Greetings, friends. We hope this day in early April finds you happy, healthy, and loving all things automotive. For those of you just stumbling upon the eTags blog, welcome to this space! Here’s where we delve into pertinent topics like tags and titles, rules and regulations, and breaking news and trends. And for those of you returning to visit with us again, welcome back! We’re happy to have everyone with us for this ride.
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Today we are going to answer an important question that pops up in the state of Florida. You see, even though most processes we facilitate for you quickly and easily online are just that – quick and easy – there are always variables to consider. So while the transaction itself may be very straightforward, when you consider other factors, questions inevitably arise.
So, what in the world are we talking about here? Let’s begin with the frequently asked question of the day, and then we will dive into the answer and all its possibilities. Ready? Here we go…
My Florida registration order was automatically canceled…what’s going on?
Okay, so let’s break this down. If you placed a registration order with eTags online, occasionally these orders can be subject to automatic cancelation. This, as the word implies, is something that we do not decide ourselves. Rather, the cancelation is done due to external causes, and is determined by the folks who have the last word on all things tag and title related: the DMV. (Or in Florida, the FLHSMV.) 
Here a few factors that could trigger an automatic cancelation.
- Unpaid Tolls. If your vehicle has gone through a toll road and the fee was not paid, after some time, the toll agencies will place a hold on your account, barring you from actions such as registration renewal. Agencies such as SunPass, Toll-by-Plate, or EZPass will then free up your vehicle for any registration actions within 24-72 hours of the fees being paid. You will need to settle your payment with the corresponding agency before we are allowed to proceed with your registration transaction.
- Unpaid Parking Tickets and/or Driver’s License Issues. If you happen to be holding onto unpaid parking or traffic citations, there’s a good chance you will not be able to renew your registration. The same holds true for driver’s license suspensions. Any ticket or suspension must be seen to and resolved with the appropriate agency (like the Clerk of Courts or any out-of-state DMV) that issued it. Once the fees have been paid or suspension time has been met, that agency will then release the hold on your account within 24-72 hours and we can then proceed with your registration order.
- License Plate Matters. The two most common reasons for license plate issues are as follows:
- The tag number you entered while placing your order had a mistake in it, therefore was not recognized by the DMV’s database. If you believe this is the case, you can make a new order, this time carefully entering the letters and numbers to match what is on your tag.
- The tag numbers were entered correctly, but the plate is not attached to the vehicle. What this means is that the last update or change done to your registration caused the tag to become digitally detached, or unassociated, from your vehicle. In this case, you will need to resolve this issue with your county Tax Collector before we are permitted to carry on with your registration transaction.
- Attempting Renewal Outside Renewal Period. Very simply, the DMV does not allow renewals to be issued outside of the 90-day renewal period. You must be within this time frame in order for the renewal to go through. If you find yourself not in this window and your order is canceled, you may be asked instead if you are seeking a registration replacement rather than a renewal.
- Insurance Problems. Automatic cancelations due to insurance issues happen when your insurance details cannot be electronically verified by the DMV. This can occur in several instances:
- You may have forgotten to enter your insurance information when placing your order. This lack of info will affect immediate cancelation since insurance is a prerequisite for registration.
- The information you entered had an error in it. If this is the case, you can place a new order, carefully providing the correct information.
- There may be a lapse in automotive insurance. You cannot drive legally without insurance, so you must obtain valid Florida insurance before attempting to register or renew your registration.
- Occasionally there will be a misstep between your insurance company and the DMV which precludes the information being shared electronically. If this is the case, you will need to contact your insurance and ensure that they are making the DMV aware of your policy and coverage.
- Payment Issues. A few common themes involving payment issues are:
- The information that was entered at the time your order was placed may have been incorrect and not in line with what the DMV has in their database. Higher fees may result from this discrepancy, meaning that the actual charge will be higher than the initial authorization amount.
- If for some reason your bank or credit card has been declined, or if a fraud alert appears, a cancelation can occur.
And there you have the most common reasons for order cancelation in the state of Florida. If your order falls under any of these categories, rest easy that they are generally resolved quickly and without much fuss. Once you have settled whatever caused your cancelation, you can contact our customer service for the next step. In some cases, we can reopen your closed order and simply proceed with your transaction. In other instances, you may be asked to place a new order – with our help, if need be.
We’ve got a superb Customer Support Team that is dedicated to assisting with whatever issues arise in the state of Florida. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us any time from Monday through Friday, from 9 AM to 5 PM EST. Because as always, at eTags, we’re here to help!
