CLEVELAND — If you’ve been putting off renewing your license or registration, you’re running out of time to get it done.
The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles’ extended deadline is July 1 for any license or registration that expired on or after March 9 of 2020.
In March 2020, BMV's closed all around the state because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gov. Mike DeWine signed a house bill that pushed back the deadlines to renew twice, the latest extends that grace period to July 1, 2021.
That grace period only applies for drivers whose license expired after March 9, 2020, but before April 1. If your license expires this month, you won't get an extension.
The BMV says about 100,000 driver licenses and 221,000 vehicle registrations with expiration dates that had been exempted under the COVID-19 extension still need to be renewed before the July 1 deadline.
"For the majority of those 300,000 people, or if you're just renewing during your regular timeline, there's really no need to come in to the office,” said State Registrar for Motor Vehicles Charlie Norman. “You can take care of that online. If you do need to come in, for instance for a driver's license renewal.”
Failure to renew could land you a fine up to $150 per state law violation. If you don’t want to wait online, you can utilize the “Get In Line Online” feature which allows a person to make an appointment for a certain time by registering on their site in advance.
Another feature allows a person at the office to use their phone to scan a QR code on a sign outside the office, they can sign up to be notified when it is their turn to enter the office.
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