New bill would allow N.J. drivers to show proof of vehicle registration on their smartphones
A New Jersey Assembly committee voted Monday to support a bill that would allow drivers to confirm that their vehicles are registered with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) by displaying their registrations on smartphones or tablets instead of having to produce paper registrations.
The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee on Monday approved proposed legislation that would allow drivers to display electronic proof of vehicle registration when asked to provide it by law enforcement. Under current law, a driver is only allowed to provide a registration certificate in the traditional paper form.
The bill, A-3533, sponsored by Assemblyman Dan Benson (D-Mercer, Middlesex), also would allow the Motor Vehicle Commission to provide an electronic copy of vehicle registrations to drivers when they renew their registrations. The electronic copy from the Motor Vehicle Commission or a picture of the registration on an electronic device would qualify as proof of registration.
“Rather than fumbling through a glove box, it’s often faster and more convenient for drivers to pull up vehicle registration documents on a smartphone or tablet,” Benson said in a written statement about the bill. “Allowing drivers the flexibility to show proof of registration electronically will streamline the process for motorists and law enforcement alike.”
A similar bill introduced in 2019 and approved by the Assembly never became law. Electronic proof of vehicle registration is allowed in Tennessee and Michigan.
Showing proof of auto insurance in New Jersey with a paper card or via a smartphone or other mobile device has been allowed since 2015 under a measure signed by former Gov. Chris Christie.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
This is an improvement over the status quo, but in most cases, no one should have to produce proof of registration. The police officer can check if the car is registered automatically through the state/national system. Asking a motorist to produce the registration is just an excuse, in almost all cases, to find another reason to ticket or arrest someone.
Seriously. It’s a trap, anyway. Like I’m unlocking my phone and handing it to a cop. Yeah, no.
Next it’ll be “New Jersey residents may now display their registration to police officers by affixing it to an item of contraband and waving it out the window of their vehicle.” What a convenience.