Due To COVID-19 Restrictions Erie County Essential Workers Can Make Request Online 

Erie County, NY – Erie County Clerk Michael P. Kearns announced that Erie County residents performing frontline and essential work can make an online request to register their vehicles or transfer license plates through the County Clerk’s website to make sure they have transportation to work.

“Due to the Governor’s Executive Order that closed all county and state offices to the public in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19, it immediately ceased our Auto Bureau operations and left many motorists without viable options,” stated Kearns. “Knowing that registering a vehicle can be a complex transaction, we feel we have devised a better way for our front line and essential customers to complete this vital transaction.”

The “emergency curbside” process will require a few unique steps. First, residents of Erie County that believe they qualify will need to complete an online request form at www.erie.gov/clerk/EmergencyOps.

An Auto Bureau representative will call qualified customers and review the transaction explaining the process in detail, outlining exactly what forms, documents and acceptable payment options are required in order to conduct the transaction.  

The qualified customer will again be contacted to schedule the “curbside” service with the date and time, and office location to drop off their paperwork packet to complete the transaction all while staying in a vehicle.

“In order to limit the spread of COVID-19 and person to person contact, I feel this is the best and safest way to assist our essential workers.” added Kearns. “These are unprecedented times. We are in the service industry and we needed to create an option to help frontline workers who are without any transportation to get their vehicles on the road sooner than later.”

Erie County Clerk Kearns also wants to make motorists aware that this emergency service does not include renewal transactions. Pursuant to Clerk Kearns request, expirations for all driver licenses, non-driver identifications, registration renewals, and inspections have been extended until further notice by the Governor through Executive Order. Also, those looking to upgrade their license or non-driver ID to meet the REAL ID requirements, that date has been extended by one year and is now October 1, 2021.

For additional information and operational updates on the Erie County Auto Bureau visit www.erie.gov/clerk/autobureau.

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