Did you get a late car-tab renewal notice? You're not alone

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

It comes once a year.

Car-tab renewal is an annual payment for vehicle owners. The cost depends on the value of what you drive, and that has been up for debate in recent years as an old valuation metric proved overly optimistic about an aging car’s worth — and thus how much the license renewal should cost.

Few of us aren’t put that task into our phone’s calendar or gaze at the rear plate where the stickers reside.

The Washington State Department of Licensing reminds owners in a couple of ways, either via email or the good old U.S. Postal Service.

That’s helpful. But in July, a change in the process held up thousands of mailed notices.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/did-you-get-a-late-car-tab-renewal-notice-youre-not-alone/

Blame the asshole Trump put in charge of the USPS.

Last month I didn't receive any mail for three days in a row. Before that there were days I wouldn't receive mail but never consecutive ones.

[Ron Obvious]

1. I get an email reminder months in advance

So far in advance, it's actually useless since I don't bother with it at that time.

Then, when it actually is close to expiring, I don't hear anything and I'm liable to forget.

[jimfields33]

2. In Florida, it's your birthday month. Not hard to forget.

I renew every two years. In May, I renewed and got the sticker three days later in the mail.

[SeattleVet]

3. We got ours a few days after the expiration date.

I paid online and printed the receipt to show payment, jus in case we get stopped on one of our (now-rare) trips away from the neighborhood by car.

And yeah, we got also hit with the new 3% additional fee for using a credit card!

[KT2000]

4. How can a tab expire mid-month?

I thought we had until the end of the month to get the new tab.

You can also pay at a county or agents office as long as you have the license plate number.

[SeattleVet]

5. They have expiration dates throughout the month.

Ours expired on July 24 - we received the renewal notice on July 31.

It goes by the date you got the tabs initially. Sort of like how the drivers license expires on your birthday, no matter when you got it.

[Andy823]

8. Yep my truck tabs expired on the 10th

of July. I had it marked down as expiring in July, but not the date, so I went in on the 12th to renew them and found out they had expired. I paid for the online and had them in two days, but I didn't receive a notice in the mail until July 30th. I have tabs coming due this month on one of my cars and will be getting online to do that tomorrow, and my drivers license is all so do this month.

[captain queeg]

6. Thanks. I'd gotten no notice and forgo about it.

I just checked and it ran out at the end of July. I have to go over in the morning and get my tabs. I can’t remember if there’s an extra fee but years ago I forgot to get it done and ended up getting a ticket that was about $150.

[Generic Other]

7. Same here

They are deliberately letting the mail pile up.