LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Michigan’s experiment with digital license plates is officially coming to a halt. In early July, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson informed nearly 1,700 Michigan drivers that they will need to trade in their digital plates for traditional metal ones at their next registration renewal.
The termination of the state’s agreement with Reviver, the sole provider of digital license plates in Michigan, is set for August 10. This move halts the service just two years after its introduction, citing non-compliance issues by the California-based company.
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While the specifics of the alleged violations include offering unapproved designs and failing to verify registrations, Reviver’s founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Neville Boston, suggested to MLive that these were misunderstandings capable of being “rectified.”
However, despite Boston’s optimism about continuing the partnership, the Secretary of State’s office told MLive that no further agreements would be made.
“Over the past two years, the department provided the company with multiple opportunities to follow the law and the terms of their contract, but they failed to do so,” Secretary of State spokesperson Angela Benander said.
This development ends Michigan’s status as one of the few states to allow the sale and registration of digital license plates, a status it held alongside California and Arizona. Digital plates, which resemble regular ones but with a screen display, offer features like digital tags, in-app registration renewal, and theft notification capabilities.
Before the current termination, there were even plans to seek legislative approval for introducing customizable banners and themed plates, such as those for Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, according to MLive.
When asked by MLive about prorated refunds on the Reviver service plan, Boston assured that the company would “take care of everybody” and that customers would receive appropriate compensation.
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At this time, no other digital license plate providers have suggested operating within the state.
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