DPS-DVS Dealer Update

Minnesota Department of Public Safety sent this bulletin at 01/19/2022 10:36 AM CST

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Driver and Vehicle Services - A Division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety

January 19, 2022

DPS-DVS Dealer Update

What's in This Update

Vehicle Inspections
New Search Log
Important Data Practices Reminder
MNDRIVE Update – Title Marked for Export
New License Plates in 2022
Honorary Consul Plates
Previous News
Dealer Support/Questions

Vehicle Inspections

DPS-DVS temporarily deferred the following vehicle inspection services until further notice:

On-site VIN inspections for dealers in the seven county metro area.
On-site VIN inspection for salvage dealers with 10 or more vehicles.

DPS-DVS will notify you when normal services resume. You can schedule an appointment for a vehicle inspection at drive.mn.gov select schedule or reschedule a VIN inspection from the appointment panel. You can also schedule an inspection appointment by calling (651) 282-2173.

Reminder: Please remove all personal belongings from your vehicle before an inspection to protect your privacy. Any item left in the vehicle is subject to inspection. DPS-DVS assumes no responsibility for lost personal property.

New Search Log

Dealers using e-Services for Business will see a new function eliminating the need to manually record the reason for record searches. The new function requires the user enter the reason for a search before being able to access a record.

Important Data Practices Reminder

Minnesota Statutes, section 171.12, subdivision 1a strengthened the consequences for anyone who misuses the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services division (DPS-DVS) record information system. The law requires DPS-DVS to immediately and permanently revoke the authorization of any individual who entered, updated, accessed, shared or disseminated data in violation of state or federal law. Revocation includes access to the DPS-DVS record information system and electronic vehicle title and registration (EVTR) services.

Revocation applies to any user with access to the DPS-DVS record information system and EVTR not just state employees. Anyone who misuses access to the DPS-DVS record information system or EVTR will permanently lose their authorization to access DPS-DVS data, which includes access to EVTR.

There is no opportunity for an individual to regain access once it is terminated. The law requires access be revoked immediately and permanently. The law does not require a person be fired or reassigned. That is the decision of the employer. However, if a person will no longer be able to perform any part of their job requiring access the DPS-DVS record information system.

The law requires DPS-DVS to forward the matter to the appropriate prosecuting authority for prosecution.

MNDRIVE Update – Title Marked for Export

The FAST and MNDRIVE teams updated the required documents section in EVTR with a “marked for export” question.

Dealers need to answer the question “Is the title marked for export?” by selecting yes or no from the drop-down box.

Minnesota titles stamped EXPORT mean the customer purchased the vehicle through an auction for the sole purpose of taking the vehicle out of the country and need a title to take the vehicle through customs. The customer cannot renew the registration or sell the vehicle in the United States.

New License Plates in 2022

Minnesota law established Minnesota 100 Club license plates and Minnesota Agricultural license plates. Design of the new license plates is nearing completion. DPS-DVS is not accepting applications for these plates until the designs are finalized and approved.

Honorary Consul Plates

DPS-DVS is accepting applications from qualified individuals for honorary consul plates.

What you need to know:

Honorary consul plates can be displayed on passenger vehicles, noncommercial one-ton pickups, trucks, motorcycles and recreational vehicles owned by the honorary consul.
The applicant must be recognized as an honorary consular official appointed by their respective government to serve in Minnesota.
Required documents:

Letter from the Minnesota Consular Corps.
A signed honorary consul plate application. The application is available on the DPS-DVS website.

Fees

Plate fees: Single - $13.50, Double -$15.50.
Registration might be due if vehicle is new or up for renewal.
Sales tax is due on the purchase of the vehicle.
Plates are transferable. The $5 plate transfer fee is due.

Plate format: The International Olympic Committee three-letter country code for the represented country followed by a number. Example: Belgium would be BEL 1

Previous News

Dealer/Lienholder Reminder

Driver and Vehicle Services (DPS-DVS) received questions from dealers about the DPS-DVS system and if information from the system can be shared with third parties, including banks. Below is information about what can or cannot be shared. Please email dvs.dataservices@state.mn.us if you have any questions.

Motor vehicle dealerships’ access to e-Services for Business is limited to verification of personal information submitted by a customer for the purchase or sale of a motor vehicle, or to prevent fraud (under 18 United States Code, section 2721(b)(3a)(3b)). Access allows dealerships to enter a held for resale or other type of title notification flag (under 18 United States Code, section 2721(b)(1)). Minnesota Statutes do not allow dealerships to disclose the record information or DPS-DVS data to any third party including a lienholder or bank.

Lienholder Options

A lienholder can use one of the following three options to confirm a security interest on a motor vehicle title with DPS-DVS.

Option 1: The lienholder can call the DPS-DVS lienholder line at (651) 296-5436. DPS-DVS will verify up to three vehicle identification numbers per phone call.
Option 2: The lienholder can contact DPS-DVS Data Practices at dataservices@state.mn.us to set up a commercial account so the lienholder can login to e-Services for Business and verify its lienholder status on a record.
Option 3: The lienholder can submit a record request through the DPS-DVS Records Unit by following the instructions on the DVS Records Request form.

Truck and Trailers – Registration Display Restrictions

The following information applies to truck, trailer and concrete pumper registrations. (Minnesota Statutes, section 168.09, subdivisions 3b and c.)

Vehicles registered at 27,000 pounds gross weight or less cannot display 2023 registration stickers until Jan. 1, 2022.
Vehicles registered at more than 27,000 pounds gross weight cannot display 2023 registration stickers until Feb. 15, 2022.

We recommend dealers only issue the initial plates and registration that expires in Feb. 2022 and direct customer to renew their registration closer to February.

Deputy registrars do not need to process two transactions and issue two sets of registration stickers (2022 and 2023).
Customers do not run the risk of getting a ticket for displaying the 2023 tabs early or losing their tabs.

This topic will be covered during December training sessions.

EVTR Reminders

Prohibited Transactions: EVTR dealers should process the following applications as VTAP transactions in e-Services for Business instead of in EVTR.

Dealer Conditionals
Transfers into Trusts
Transfers that include Transfer on Death (TOD) Beneficiaries
Transfers to Impound Violators
Branded Vehicles (Salvage, Prior Salvage, Lemon Law, Flood etc)
Fleet vehicles
Out of State Driver Licenses
Plate requests for non-stocked plates
Plate Transfers for plates due for 7 year replacement

Lien Release Date: Please make sure you enter the lien release date directly from the lien release card, letter, form or the information on the out-of-state title. Use the title issued date as the lien release date when you have a clean out-of-state title with no lienholder information listed. Some deputy registrars have noticed dealers incorrectly using the date of the new vehicle purchase as the lien release date.

EVTR Paperwork and Fees: DPS-DVS expects dealers to follow Minnesota statutes and rules when submitting paperwork and fees. Please submit paperwork and fees within 10 business days to your deputy registrar partner for all EVTR transactions. EVTR transactions that are not approved delay the issuing of titles and create significant issues if the customer decides to apply for different plates or renew registration.

EVTR Corrections: Please email dvs.evtr@state.mn.us if you have questions or need assistance with EVTR corrections,

E-Services Updates

The FAST and MNDRIVE teams updated VTAP on Thursday night. The update allows dealers to complete a VTAP transaction for utility trailers that are not titled and do not have a VIN. This eliminates the need for deputy registrars to enter the transaction information into MNDRIVE.

Starting on Tue. Dec. 7, VTAP will generate a prepopulated lessee designation form with the application for title when a dealer selects that the vehicle is leased.

Printing a Dealer License

Viewing and printing a dealer license for the first time:

Click the Action Center tab (next to Summary) on top of your home screen in e-Services for Business.
Locate “Dealer License Certificate” under type.

Dealers need to do the following to reprint the license or view it again:

Click More on the tab menu
Click Letters
Locate “Dealer License Certificate” under type

MNDRIVE Access

Forms to request access to MNDRIVE and DPS-DVS data are available on the DPS-DVS website

Please complete the following forms:

Dealership Records Access Agreement. Dealers agree to MNDRIVE terms and conditions. Submit this document to DPS-DVS to request access for the company as a whole.
Dealership Individual Access Agreement. Each person who needs online access must complete the Individual Access Agreement. The dealer should retain a copy of this document at your office.
Dealership Security and Confidentiality of Data and Records. All staff are required to review this policy each January and sign the “DVS Data Access Attestation Statement,” 125-1000A. Your company should retain the signed policy at your office for audit purposes.

Reminders for Administrators adding and maintaining access:

The Administrator can be any one or two users at your business. This person is designated to contact Data Practices about business’ access.
Administrators are responsible for all areas of access for individual users.
Administrators must obtain a signed Individual Access Agreement prior to adding a new user to the system. Individual Access Agreements are retained at your office.
The Policy 125-1000 "Security and Confidentiality of Data and Records" must be completed annually by all active users in January (retained at your office).

The dealership must maintain a way to verify work-related searches. This record must be maintained for at least five years from the date of the search and must be presented to the DPS-DVS upon request.