Mark Pollio Tribune Staff Writer ST. LUCIE COUNTY Consider this a reminder: If your birthday is coming up, its time to get your license plate renewed. A computer glitch in Tallahassee dropped an unknown number of addresses from a mailing list used to send out tag renewal notices. Numerous St. Lucie County drivers have found out the hard way. We receive the letters from Tallahassee and then we mail them out, said Bertha McCray, St. Lucie County motor vehicles supervisor in the Tax Collectors Office. In October of last year we changed computers and that is when the problem began. McCray said the notices are a courtesy, not an obligation, so drivers are responsible for getting license plates renewed on time. She said people have used not getting a notice as an excuse well before the computer glitch occurred. McCray said notices to new drivers often fall between the cracks. She said it often takes several months to register new drivers in the computer system. If their birthdays fall before they are entered into the system they will not receive a letter. Drivers have until the 10th of the month following their birthday to have license plates renewed without facing a late fee. McCray said late fees range from $5 to $250 depending on how late the renewal is and what type of vehicle is involved. If you get stopped by an officer, thats a different story, McCray said. St. Lucie County Sheriffs Office spokesman Mark Weinberg said traffic officers have not noticed an increase in expired license plates, but that doesnt mean people arent being caught. One Fort Pierce resident, who asked not to be identified, said his mothers caregiver was stopped in his mothers car for an expired tag. The man said the officer issued his mothers caregiver a warning. The man said he immediately went to the Motor Vehicles office. Although the license plate had expired in May, he said he was not charged a late fee. There are a lot of seniors who rely on these messages, he said. I was kind of surprised when it happened, but it is my responsibility. http://www.stluciecounty.com/news/planning/2000/06302000s2.htm

-- Doris (reaper1@mindspring.com), July 04, 2000