From the Tampa Bay Reporter http://www.tbreporter.com/government/renew-registration-online-service-fee-pinellas/
The elimination of the fee for certain transactions is part of an overall upgrade of the Pinellas County Tax Collector’s online system.
PINELLAS COUNTY – The Pinellas County Tax Collector’s Office has upgraded its online system where car and boat owners renew registrations.
The upgrade is an effort to offer more convenient and cost effective services. That’s a problem that tax collectors across Florida are dealing with as demand – and lines – increase for a laundry list of services from driver licenses and motor vehicle services to property tax collection and distribution.
Starting today (March 19), the Pinellas tax collector’s office is offering residents a way to renew their boat and auto tag registrations online by eCheck with no additional service fees. The checking account must be connected to a U.S. financial institution.
This latest service enhancement also includes a new registration renewal website streamlined for a user-friendly experience and an easier record retrieval process. In addition to eCheck, major credit cards, including VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, are accepted with a $2.95 bank card user fee per renewal. The tax collector’s office does not receive any part of this fee.
There are about 1.9 million vehicles and boats registered in Pinellas – the equivalent of two per person living in the county.
“If you’ve never renewed your tag online, or you found the old system difficult to use, I encourage you to give the new version a try the next time you’re due to renew,” Tax Collector Charles W. Thomas said. “By offering eChecks at no extra cost, we are passing along the savings to our residents.”
Online renewals are processed locally at the Pinellas County Tax Collector’s Office, typically arriving in the mail within just a few days.
To renew registrations online, go to taxcollect.com.