MACON, Ga. — If you're getting ready to hit the road for Memorial Day weekend, there is something important you need to check that could save a lot of hassle.
Starting Thursday at noon, if your registration is expired, you will have to wait until after Memorial Day to get it renewed. That's why Bibb County is urging drivers to make sure their registration is up to date before the holiday weekend.
Often times, people are unaware of the shutdown of the vehicle registration and titling system.
"No sir, I was not aware of that," said David Morris.
Chances are you are like Morris.
"It's something my mind just told me to get up and just do," Morris said.
If your tag is expired like his, you better handle it before Thursday at noon, because the statewide system will be changing over to a new, updated computer system.
"Well it's a statewide migration," Tax Commissioner Samuel Wade McCord said. "The current computer system dates back to the 1980s. It's to the point where IBM, is no longer helping maintain those type servers."
Now they are switching to a state of the art system, but moving all that data means a shutdown of service.
"From May 21st to the 27th, the online service, which is the web renewal and our kiosk at the Tom Hill Senior Boulevard Kroger, will not be available," McCord said.
And this Friday, the office off of 3rd Street in downtown Macon will close.
"The 28th, Tuesday, right after Memorial Day, we are going to be packed," McCord said.
McCord is asking folks to pack their patience next week, as his employees reopen the office and learn the new system.
"That will be the first time we are actually entering live data into the system, so I do not know what to expect as far as processing times," McCord said.
McCord says your registration in your vehicle may look slightly different with the new system, but for the most part, everything will stay the same.
If you click here, you can find more information from the Bibb County Tax Commissioner's Office about how this service change will affect you.