The 2019 Legislative sessions in Florida and Georgia brought substantial change to tow and wrecker operators in those states. But Auto Data Direct has the industry covered when it comes to meeting new state regulations!
Florida Change Requires Third Party for Notification
In Florida, the notification process is changing. Effective January 1, 2020, all towing companies, title companies who process tow liens, mechanic shops, and body shops are required to send their notification letters for sale or lien through an approved third-party service. Additionally, the third party will be required to set up and maintain a publicly available website that allows owners, registrants, lienholders, and insurance companies to search for notices. If your company is an Auto Data Direct (ADD) customer and already processes letters through its DirectPost-Office (DPO) product, your business is all set. ADD has provided a high-quality, third-party notification system recognized by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) since 2003!
Overhaul of Georgia’s Tow Statute
Georgia’s new law, which became effective September 1, 2019, resulted in a major overhaul to the towing statute. Tow companies must send the notification letter developed by the Council of Magistrate Court Judges by certified mail or hand delivery. There are also changes in the timeframe during which letters must be sent. Georgia tow and wrecker operators currently using ADD’s DPO service are ahead of the game! ADD modifies its system and letters to meet new requirements as they are implemented by the state, and its Georgia letter tools are ready and available to the industry.
Another big benefit for Georgia tow/wrecker companies utilizing ADD’s suite of tools comes with the recognition of its DMV123 owner/lienholder records and ADD as the department’s authorized vendor for motor vehicle records. For details on Georgia’s statute changes and information on ADD’s designation as an agent for records, visit dor.georgia.gov/abandoned-vehicles.
ADD’s Suite of Tools Is a Tow Operator’s Best Friend!
For those who aren’t familiar with ADD’s DirectPost-Office (DPO) certified mail product, it was launched in 2003 to provide Florida towing companies an easier way to send notification letters to owners, lienholders and insurers by creating certified mail and inserting the letters into the USPS mail stream electronically. Since then, DPO has expanded its letter services for towing operators in Texas, Alabama, Connecticut, Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Tennessee. DPO is a tow operator’s best friend. It combines letter creation with state record searches to complete forms and send certified letters through the United States Postal Service without an aggravating trip to the post office! As notification requirements change, as has occurred in Florida and Georgia, ADD modifies it letters and processes specific to a state to meet the needs of its customers.
As a compliment to DPO, ADD’s multi-state real-time motor vehicle records save time, money, and frustration when it comes to getting notification letters out in a timely manner. Coined DMV123, ADD’s most sought after service allows its customers who qualify under the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) to search through its secure system using a VIN and immediately retrieve the most current record available from a jurisdiction, in real time. As already mentioned, Georgia has designated ADD’s records as the official agent for records.
Using ADD’s National Title Pointer helps narrow down the search when the state of origin isn’t easily identified. The Title Pointer uses data available in the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) to find the most recent state of title. Once identified, ADD’s customers can search the real-time database if that state is available or send a good faith letter directly from their ADD account to the appropriate jurisdiction.
Once a vehicle is towed, and the record is accessed, DPO allows the data to be merged into the appropriate form, saving keystrokes and ensuring accuracy. Once the letter is electronically submitted to the mail stream, DPO allows for tracking the certified letter every step of the way providing details on when the letter(s) was received, or if it was undeliverable. The DPO archive provided in an ADD account gives tow operators documented proof that notification requirements were followed if a question arises about whether the appropriate actions were taken to find the owner/lienholder prior to holding an auction.
For tow/wrecker operators who need to report junk or salvage vehicles to NMVTIS, ADD provides a solution from the same web-based account. Any entity that deals in more than five junk and salvage vehicles per year must provide specific vehicle information to the national database on at least a monthly basis. NMVTIS reporting applies to any vehicle a company parts out or crushes, or any vehicle for which a salvage certificate, a certificate of destruction, or similar document is obtained. If a business has the right to sell or re-title, rebuild, restore or crush the vehicle, and it is a junk or salvage vehicle under the federal definition, it must be reported to NMVTIS.
ADD’s NMVTIS upload tools are designed to help businesses fulfill the reporting requirement quickly and easily. Two account types are available to suit any size business or upload volume. Full-service accounts include individual vehicle entry, batch vehicle entry using a spreadsheet and business-to-business processing which can be arranged with the customer’s IT staff, all for a low per-report fee. Basic-service accounts include no-cost individual entry and emailed confirmation receipts.
Learn More About ADD and Get Started Today!
ADD provides innovative tools every step of the way for tow operators focused on ensuring their business processes are efficient, accurate, and cost-effective, all backed by the friendliest, most knowledgeable customer service in the industry.
If your company already has an ADD account but is not using DPO, just click the orange DirectPost-Office icon in My Apps to begin processing your notification letters. If you are new to ADD, click on the sign-up button on its home page to take advantage of these valuable business tools.
For more information on scheduled training classes and webinars, or to speak with one of our friendly and knowledgeable customer service representatives, call 850-877- 8804 or email info@add123.com.
