Provisions will be made for customers who cannot come in themselves. However, in those cases, a temporary 30-day operating permit will be issued to allow the DMV additional time to verify whether the transaction is legitimate. In its announcements Tuesday, the DMV did not address several of its security problems that lead to subplating. For example, thieves typically seek a replacement or duplicate title at the same time they order plates. No reforms to halt the issuance of fraudulent titles were announced.
Thieves use both the plate and titles to disguise a hot car to unsuspecting buyers.
Also, auto-theft investigators say the DMV contracts with more than 800 private registration services that process much of this paperwork. Auto-theft detectives say security lapses occur there more often than at the DMV counter. However, none of the reforms so far deal with ways to correct that problem.