Gov. Gretchen Whitmer temporarily extended the expiration of various identification and vehicle-related documentation during the pandemic for the second time, the governor announced late last week.
The order extends the expiration of state identification cards, driver’s licenses, operator endorsements and vehicle registration to July 31. The documentation must be originally set to expire between February 1 and July 30 to fall under the extension.
“Nobody should have to stress about renewing their drivers license or state ID card, or worry about their auto insurance coverage during a global pandemic,” Whitmer said in a statement. “By extending this executive order, we’re lifting that burden off Michiganders’ shoulders so they can focus on staying home and staying safe.”
The order protects Michigan residents from penalties for driving on expired licenses or permits, Whitmer’s office said. The protections do not extend to drivers with suspended or revoked licenses or those whose diagnoses have changed or expanded since their last medical certificate was issued.
The order also requires that drivers complete driver’s license or vehicle registration renewals online “to their best of their ability.”
Friday’s order is a continuation of a previous order in mid-April that also extended the expiration of licenses and registrations. That order was originally set to end on June 30.
The Michigan Secretary of State temporarily laid off 900 workers and recently extended their lay-off for another week. Most of the workers who have been laid off work in branch offices, which are currently closed.
“This was an extremely difficult decision to make,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a statement. “But balancing the needs of the families impacted by these layoffs against the fiscal realities our state and department are now facing is not a responsibility I take lightly. We will continue working on a plan to reopen branches and get our employees back to work as soon as we are safely able.”
Many services are now being done online or at self-serve kiosks. Find a list of services able to be completed digitally here.
Read the full order here.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair. Email her at [email protected].
