Check Your Vehicle Registration, State Mailings Did Not Go Out

Some Putnam County residents never received a June vehicle registration expiration notification.

County Clerk Wayne Nabors said the notifications only come from the Tennessee Department of Motor Vehicle Services in Nashville. Nabors said the Nashville office had to relocate because of tornado damage. He believes a combination of the relocation and an in-person staff shortage due to COVID-19 could be why the June notifications were not mailed.

“What happened was it was kinda a domino effect,” Nabors said. “The notices to be printed for all license plates that came due in June that would have been mailed out by say the middle of May never got printed, and never got sent out.”

Nabors said notifications have sent for July, August, and September. The state is not required to send expiration notifications, Nabors said.

“I know license plates is something that you deal with once a year and it’s not common place to watch that too close,” Nabors said. “They might just want to take a quick glance at their plate and make for sure that it is current. If it isn’t current then they sure do need to come and see us.”

County Clerk offices across the counties are struggling to acquire certain plates. Nabors said the plate printing equipment was either damaged or destroyed from the storm six months ago.

Nabors said there is an online option to pay for registration renewals. A drive thru is available at the clerk office, as well as branch offices in Baxter and Monterey.