Incorrect vehicle title or registration address; owner or lessee of any real property to notify DMV.
Summary
HB2423 amends Virginia law governing vehicle title and registration address information. It requires a person who has applied for or obtained a vehicle registration or title to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles within 30 days after changing address. The bill also adds a new process allowing an owner or lessee of real property to notify DMV when that property’s address is being used on a vehicle title or registration for a vehicle that does not belong to anyone who owns, leases, or resides at that property.
Under the new procedure, DMV must try to notify the vehicle owner and may search for an updated mailing address using the National Change of Address System. If DMV cannot determine the correct address, it may revoke the vehicle’s registration, registration card, license plates, and decals. The bill also preserves DMV’s ability to charge a $5 fee for failure to comply with the address-notification requirement, while exempting people whose updated address is obtained through the National Change of Address System.
Impact
The bill amends and reenacts § 46.2-606 of the Code of Virginia, expanding DMV’s authority to address incorrect vehicle title or registration addresses and to update records using Postal Service address data. It creates a new reporting mechanism for property owners and lessees to flag vehicles improperly tied to their address, and it authorizes DMV to revoke registration-related credentials when the correct address cannot be identified. The bill also clarifies the fee structure for noncompliance and exempts cases where DMV updates an address through the National Change of Address System.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It advanced unanimously through a House subcommittee, the House Transportation Committee, the full House, and the Senate, with no recorded dissenting votes at any stage. The vote pattern suggests general agreement that the measure is a practical administrative tool for improving address accuracy in DMV records and addressing misuse of property addresses.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive opposition in the available record. The main policy issue implicit in the bill is the balance between administrative enforcement and individual notice: DMV may revoke registration-related documents if it cannot identify the correct address, and property owners/lessees are given a role in reporting suspected incorrect address use. Any potential concern would likely center on due process, the burden on vehicle owners to keep addresses current, or the consequences of revocation, but no recorded committee debate or negative votes indicate active contention.