D.C. residents who are subscribed to the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles email alert system were reminded Monday that the agency has discontinued in-person vehicle registration renewals. The email, which was sent on the same day the change became effective, explained that from now on, for all vehicle registration renewals, customers must use online or by mail services. And if you missed the message and show up in person to a DMV service center, you'll be directed to a dropbox to drop off registration renewal requests for processing. Dropbox renewals will be processed within 48 business hours, the DMV says. The change is tied to Mayor Fenty's FY2010 budget plan, which proposed eliminating in-person vehicle registration renewals and most safety inspections in order to cut spending. You can sign-up for email notifications from the DMV at their web site. more ›

The City Paper's Mike DeBonis may have the most intriguing news of the day -- under the 2010 budget proposal released today by Mayor Adrian Fenty, D.C. drivers would no longer have to get their cars inspected. Wait; what? Really? Well, kind of. You'll still have to head down to the city's one inspection station for a federally mandated emissions inspection, but no longer will you have to sit through the usual safety inspection that checks everything from seat belts to headlights and brakes. Doing away with the inspections will reportedly save $400,000 a year. Fenty's budget also calls for the DMV to "transition to an online and mail-in only system for vehicle registration renewals." You can currently renew your registration online and through the mail, though certain restrictions exist. What changes are made to adapt to an all online and mail-in system remain to be seen. more ›

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