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HF 4100

Public safety commissioner debt collection authority provided, in-person pickup of physical items delivered following Driver and Vehicle Services online transactions, deputy registrar fee retention procedures modified, no-fee transaction reimbursement funding provided, and money appropriated.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bjorn Olson

DVS gains debt-collection authority, offers in-person pickup for online items, and reformulates deputy registrar/agent reimbursements and kiosk fees.

Introduction and first reading, referred to Transportation Finance and Policy
#appropriations #drivers'licenses #training #andidcards #publicsafetydepartment #transportationandtransportationdepartment
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HF 4100

Summary of HF 4100 (Minnesota 2025-2026)

HF 4100 proposes several changes to Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) operations, including debt collection authority, online-to-in-person item pickup, deputy registrar fee rules, no-fee transaction reimbursements, and related funding. The bill would amend multiple Minnesota Statutes and create new provisions to govern these areas.

1) Main purpose and intent

  • Expand DVS authority to collect outstanding debts and manage debt collection activities.
  • Provide consumers with an in-person pickup option for physical items delivered after online DVS transactions.
  • Modify how deputy registrars retain and are reimbursed for specific fees and no-fee transactions.
  • Establish funding and reimbursement pathways for no-fee transactions and debt collection efforts.
  • Create a new section on debt collection within DVS-related statutes and clarify responsibilities of deputy registrars and license agents.

2) Key provisions and changes

A. Debt collection authority (new and amended provisions)

  • Section 4 adds a new Subdivision 10 (Debt collection) under the DVS framework:
    • The commissioner must pursue reasonable, businesslike debt collection for DVS-related fees (including those in chapters 168, 168A, 168D, and section 171.26).
    • The commissioner may contract with debt collection services to collect money judgments or legal indebtedness.
    • Funds recovered (full or partial payments) go to the DVS operating account (as defined by §299A.705).
    • The commissioner bears the costs of contractual collection services; amounts needed for these costs are appropriated from the DVS operating account.
    • Deputy registrars and driver’s license agents are not responsible for debt collection or depositing funds to cover shortfalls; debt collection and DVS operating account administration are the sole responsibility of the commissioner.

B. In-person pickup for online transactions (new online transaction provision)

  • New Section [168.0136] Online Transactions; In-person Pickup:
    • For motor vehicle transactions that can be completed online and require delivery of physical items, the commissioner must offer customers the option to pick up the physical items in person at a local deputy registrar’s office of the customer’s choice.
    • Eligible online transactions listed include:
    • Changing license plates
    • Requesting duplicate registration card
    • Requesting duplicate license plates or stickers
    • Requesting or renewing a disability parking certificate
    • Renewing vehicle registration tabs
    • A deputy registrar may charge a handling fee for in-person pickup of the online-delivered items (specific dollar amount to be determined in the final text).

C. Deputy registrar reimbursements and no-fee transactions (fee changes and reimbursements)

  • Section 3 amends Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, §168.33, subd. 7a (Reimbursements):
    • Establishes a schedule of payments to deputy registrars for various transactions, including:
    • $2 for paying an account balance
    • $4 for several listed tasks (e.g., updating addresses, changes related to International Registration Plan (IRP) or International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA), processing a vehicle sold/donated/removed, marking a vehicle as junked)
    • $8 for certain transactions (e.g., changing a PIN, providing a duplicate title, managing IRP licenses, administrative review requests)
    • A variable amount equal to the subd. 7, para. (2) fee for specified veteran/disability-related transactions (e.g., renewals or plate changes for veterans with total service-connected disability, new titles for such veterans, etc.)
    • Excludes certain transactions from eligibility for reimbursement (e.g., other fee collections, voluntary waivers, ancillary to a transaction with a filing fee).
    • Replaces prior prorating language with an annual appropriation mechanism:
    • The amount necessary to make these payments is annually appropriated from the DVS operating account to the commissioner.

D. Deputy registrar fee retention during online transactions (fee handling)

  • Section 1 (168.0135, subdivision 3) is amended to:
    • Allow a self-service kiosk convenience fee of up to $5 (collected and retained by the vendor).
    • Apply filing fees from 168.33, subdivision 7 to kiosk transactions; the deputy registrar must retain the filing fees and not disburse remaining funds until those filing fee amounts are deposited into the deputy registrar’s account.
    • Fees filed in this section are in addition to any transaction or card processing fees charged by financial institutions.

E. Reimbursements for driver and vehicle services operations (driver’s license agents)

  • Section 5 ( Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, §171.061, subd. 4a - Reimbursements) partially mirrors the deputy registrar reimbursement framework for driver’s license agents:
    • Sets specific payment amounts for various agent transactions (similar structure to §168.33 subd. 7a), including:
    • $2 for paying an account balance
    • $4 for several listed tasks (e.g., correcting credentials for certain veteran/homeless categories)
    • $8 for PIN changes and mail-in application photo renewals
    • An amount equal to the corresponding filing fee for qualifying veteran/disability-related transactions
    • Excludes certain transactions from eligibility for reimbursement (same types of exclusions as deputy registrars)
    • Annual appropriation from the DVS operating account to cover these payments

3) Affected parties and entities

  • Primary Affected Entities:

    • Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) and the Commissioner of Public Safety
    • Deputy registrars (county or private entities authorized to process vehicle-related transactions)
    • Driver’s license agents (appointed under §171.061)
    • Motor vehicle owners and applicants conducting online transactions (with in-person pickup option)

  • Financial Implications:

    • Establishes or adjusts reimbursement payments to deputies registrars and driver’s license agents for specific transactions.
    • Provides for debt-collection costs to be funded from the DVS operating account.
    • Creates a framework for handling no-fee transaction reimbursements via annual appropriations.

4) Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective/Implementation:
    • The bill references 2024 and 2025 statutory sections with amendments and adds new subsections; implementation would follow passage, with the commissioner implementing online in-person pickup and debt collection authority as operational changes.
  • Administrative mechanics:
    • The commissioner would oversee debt collection efforts, including potential contracting with external collection services.
    • Reimbursements to registrars and agents would be funded via annual appropriations from the DVS operating account, rather than prorated shortfalls.
    • Self-service kiosks may levy a $5 maximum convenience fee, with the deputy registrar handling and accounting for filing fees.

5) Note on interpretation

  • Some numeric details (e.g., the exact handling fee amount for in-person pickup under Section 2) are left as placeholders in the bill’s text (indicated as a proposed dollar amount). The final enacted bill would specify these figures.
  • The bill’s overall aim is to modernize DVS operations, improve debt collection revenue, offer flexible pickup options for online transactions, and clarify fee-recovery and reimbursement structures for local offices.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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