Puerto Rico to require electronic alerts for vehicle tag renewals
Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón has signed into law a measure requiring electronic notifications to alert vehicle owners of upcoming registration expirations.
The legislation, House Bill 491, amends the Puerto Rico Vehicle and Transit Act to mandate that the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTOP in Spanish) notify drivers at least twice before their tag expires — once 31 days in advance and again seven days prior.
Notifications must be delivered via at least two of the following channels: the Drivers Service Center (Cesco, in Spanish) digital application, email or text message. The messages will be sent using the contact information listed in DTOP’s official records.
The law aims to address a rise in violations tied to expired registrations, an issue linked to the island’s recent transition to digital tags. Unlike physical tags, which offered a visible reminder of expiration dates, the digital format has made it easier for drivers to forget renewal deadlines, lawmakers said.
“The digital tag, while practical, requires greater effort from citizens to remember expiration dates,” the bill reads. “This has led to increased forgetfulness among drivers, which in turn creates enforcement issues for authorities.”
The measure was introduced by New Progressive Party Rep. José “Cheito” Hernández and co-authored by Rep. Yashira Lebrón, also of the New Progressive Party, and Rep. Sol Higgins of the Popular Democratic Party.
The law stipulates that the annual fee for the notification service be paid in advance. If a vehicle has fewer than six months remaining until its next renewal at the time of payment, the fee will be prorated, with partial months counted as full. Once payment is received, the collector will issue a permit form signed by the collector, along with license plates if applicable.
The law takes effect immediately. However, DTOP has 90 days from the date of enactment to implement the necessary programming and system updates to launch the service.
