Barren County clerk’s office to ‘pause motor vehicle related services’ for system transition next month

By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1

During the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Barren County Fiscal Court, Helena Chase Birdwell, the county clerk, announced to the seven magistrates, and all those present, the upcoming “pause” to motor vehicle related services scheduled from Dec. 29 until Jan. 9.

The pause is due to the Commonwealth of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and the Commonwealth Office of Technology, installing a new vehicle title and registration system — named the Kentucky Automated Vehicle Information System, or KAVIS — to replace the current AVIS system that has been in place since 1976 that will “be killed” at the end of the year. This installation is not only affecting the Barren County Clerk’s Office but all the county clerk offices throughout the 120 counties in Kentucky.

“A statewide break of services is necessary to allow for an optimal transfer of more than 350 million records,” the release states.

According to the transportation cabinet’s release, the services that will be unavailable during the migration include vehicle and boat registration renewals, vehicle and boat titling and transfers, disabled parking permit issuance and license plate issuance.

“This has been something that has been talked about for many years but our 40+ year old system is going to be changing over to the new system,” Birdwell said. “This is something the state has been talking about doing for a while…they’re doing it now.”

In light of this news, Birdwell provided details as to how the Barren County Clerk’s Office would handle the pause in services. The release states online vehicle registration renewal will become unavailable beginning Dec. 28 but Birdwell said the office would remain open until the following day.

“We are going to be open for motor vehicle services until the very last moment,” Birdwell said. “I talked with Judge Byrd and the sheriff and they are willing to allow us to be open until the 29 that way we can serve the people of Barren County.”

Motor vehicle related services, according to the release, is scheduled to be restored on Jan. 8; at which time certain test counties will resume services under the new system. For Barren County, Birdwell said, such services would resume Jan. 9. Birdwell said people should be prepared for the learning curve as clerk office employees train on the new system during the first week of January.

“We will not be able to process any motor vehicle transactions in Barren County until Jan. 9,” Birdwell said. ““Expect long lines. The new system is going to be a little slower. I think it’ll be more user-friendly for employees but it’s going to be a process.”

Birdwell said, and the sentiment is echoed in the release, to go ahead and renew vehicle registration if it is due for renewal in December as online renewal will be unavailable as well during that time.

“If you know someone whose tags are due in December please encourage them to come in and do so as soon as possible,” Birdwell said. “I have not gotten any kind of notification that they’re going to waive penalties and interest for past due tags when we do open back up.”

“We’re hopeful this all goes well,” Birdwell added in conclusion.

This pause will not affect licence issuing at regional offices nor will it inhibit “other services that rely on the Legal Records and Professional License departments…since they don’t use the system that will be replaced.”