Car safety check program causes confusion on forms

Question: When I had my car inspected this month, I received one piece of heavy paper (from which the new sticker was removed for placement on my bumper). I asked the attendant for the copy needed to accompany my motor vehicle registration renewal. He said the system had changed and multiple copies of the safety check are no longer issued. However, the city’s vehicle registration renewal form still calls for the current safety check form and it says, "Photocopy not acceptable. Temporary BLUE certificate is valid for 30 days after issuance." I didn’t receive a "temporary blue certificate." What is being referred to? I’m sure other people are confused, too.

Question: I received my vehicle registration reminder which states that I need to submit a validated safety check form. It also states "Photocopy not acceptable," but I was told by the safety inspector that the information was sent directly to the DMV at the time of inspection. I was also told that I should retain the original and send a copy of the certificate because they will not issue another original without the fee and the original should be kept in the vehicle. I looked for the answers to my questions online but was not successful. Can you please help?

Answer: There is confusion because the vehicle registration renewal form has not yet been updated and revised since the state Department of Transportation instituted a new electronic safety inspection program last November.

For now, if you are renewing by mail or in person and are required to submit proof of a safety inspection, you should:

» Submit a copy of the valid inspection form, if it is the certificate from the new electronic safety inspection program, with the renewal card and payment, or

» Submit the yellow copy if the old safety inspection form is still valid.

"The original safety inspection certificate must be kept with the vehicle," confirmed Sheri Kajiwara, director of the city Department of Customer Services.

She explained that under the new statewide Electronic Periodic Vehicle Inspection Reporting Program, most inspection information is now updated overnight.

"However, there are times when there is a mismatch and the inspection record must be manually updated," she said. "This may take an additional three to five days to research and update."

The old multicolor safety check form has been replaced with a single certificate.

As to the confusion: "The registration renewal reminder form has not yet been revised because of the transition phase that is occurring between the old existing safety inspection stickers and multicolor forms, and the new single form," Kajiwara said.

The instructions will be revised once the program has gone through a year’s worth of safety inspections, she said.

The good news for the long run: The new electronic program eliminates lost paperwork and minimizes the time delay and errors in updating safety inspection information that occurred with the old manual handwritten, data inputting system, she said.

Mahalo

To two angels who came to my rescue back in July at Master Cuts in Pearlridge. I fell while trying to sit on the chair and hurt my knee, shoulder and face. Alisa ran for ice packs to place on my injuries and her husband took his father out of his wheelchair so I could be wheeled to my car. They even offered to take me to the emergency room when my husband was reluctant to do so! I was definitely blessed that they were present that day. — Ululani

Mahalo

To a kind and alert angel. Recently, I came barreling up to the intersection of Wyllie and Liliha streets unaware of the red light because of a medical condition. Thank goodness for this akamai person in a white car, who stopped and possibly averted a potentially serious accident. Words cannot express my appreciation to this individual! — Grateful Senior Citizen

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