2020 will usher in a new way for the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division customers to get license plates, registration tabs and many documents such as vehicle titles.

Beginning in January, customers will receive these items through the U.S. Mail and will no longer be able to obtain them at an MVD or Authorized Third Party office. Customers should make sure their address is current and complete with the U.S. Postal Service and MVD.

“The MVD needs to be well-positioned for the growth of e-commerce,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser Richards. “Distributing items such as license plates, tabs, title work and other documents allows us to prepare for the growing demand for fulfilling customer orders through the mail as the MVD continues to increase the number of services available online, anytime.”

All registration documents and license plate tabs, including those issued at MVD self-service kiosks will be mailed. When customers renew, their record is updated instantly and a receipt is proof of registration.

For customers getting a license plate, this change will also mean the plate number will be entered into the customer’s service file and the temporary plate issued at the office will have the same number as the permanent plate being mailed.

Customers who purchase Off-Highway Vehicle decals the same day they plan to use them at a recreational area will not receive the decal at the office, but will get a receipt that should be kept with them to prove the decals have been purchased.
In the future, more vehicle titles will transition to an electronic process. Currently, a limited number of title transfers such as one-owner to one-owner transfers of Arizona-registered vehicles can already be done entirely online through AZ MVD Now, which is available through ServiceArizona.com.

Another important reminder from the MVD: There are less than 200 business days left until October 1, 2020, and the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division reminds customers to get the AZ Travel ID to make it through TSA airport checkpoints starting on that date.

MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser Richards said, “We don’t want to see travel plans ruined because flyers don’t have an ID that the TSA will accept.”
In order to get the AZ Travel ID, customers need to bring in a document such as a birth certificate or valid U.S. Passport to prove identity and a second document with their Social Security number.

Finally, two pieces of documentation proving Arizona residency such as a utility bill, bank statement or something similar with a current name and physical address (not a P.O. Box) are also needed.

The AZ Travel ID replaces the current license or ID and re-sets the expiration date. The cost is $25, and under federal law, it is valid for eight years.

Customers should begin the application process at aztravelid.com. They can make an appointment at servicearizona.com to visit an MVD office, or visit an Authorized Third Party office that provides license and ID services.