Secretary Benson Advocates for Legislation Facilitating Electronic Transfer of Vehicle Titles
LANSING, Mich. – On October 3, 2023, Michigan’s Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson testified before the Senate Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, lending her support to Senate Bill 533 (SB 533) that envisages the electronic transfer of vehicle titles. This legislation is geared towards further modernizing the Michigan Department of State (MDOS) by digitizing the process of title transfers, offering a quicker, more convenient alternative to Michiganders.
Addressing the committee, Secretary Benson iterated her commitment to enhancing service delivery by expanding digital options. “Since taking office as Secretary of State, I have made it a priority to provide residents with convenient options that allow them to complete their transactions without needing to visit a branch office,” Benson remarked. She further added that the enactment of SB 533 would mark a significant stride towards achieving this objective by expediting the process of transferring vehicle titles online.
Upon its passage, SB 533 would empower the MDOS to establish a robust electronic platform, facilitating interactions between private buyers and sellers, thus eliminating the necessity of branch visits. In addition to enabling online transactions, the bill proposes the issuance of electronic titles as opposed to the current paper titles, drawing parallels with the Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) system already in use.
In March 2021, Michigan had aligned itself with over a dozen states, transitioning to the electronic exchange of lien and title information during vehicle purchases involving financing, enhancing both the security and efficiency of transactions. This initiative has already demonstrated substantial benefits. During the last fiscal year ending on Sept. 30, staff across Secretary of State offices statewide processed in excess of 930,000 private party title transfers.
The testimony also highlighted other notable advancements under Secretary Benson’s leadership since January 2019. The MDOS has doubled the tally of services available online, tripled the services accessible at self-service stations—now available in multiple languages—and escalated the proportion of transactions completed outside office premises from 28% to a whopping 60%.
Benson underscored the positive impact of these developments on customer service, citing a significant uptick in satisfaction rates. “By letting people conduct their business with our department outside of the branch, we have eliminated hours-long waits,” she noted. Reflecting this sentiment, the Google review rating for Secretary of State services has seen a remarkable improvement, soaring from an average of 2.5 to over 4 stars.
SB 533 is viewed as a pivotal legislation that stands to further refine the vehicle title transfer process, aligning Michigan with modern, digital-centric systems, and significantly enhancing the convenience for the residents. The testimonies and discussions around this bill underscore the broader objective of leveraging technology to foster a more efficient, user-friendly interaction between the residents and the state’s administrative services.