency transitions to a new computer system and
begins to offer driver’s licenses and identification cards that comply
with a new federal security standard.
The RMV has switched to the ATLAS computer system, which it says will provide customers an easier, quicker, and more convenient customer experience when they conduct business with the RMV in person, on the web, by mail, or by phone.
All RMV service centers reopen Monday.
All AAA offices that offer RMV services will not offer those services Friday or Saturday.
The RMV will not conduct online transactions beginning 7 p.m. Thursday. Online transactions resume 8 a.m. Monday.
Vehicle inspections will not be conducted Friday through Sunday.
Lastly, registrations and inspections will not be offered at auto dealerships that register and inspect vehicles on behalf of the RMV Friday through Sunday.
The ATLAS system is the RMV’s first new system in 30 years, the agency said.
The new system will enable the state to begin issuing credentials
that comply with the federal REAL ID law, which is designed to increase
safety through new security features.
Beginning Monday, customers will have the choice between a REAL ID driver’s license or identification card, or a standard state driver’s license or ID card. After October 2020 a REAL ID or a passport will be required to fly in the United States or enter certain federal buildings.
In either case, customers will have to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or their lawful presence in the U.S. before cards are issued.
For U.S. citizens, it means customers will have to present a valid, unexpired U.S. passport or a certified copy of their U.S. birth certificate.
For permanent residents, a valid permanent resident card — or green card — is considered proof of lawful presence, the RMV said.
In a statement, RMV spokeswoman Jacquelyn Goddard said: The RMV understands the new federal document requirements are a new application necessity for our customers and strongly urges people to go online to determine the documents needed in that customer’s specific situation. The website is https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-registry-of-motor-vehicles.
With the new requirements, people need to arrive prepared for license or ID application services, Ms. Goddard said.
Ms. Goddard said the agency understands “that any time the Registry is not available, it will impact our customers.”
With respect to inspections, March has an additional Saturday in it, she noted. Therefore, customers who traditionally wait until the last minute will have another weekend to get their inspection sticker replaced, Ms. Goddard said.
Local customers and auto industry representatives were preparing for the shutdown Tuesday.
Jennifer Filler, general manager of Midstate Auto Group in Auburn, said the company considers the temporary shutdown of RMV functions a minor inconvenience.
Ms. Filler said a customer will still be able to drive away from the lot in a new car if they’ve transferred registration plates.
“It’s just we wouldn’t be able to process the transaction until Monday,” said Ms. Filler, who also noted that the car can be inspected within seven days of purchase.
On the other hand, someone who buys a vehicle but needs a new
registration plate would have to wait until Monday to drive the car from
the lot, she said.
To the overall situation, Ms. Filler said, “We’re getting everything together Thursday, just to make sure. We have a notice on the front of our window to tell everybody (about the shutdown). We’ll tell them on Friday that it’s down. But I don’t think it really will be that bad.”
Meanwhile, the manager expressed optimism about the new computer system.
“I think it will be exciting to have the new program work and everybody up and running and faster,”
Ms. Filler said. But she isn’t familiar with the new system. She said she only hopes it’ll be faster than the old system, which she said was “slow and doesn’t always give the correct error messages.”
Northboro Auto Service will lose the ability to offer vehicle inspections on Friday and Sunday.
“We’re pretty prepared for it,” said Hassan Kasel, the owner’s son.
Mr. Kasel said he hadn’t noticed an uptick in customers coming in for inspections this week. He noted that the latter portion of any month is usually busiest for inspectors.
“We’ll see,” he said of the impact of the shutdown.
Outside of the Worcester RMV, two customers expressed frustration because they said they would have preferred to conduct their business this coming Friday.
“This sucks,” a woman asserted before saying she didn’t have time to answer additional questions. Her Uber driver had arrived.
But a flustered Tara Ouellette of Agawam had more than enough time to talk.
Ms. Ouellette said she was seeking a hearing in Worcester because her driving privileges were mistakenly suspended. She said her record had two citations that weren’t supposed to be there. She said she had been found “not responsible” in court.
The Springfield office on Wednesday had capped its number of hearings at 10, so she hurried to the Worcester office, where she was told there were 40 people ahead of her for hearings.
The RMV has switched to the ATLAS computer system, which it says will provide customers an easier, quicker, and more convenient customer experience when they conduct business with the RMV in person, on the web, by mail, or by phone.
All RMV service centers reopen Monday.
All AAA offices that offer RMV services will not offer those services Friday or Saturday.
The RMV will not conduct online transactions beginning 7 p.m. Thursday. Online transactions resume 8 a.m. Monday.
Vehicle inspections will not be conducted Friday through Sunday.
Lastly, registrations and inspections will not be offered at auto dealerships that register and inspect vehicles on behalf of the RMV Friday through Sunday.
The ATLAS system is the RMV’s first new system in 30 years, the agency said.
Beginning Monday, customers will have the choice between a REAL ID driver’s license or identification card, or a standard state driver’s license or ID card. After October 2020 a REAL ID or a passport will be required to fly in the United States or enter certain federal buildings.
In either case, customers will have to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or their lawful presence in the U.S. before cards are issued.
For U.S. citizens, it means customers will have to present a valid, unexpired U.S. passport or a certified copy of their U.S. birth certificate.
For permanent residents, a valid permanent resident card — or green card — is considered proof of lawful presence, the RMV said.
In a statement, RMV spokeswoman Jacquelyn Goddard said: The RMV understands the new federal document requirements are a new application necessity for our customers and strongly urges people to go online to determine the documents needed in that customer’s specific situation. The website is https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-registry-of-motor-vehicles.
Ms. Goddard said the agency understands “that any time the Registry is not available, it will impact our customers.”
With respect to inspections, March has an additional Saturday in it, she noted. Therefore, customers who traditionally wait until the last minute will have another weekend to get their inspection sticker replaced, Ms. Goddard said.
Local customers and auto industry representatives were preparing for the shutdown Tuesday.
Jennifer Filler, general manager of Midstate Auto Group in Auburn, said the company considers the temporary shutdown of RMV functions a minor inconvenience.
Ms. Filler said a customer will still be able to drive away from the lot in a new car if they’ve transferred registration plates.
“It’s just we wouldn’t be able to process the transaction until Monday,” said Ms. Filler, who also noted that the car can be inspected within seven days of purchase.
To the overall situation, Ms. Filler said, “We’re getting everything together Thursday, just to make sure. We have a notice on the front of our window to tell everybody (about the shutdown). We’ll tell them on Friday that it’s down. But I don’t think it really will be that bad.”
Meanwhile, the manager expressed optimism about the new computer system.
“I think it will be exciting to have the new program work and everybody up and running and faster,”
Ms. Filler said. But she isn’t familiar with the new system. She said she only hopes it’ll be faster than the old system, which she said was “slow and doesn’t always give the correct error messages.”
Northboro Auto Service will lose the ability to offer vehicle inspections on Friday and Sunday.
“We’re pretty prepared for it,” said Hassan Kasel, the owner’s son.
Mr. Kasel said he hadn’t noticed an uptick in customers coming in for inspections this week. He noted that the latter portion of any month is usually busiest for inspectors.
Outside of the Worcester RMV, two customers expressed frustration because they said they would have preferred to conduct their business this coming Friday.
“This sucks,” a woman asserted before saying she didn’t have time to answer additional questions. Her Uber driver had arrived.
But a flustered Tara Ouellette of Agawam had more than enough time to talk.
Ms. Ouellette said she was seeking a hearing in Worcester because her driving privileges were mistakenly suspended. She said her record had two citations that weren’t supposed to be there. She said she had been found “not responsible” in court.
The Springfield office on Wednesday had capped its number of hearings at 10, so she hurried to the Worcester office, where she was told there were 40 people ahead of her for hearings.
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