Driving is a necessity in Union County. There is no public transportation and with ride sharing suspended due to COVID-19 that leaves the responsibility of transportation to and from essential businesses on the shoulders of citizens.
On March 19 Ohio Governor Mike DeWine closed 181 Bureau of Motor Vehicle locations around the state leaving only five locations open to service Commercial Driver’s Licenses and with the Stay at Home Order extended to May 1 those locations will remain closed.
DeWine followed up the closure of these institutions with the signing of House Bill 197 March 27 declaring that “Ohio licenses, including CDL’s, identification cards, temporary instruction permits, vehicle registrations and vehicle temporary tags expiring during the declared State of Emergency shall remain valid until either 90 days after the declared emergency ends or December 1, 2020, whichever comes sooner.”
Though these locations have been shutdown for the foreseeable future, the BMV is still providing services online.
While House Bill 197 allows for vehicle owners let their registration lapse during the pandemic, though owners can renew through www.oplates.com or by mail with a vehicle registration renewal notice, according to the BMV website.
With the majority of BMV locations closed around the state the Department of Homeland Security has also pushed the deadline for the enhanced driver’s license has been pushed back to Oct. 1, 2021.
The BMV is also offering temporary tag service for all newly purchased vehicles.
Car dealerships have been deemed essential businesses under the guidelines of the Stay at Home Oder that was revised April 2. In order to make newly purchased vehicles legal to travel on the road they must have a temporary license plate
Owners can purchase temporary tags through www.oplates.com, but they must provide proof of ownership with an auto title and a copy of the owner’s driver’s license, according to the BMV website.
Auto titles can be obtained either through a dealership when purchasing a vehicle or through the county title office.
The Union County Auto Title office is currently closed to walk-ins, but they are open to service dealership titles, said Union County Clerk of Courts Teresa Nickle.
“We are trying to support small business by continuing to do there work as much as we can,” she said. “We are trying to accommodate the public as much as we can.”
The county title office is processing public title work through the mail.
Those needing title work done can find applications at the auto title office at 900 London Ave., Marysville. The State Route 161 branch is closed until further notice.
Nickle said titles can be mailed in with all of the appropriate documentation and a title will be returned as soon as possible.
“I know it is difficult to do a title by mail, but if they call us we can walk people through it,” Nickle added. “There is specific instructions for them to follow and forms on the website that they may need.”
Nickle also added that the title office will be waiving any late fees during the declared State of Emergency.