§45-23-240.60. Mail order procedures.

(a) The county revenue commissioner shall mail applications for renewal of motor vehicle licenses and tags, boat licenses, and manufactured home licenses to the person to whom the license or tag was previously issued. Renewal forms shall be in postcard form and shall contain sufficient information to adequately identify and process the renewal. If the current licensee or owner so chooses, he or she shall sign the application form, indicating any change of address, and return the form by mail to the county revenue commissioner, together with his or her check or money order for any ad valorem or license taxes, and fees required as indicated on the form. For renewal of motor vehicle tags, renewal by mail is an option only available to the person to whom the renewal was sent and only if he or she is still the legal owner of the motor vehicle.

(b) All applications for renewal by mail for motor vehicle licenses and tags, boat licenses, and manufactured home licenses, together with the appropriate amount of taxes and fees, shall be due to the county revenue commissioner on or before the 20th day of the month in which the previous tag or license expires. The county revenue commissioner shall mail to the owner or licensee the renewed tag or license on or before the last day of the same month. Checks and money orders for the payment of taxes and fees shall be made payable to the county revenue commissioner.

(c) The signature of the licensee on the renewal form, together with the proper remittance, shall constitute sufficient authority for the county revenue commissioner to issue and mail the renewed tag or license to the owner or licensee. When an application is returned to the county revenue commissioner unsigned, or when less than the correct amount of taxes or fees are remitted, the application shall be returned to the owner or licensee for correction. In this event, the expiration period for the previously issued tag or license may not be extended. If more than the correct amount of taxes or fees is remitted, the county revenue commissioner shall refund the difference to the owner or licensee by mail with the renewed tag or license.

(d) A mail order fee shall be set from time to time by the county commission to pay the cost of the renewal by mail process. The fee shall be collected by the county revenue commissioner at the time of any renewal and shall be deposited into the county general fund in the same manner as other fees and commissions.

(e) The mail order procedure authorized by this section for the renewal of tags and licenses is optional, additional, and alternative to the procedure now provided by law. Each owner and licensee shall continue to have the right to apply for renewal, pay taxes, and to receive tags and licenses in person without the payment of the additional mail order fee.

(Act 97-527, p. 921, §§1-5.)