Ohio ‘BMV cheat code' praised, agency says 10 million trips saved
According to Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel and BMV Registrar Charles Norman, online tools designed to reduce the number of times customers are required to visit are now alleviating some of the pain. In a recent joint news release, it was announced that Ohioans have been spared more than 10 million trips to the BMV due to upgrades that enable certain transactions without being physically present.
'We've put significant focus on using technology to save customers' valuable time and cut down on congestion at BMV deputy registrar locations across the state,' said DeWine. 'This milestone demonstrates the importance of these upgrades, which have made BMV services more accessible and efficient.'
The changes began in 2019 and Ohio 'now has one of the most expansive menus of online services of any motor vehicle agency in the country,' according to DeWine's administration.
'Ohio has definitely been ahead of the game in modernizing BMV services,' said Tressel. 'No one enjoys waiting in long lines, and giving Ohioans the option to conduct more business online reduces wait times for those who do visit the BMV in person.'
• Online renewal of driver's licenses or identification cards — recently expanded to eligible commercial driver's license (CDL) holders. Once approved, the customer will receive a printable interim credential, and the renewed license or identification card will arrive in the mail within 7 to 10 days.
• Online ordering of temporary tags and renewing vehicle registration via OPLATES.
• Online driving knowledge test to receive a temporary driver's permit and online scheduling of driver exams. Ohio BMV is also expanding driver's exam locations by partnering with approved third parties.
• Online transfer a title for person-to-person vehicle sale with the new Ohio Title Portal. The title transfer request will be electronically sent to the applicable county's title office for review and approval of the transaction.
• BMV Express self-service kiosks for renewing and printing vehicle registration documentation at grocery stores and e-check stations. The kiosks immediately print new vehicle registration cards and license plate stickers on-site, with the average transaction taking less than two minutes.
While drivers can still visit any of Ohio's deputy registrar locations to complete any BMV-related tasks, the agency recommends using its 'Get In Line, Online' before leaving home. The service allows customers to advance in the queue without physically waiting in the office. After checking in online, customers have until close of business that day to arrive at the deputy registrar location, check in at a self-service kiosk, and claim their spot in line.
One customer lauded the offering on social media, calling it a 'BMV cheat code.'
'If anyone's going to the BMV and doesn't want to wait forever, just use the online check-in like an hour before u go,' the Reddit user shared. 'They send you a message saying text HERE when you arrive.'
I texted it right when I parked my car, walked in and there was around 30–40 people there waiting, sat down literally 2 mins, and they called my number … I'm doing this every time I go to the BMV from now on, hope they don't change it!'
'The BMV is always looking for convenient, innovative solutions to enhance the overall customer experience for Ohioans,' said Norman. 'We are dedicated to finding opportunities that modernize and improve our processes so that we can provide more service options.'
A full list of online options can be found on the BMV's website.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Ohio Lets Tesla Sell Cars Direct—Rivian Wants the Same
Ohio Lets Tesla Sell Cars Direct—Rivian Wants the Same originally appeared on Autoblog. Automaker Claims Franchise Law Harms Consumers When Tesla bypassed traditional franchised dealerships over a decade ago and started selling its electric vehicles directly to customers it started a legal battle with the car-dealer lobby that continues to this day. This time it's Rivian's turn to skirmish. On Monday, Rivian filed a lawsuit against the registrar of Ohio's Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) in federal court in order to be able to sell its EVs directly to consumers in that state. The lawsuit argues that the Ohio BMV is harming consumers by blocking direct sales, according to TechCrunch. Like Tesla, Rivian has been selling cars directly to its customers from the beginning. It's never used franchised dealerships, so it is not competing against its own franchisees, which is the argument behind franchise laws that prevent established automakers from engaging in direct sales. Rivian is currently able to sell cars in 25 states and the District of Columbia, but not Ohio. 'Irrational In The Extreme' "Ohio's prohibition of Rivian's direct-sales-only business model is irrational in the extreme: it reduces competition, decreases consumer choice, and drives up consumer cost and inconvenience—all of which harms consumers—with literally no countervailing benefit," Rivian's lawyers wrote in the suit. Rivian customers in Ohio currently have to buy their cars in other states that allow direct sales, after which they're shipped to a Rivian service center in the Buckeye State for delivery. Rivian is asking the court to grant it a dealership license so it can sell vehicles in the state. Such a license was previously granted to Tesla, which has been selling cars directly to customers in Ohio since 2013. The obstacle Rivian faces is a 2014 law, which the automaker says came after intense lobbying by the Ohio Automobile Dealers Association (OADA) that essentially shut the door behind Tesla, allowing that firm to keep its dealer license but blocking other manufacturers from obtaining one. The Fight Continues Tesla's Ohio situation is a result of the state-by-state legal battles the automaker fought in the its early days of volume sales. It was able to win concessions for itself, in some cases, but state dealership lobbies were too entrenched to achieve any broad concessions in favor of direct sales. That leaves Rivian and other upstart automakers to re-fight these battles. Rivian, along with Lucid, was granted a dealership license in Illinois in 2021, and the automakers successfully fended off a legal challenge from that state's dealer association to block direct sales. In 2022, Lucid also filed a lawsuit in Texas challenging that state's direct-sales ban. That suit was unsuccessful, but Lucid has appealed, according to federal court records. Not every automaker has gone the direct-sales route. Polestar adopted a hybrid approach, with company-owned showrooms and online sales, but servicing handled by Volvo dealers. Vinfast initially planned for direct sales only, but later pivoted and signed up some franchised dealers. The Volkswagen Group's new Scout Motors brand has discussed direct sales, but is already facing legal challenges from the VW Group's franchised dealers. Ohio Lets Tesla Sell Cars Direct—Rivian Wants the Same first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 9, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
4 days ago
- New York Times
Trump Attack on Intel's C.E.O. Could Compound Factory Struggles
At the end of July, Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio said Intel's chief executive was 'very, very optimistic' about the company's plans to build multibillion-dollar semiconductor factories in his state. This week, President Trump attacked the tech executive, and a Republican senator called for an investigation into delays surrounding Intel's massive construction project outside Columbus. Mr. Trump demanded on Thursday that Lip-Bu Tan, Intel's new chief executive, resign over his past ties to Chinese companies, adding to the woes of a company that Mr. DeWine and other senior figures in Ohio's Republican Party had said would help create a manufacturing boom and turn the state into a 'Silicon Heartland.' To help build its factories, Intel received commitments worth roughly $1.5 billion in federal funding in recent years, as well as a $2 billion incentive package from Ohio. The project has been badly delayed, and the chip maker said this year that the factories would not be operational until at least 2030. The company's challenges in Ohio highlight the risks that federal and state officials took when they financially backed Intel, a once-powerful force in chip manufacturing, an industry now dominated by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Intel's situation is also indicative of the struggles the Trump administration will face as it tries — through the pressure of tariffs and threats from the White House — to shift the bulk of semiconductor production to the United States from Asia. When the Biden administration offered financial incentives through the CHIPS Act, Intel was one of the few American companies that it made sense to back. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
Blackout plates go on sale in Indiana. How much do they cost and who's eligible to get one?
Drivers in Indiana with a darker fashion sense can now get a license plate to match. The Hoosier State has joined Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota and others in offering blacked-out plates as an alternative to more traditional designs. Hoosiers can purchase blackout plates starting Aug. 8 from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Here's what we know. A blackout plate is exactly what it sounds like — a black, rectangular license plate bordered by a thin, white line and lettered in white font. Beginning Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, Hoosiers can purchase the new blackout license plate from the BMV. There are three ways to purchase a blackout license plate in Indiana: online at at a BMV Connect kiosk or at any BMV branch. Blackout plates are available to Indiana residents who drive a passenger motor vehicle, a light truck weighing less than 11,000 Ibs., a motorcycle or an RV. Story continues after photo gallery. No. According to BMV, the blackout plate is a "standalone design" and cannot be combined with other specialty license plates. A disability-accessible version of the blackout plate will be available at a future date, according to BMV officials. Yes, Indiana's blackout plates can be customized for a $45 fee. Personalized license plate messages are available on a first-come, first-served basis, have character limits (eight characters for standard passenger vehicles), and must be approved by the BMV. Hoosiers who get their plate approved will receive it in the mail within approximately 30 days of their request, according to the BMV. You can apply for a personalized plate at BMV branch, kiosk or online at myBMV. The Blackout plate is considered an "alternative license plate," according to the BMV. Here's a breakdown of how much it costs to get one: No, you can get a Blackout plate before your current expires by paying the costs listed above, plus a $9.50 fee. Online merchants sell black license plates and other similar novelty designs, but that doesn't make them street legal. To avoid getting an expensive ticket, get yours from the Indiana BMV. Houston Harwood with the Courier & Press assisted with this article.
