Expired Tags? WTF?

[jmack]

Was going through paperwork for taxes today and realized that the tags on my bike expired back in August. I definitely didn't receive a renewal notice from the Boulder County Clerk, because if I did I would have paid it right away. Now I'm stuck with a $100 fine. My wife had the same thing with her car last April, I guess I should have learned from her misfortune. Seems like Boulder might be fishing for late fees.

Anybody else had this happen? I'm pissed off because I feel like it's mostly their fault for not sending a renewal notice, though I know there's no "negotiating" with government agencies.

[mdub]

I would bring it up. Doesn't hurt to ask.

[PhL0aTeR]

I'm pissed off because I feel like it's mostly their fault for not sending a renewal notice

[3D]

It's pretty much on you to realize when your tags are about to expire. Even though your plates are right there, you don't think to look at the expiration date. The DMV sends out reminders as a "convenience" to you and don't have to do it. The good news is the late fees cap out at $100.

[Clovis]

Late fees used to be $10 then were increased by the governor to $25 per month with a max of $100.

This type of tax increase doesn't require voter approval. I've had to pay it more then once and even for 1 day late the DMV will tell you to get bent and pay off.

(Above my temp tags were written for 61 days instead of 60... still got stuck paying $25).

[jmack]

It's pretty much on you to realize when your tags are about to expire.

I *should* know when they're about to expire. But with multiple vehicles renewing at different times, and usually accompanied by the renewal cards, it's not something that crosses my mind very often.

[rforsythe]

Could be worse. I got a ticket for exp plates once, mailed the check in, and never bothered to watch and see if it cleared. Fast forward nearly two years when my insurance company phones up wondering why my DL is suspended. Turns out the county never marked it as paid, nuked my license, and put out a bench warrant for my arrest nearly a year and a half earlier -- luckily I'm a much safer driver now than I used to be, and don't get stopped much. In any event, 2 full days of BS at the DMV, court #1, court #2, back to DMV, etc later it was reinstated. Sad part is I missed all the fun of being a fugitive from the law, since I never knew I was one.

[Clovis]

Sad part is I missed all the fun of being a fugitive from the law, since I never knew I was one.

Rebel... (wait for it...) without a cause??

[The GECCO]

I'm pissed off because I feel like it's mostly their fault for not sending a renewal notice

Seriously?

[mastap07]

i moved to a different county and didnt realize my tags expired. i rode the bike maybe 2 times in 3 months because of snow and the north facing house until i realized my tags were expired. they smacked me with the $100 dollar fine and i told them that BS because i didnt get a notice stating that my plates were going to expire let alone a notice that i was late. she stated its up to the driver of the vehicle and i told her thats bull shit because when you update your address everywhere else they should get the update as well, whether its thru the post office, drivers license, HOA, ect. i agree its total bs but thanks to ritter i got bent over again by the gov.

[bluedogok]

Pretty much every state has the same attitude, it is up to you to remember to do it on time or face penalties, it is not exclusive to Colorado. Not all states mail out reminders either, some have dropped them as a cost savings measure or never mailed them out to begin with.

If the address on your vehicle registration isn't up to date, you aren't going to get a notice if one is mailed out because they are not going to update a legal document (registration/title) based off a change of address form from the post office, that is your own responsibility. It also applies to a drivers license and many people may have a vehicle registered at a work address and a drivers license with a home address, the state would be opening themselves up to all sorts of potential liability if they went off a change of address form that isn't always accurate. My sister lived in the house that I lived in OKC then moved to another house in OKC, three years later when I moved to Austin I started getting mail for her in Austin because of post office screw ups even though her name was not on the change of address form that I filled out anywhere and some of was under her married name without her maiden name on it so there was no common name in the address. Do you really want the USPS responsible for updating your address with the state?

Yes, given a chance any state is going to take more money from you if they can but it isn't their fault if you fail to keep things up to date.