The joke is that waiting in line at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is like entering the first circle of hell, but salvation may be at hand for those interested in simply renewing their vehicle registration.
Earlier this week, Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, as part of InnovateOhio, and Ohio BMV Registrar Charlie Norman introduced a novel idea: self-service kiosks.
These kiosks — currently only at nine BMV locations across the state — will allow users to “conveniently renew” their registration without the wait or interacting with a human.
“InnovateOhio’s goal is to change the culture of state government so that every service is designed with the customer in mind,” said Husted in a release. “The service announced today offers a convenient way for Ohioans to quickly and easily renew their vehicle registration so they can continue on with the rest of their day.”
Locally, there is a kiosk at the BMV Express in Fairfield (inside the Meijer at 6325 S. Gilmore Road). The other kiosks are located:
- Deputy Registrar, 3481 E. Broad St., Columbus
- Deputy Registrar, 990 Morse Road, Suite A, Columbus
- Rhodes Tower Lobby, 30 East Broad St., Columbus
- Deputy Registrar, 972 N. Court St., Medina
- Meijer, 7150 Executive Blvd., Huber Heights
- Meijer, 2200 Tiffin Ave., Findlay
- Meijer, 1391 Conant St., Maumee
- Riesbeck’s Food Market, 800 Howard St., Zanesville
Some kiosks will be open 24/7, so if, for whatever reason, you need to renew your registration at 2 a.m., you can.
The kiosks also provide printed registration cards and validation stickers.
The BMV says they plan to expand with additional locations if all goes well with the nine pilot kiosks.
“The BMV is dedicated to improving the overall customer experience by providing our customers with access to innovative solutions that better meet their diverse needs,” said Norman in a release. “The BMV Express Kiosks are another important step we’re taking to give Ohioans more convenient options to choose from when they are deciding how to interact with state government.”
In 2019, the BMV introduced an online check-in system, which allowed customers to reserve their spots online, rather than braving in-person wait times. Like magic, you can just get in line at ohiobmvappt.cxmflow.com before you head out the door.
For more information about the new kiosks and other fun BMV stuff, visit bmv.ohio.gov.
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This article appears in CityBeat | Oct. 13-26, 2021.
