Dealer Board Focuses on Title & Tag Issues

Dealer Board Focuses on Title & Tag Issues

At the July meeting of the Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board (MVDB), D. B. Smit, commissioner of the MVA as well as chairman of the MVDB, discussed the DMVês task force studying titling and tag issues. The principal focus will be on 30-day tags, including tag distribution to dealers and proper issuance to customers. Commissioner Smit announced that he would report to the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board at its September 13, 2004 meetings concerning the actions of the task force.

The MVDB considered potential legislation to allow the board to regulate and take action because of repeated issuance of 30-day tags to vehicle purchasers who are not able to title their vehicles. The MVDB chose to take no action on this pending the Commissionerês task force report.

In other actions, the MVDB considered legislation to require dealers to pay off liens on trade vehicles within a specified time. A number of board members expressed concern that such a requirement would be unworkable because of the problems that may arise in deals that delay payoffs and could be harmful to consumers by requiring a payoff even before a deal is completed. The MVDB agreed to take no action on the suggestion.

The MVDB also considered regulations concerning educational standards for dealer applicants. The proposed standards would require dealer operator applicants to follow a course of study and would require the test to be substantially increased. The MVDB determined to take no action on this matter, recognizing that any changes would have to go through the state regulatory process that could take up to two years. The MVDB will consider this matter at future meetings.