PHOENIX – Selling your car to the guy down the street, online or to a family member is a concept that probably goes back as far as Henry Ford himself. But the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division reminds you that reporting a private sale makes good sense and may keep you out of court.

Filling out a Sold Notice is simple and there is no fee. It should be completed within 10 calendar days of selling your vehicle and it can be done anytime online at ServiceArizona.com.

“A Sold Notice protects consumers,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser-Richards. “If the vehicle is sold and is later in a crash or used in a crime, or if it’s simply abandoned, the MVD will have a record of the sale. That means a former owner won’t be responsible for abandoned vehicle fees, or worse called into court to explain why the vehicle was used in a crime or crash they had nothing do to with.”

MVD also keeps an eye out for unscrupulous unlicensed or licensed dealers that may attempt to sell a vehicle as though they were actually a private seller. When a vehicle is sold by a private owner to a dealer, a Sold Notice will alert MVD if that dealer attempts to re-sell the vehicle privately and ADOT Enforcement will initiate an investigation.

For more information about Sold Notices, visit azdot.gov/mvd.

TUCSON – Getting customers out of line and safely on the road doesn’t usually mean literally breaking down walls, but for one Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division office, it’s a way to continue making improvements for customers.

The Tucson Regional office, located southeast of downtown Tucson at 3565 S. Broadmont Drive, has been undergoing renovations to create a more open, orderly and customer-friendly layout. Completing this work will require a temporary two-day closure on Thursday, May 18, and Friday, May 19.

This location will re-open for regular business hours on Monday, May 22.

Customers who need to visit an MVD office on those days can go to either the Tucson East location at 1360 S. Stocker Drive or the Tucson North office at 7330 N. Shannon Road. There are also several Authorized Third Party offices available throughout Tucson.

For an interactive map of MVD and Authorized Third Party locations, please visit azdot.gov/mvd.

Customers who’ve scheduled an appointment for a road test or to obtain a Voluntary Travel I.D. on either May 18 or 19 will be contacted by phone to arrange an appointment at another MVD location or to change the date.

More than half of MVD transactions require no office visit and can be done online at ServiceArizona.com.

PHOENIX – Did you know there is no “DMV” in Arizona?

It’s true, in Arizona it’s known as the Motor Vehicle Division – or MVD for short – and it’s part of the larger Arizona Department of Transportation.

That’s important to customers for a big reason: Doing a web search using “DMV” will often direct you to websites that aren’t affiliated with Arizona’s MVD. That’s why Arizona drivers who need to renew their registration, order a specialty plate, file a sold notice, get a replacement driver license or ID and many other transactions available online should only use ServiceArizona.com.

“ServiceArizona.com is a great way to get people out of line and safely on the road because it’s available to people 24 hours a day, every day of the year,” MVD Director Eric Jorgensen said.

He added, “People need to know that ServiceArizona.com is the only website authorized to do MVD transactions. Customers should beware of misleading or scam websites, some of which may ask you to pay additional fees for online services, which ServiceArizona.com will never do.”

Some unauthorized websites go beyond claiming to offer a service. There are sites that are merely attempts to obtain sensitive personal information that can be used to commit fraud or identity theft. Additionally, MVD does not offer services through phone solicitation. The only legitimate sources for MVD customer transactions are ServiceArizona.com, MVD offices, U.S. mail and Authorized Third Party offices.

MVD maintains a website for general inquires and frequently asked questions at azdot.gov/mvd.

PHOENIX – In a digital world there is still plenty of room for tradition, and the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is no exception.

Cash is king in many households, and the MVD is now making it possible for more customers to handle transactions that way by adding ServiceArizona kiosks that accept cash transactions to 22 MVD offices throughout Arizona.

Kiosks have been an MVD fixture for a number of years, but until recently they could only accept credit or debit cards. Offering the cash option has created another convenience that’s proving to be very popular with customers.

“There’s been a noticeable increase in kiosk usage since we implemented the cash option,” said MVD Director Eric Jorgensen. “Compared to a year ago at this time, the kiosk usage has increased more than 50 percent. Part of that is due to higher overall customer awareness of kiosks, but there’s been a definite uptick in usage since the cash kiosks were put in place. It’s a continuation of our vision to get people out of line and safely on the road.”

Cash kiosks handle all denominations of paper U.S. currency and are able to make exact change. The machines also accept personal checks.

More than half of MVD transactions can be performed at a kiosk or online at ServiceArizona.com for no additional fee. Among the many transactions available are: vehicle registration renewal, ordering a specialty license plate, getting a replacement license or ID, filing a sold notice and obtaining your motor vehicle record.

For more information go to azdot.gov/mvd.

PHOENIX – What difference can half an hour make? A huge one when it results in an 80 percent reduction in employee overtime.

The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division has seen major savings in those payroll costs since modifying the operating hours at its three Tucson-area offices. This change was brought about by MVD implementing Lean management techniques, part of the Arizona Management System, that empower employees to find ways to improve the customer experience.

In June 2016, Tucson MVD offices changed their opening time from 8 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. to better serve customers who arrive early and line up prior to the doors opening.

The earlier office opening time helps customers who want to get their business done early in the day and also allows management more flexibility when scheduling employees. Because of that flexibility, the number of employees available to serve customers is more consistent throughout the day and transactions are conducted more efficiently. That in turn results in fewer MVD staff working after closing time to finish various tasks, vastly reducing overtime costs. In the six months since making the change, overtime hours have dropped 80 percent when compared to the same time period a year ago.

“This is a great win for our customers, our employees and the taxpayers of Arizona,” said MVD Director Eric Jorgensen. “Because of the Lean management initiative championed by Governor Ducey, MVD is empowering its employees statewide to come up with ideas that provide a financial benefit as well as improved customer service.”

He added, “Tucson MVD employees now don’t stay late at work nearly as often, which means more time for themselves and their families. And our customers spend much less time at an office with overall wait times dropping by a statewide average of about 20 minutes. This is another way we’re getting people out of line and safely on the road.”

For more information on Tucson office locations visit: azdot.gov/mvd.

PHOENIX – One of the most common Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division transactions just got a bit easier with the addition of more Authorized Third Party providers permitted to offer driver license services including road testing, written testing and photos.

There are now 22 third-party providers, operating at 33 locations, authorized to offer these transactions. To do so, they must meet stringent qualifications set by MVD.

These services are provided at all MVD offices and require an in-person visit. Customers looking for convenience may wish to consider an Authorized Third Party.

“Partnering with Authorized Third Party providers is a very successful example of government and the private sector cooperating to offer outstanding customer service,” Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen said. “These offices are a convenient and popular supplement to MVD locations. Having more of them offering driver licenses is another great example of MVD getting people out of line and safely on the road.”

All Authorized Third Party providers must follow MVD guidelines and are monitored for compliance. Operators that offer driver license services have additional requirements, including having been a third-party provider for at least three years, conducting at least 1,000 transactions per month for one year, having an appropriate facility and meeting certain financial requirements.

With several more Authorized Third Party locations expected to open before the end of the year, information about which offices provide driver license services can be found at ServiceArizona.com or azdot.gov/mvd.

PHOENIX – A state law taking effect Jan. 1 waives some vehicle fees and taxes for survivors of military members killed in service to the United States.

The law removes the vehicle registration fee and the Vehicle License Tax for one vehicle registered to an eligible surviving spouse or dependent who’s a resident of Arizona. It applies to all types of vehicles ‒ including trailers ‒ and is renewable on an annual basis.

The benefit applies to a surviving spouse or dependent of anyone killed or who died of injuries sustained in the line of duty with any branch of the U.S. military, including the National Guard, Coast Guard and Reserves.

To confirm eligibility, the surviving family member must visit a Motor Vehicle Division or Authorized Third Party office and present a U.S. Department of Defense Form 1300 Report of Casualty. Customers will also need to fill out an MVD Survivor of Fallen Military Member Exemption form. This document will be available at azdot.gov/mvd close to the effective date of Jan. 1, 2017, when the exemption can be issued.

The exemption is not applicable to a spouse who re-marries. Dependents from age 18 to 23 must provide a school transcript or class schedule showing at least 12 hours of classes in order to remain eligible.