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Missouri revenue director lays out dealer collection plan, timeline for DMV modernization
Summary
Department of Revenue told the budget committee it is implementing an integrated motor-vehicle and driver's-license system intended to let automobile dealers complete titling, registration and sales tax collection at point of sale; full dealer/dealer-assisted mobile purchases are expected after a new backend is in place (system target Dec. 2026; earliest mobile sales mid-2027).
Department of Revenue Director Trish Vincent told the House Budget Committee the agency is working to modernize motor-vehicle and driver services so dealers can complete titling and registration at the point of sale and — eventually — collect required sales tax at purchase.
"If you could go in and buy a car and get everything done at the dealer...I wanna take care of it all at the dealer," Vincent said, describing how the integrated motor vehicle and driver's license project is intended to improve customer service and reduce temporary-tag issues. She said the driver's-license modernization launched in November 2024 and the motor-vehicle portion (including titling and registration) is expected online in 2026–27, with dealer integration and electronic lien/release functionality phased in after the new central system is operational.
Members raised several concerns. Lawmakers representing buy-here-pay-here dealers warned that many small dealers sell financing "paper" repeatedly and said immediate point-of-sale tax collection would impose administrative costs and cash-flow burdens. Representative Steinmeier described dealers who resell or repossess vehicles multiple times and asked whether electronic refund and faster processing would mitigate that burden; department staff said an electronic refund process is planned and that staff will meet with dealers to work through specifics.
Other questions covered license office operations (contracted fee offices), closures caused by contract transitions, and whether counties’ property-tax data can be readily accessed by fee offices to validate payments. Director Vincent said the department will continue to work with license bureaus, dealers, the highway patrol and counties; she offered to follow up with members and meet with individual dealers to explore administrative fixes.
Next steps: DOR will continue vendor work on the integrated M/V system (agency target for the central system: December 2026) and will work with dealers and fee offices on business rules and refund processing; the department said consumer-facing dealer/phone purchase capability could be available in 2027 but would require additional operational and vendor decisions.
