A. Whenever this title or Title 58.1 provides that applications, certificates, fees, letters of credit, notices, penalties, records, reports, surety bonds, tariffs, taxes, time schedules, or any other documents or payments be filed or submitted to the Department in written form or otherwise, the Commissioner may, after providing 12-months' written notification to impacted applicants, licensees, or any other person or entity, require that all or certain applicants, licensees, or any other person or entity engaged in business with the Department, make such filings or submissions electronically in a format prescribed by the Commissioner. Any such requirement shall not apply to an individual application for a driver's license, commercial driver's license, special identification card, or the titling or registration of 12 or fewer vehicles during a period of one year. The Commissioner shall develop a method to ensure that the electronic filing is received and stored accurately and that it is readily available to satisfy the requirements of the statutes which call for a written document. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Commissioner may accept, in lieu of paper documents, a filing or submission made by electronic means for any document not required to be filed or submitted electronically pursuant to the provisions of this title or Title 58.1.

B. Whenever this title or Title 58.1 provides that a written certificate or other document is to be delivered to an owner, registrant, licensee, lien holder, or any other person or entity by the Department or the Commissioner, the Commissioner may provide the written certificate or other document by electronic means. The electronic document may consist of all of the information included in the paper certificate or document or it may be an abstract or listing of the information held in electronic form by the Department. Whenever a certificate or other document is provided by electronic means, the Department will not be required to produce a written certificate or document until requested to do so by the owner, registrant, licensee, lien holder, or other party.

C. The Commissioner is authorized to establish, where feasible and cost efficient, contracts with public-private partnerships with commercial operations to provide for simplification and streamlining of services to citizens through electronic means. Such electronic services shall include (i) an electronic lien and titling program, (ii) an online dealer program, and (iii) a print-on-demand license plate program.

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 46.2-208, to conduct customer-initiated transactions through electronic means the Commissioner may provide a customer's personal, driver, or vehicle information relating to the operation or theft of a motor vehicle or to public safety to the following entities: (i) lending institutions; (ii) motor vehicle dealers; or (iii) third-party vendors that enter into contracts with the Department. Pursuant to subsection A, the Commissioner may require such entities engaged in business with the Department to submit electronic filings using the third-party vendors that have contracts with the Department. Customer information obtained by such entities conducting customer-initiated transactions, including third-party vendors that enter into contracts with the Department, is subject to the restrictions upon use and dissemination imposed by (a) the federal Drivers Privacy Protection Act at 18 U.S.C. § 2721 et seq., (b) the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act (§ 2.2-3800 et seq.) and §§ 46.2-208 and 58.1-3, and (c) any rules, regulations, or guidelines adopted by the Department with regard to disclosure or dissemination of any information obtained from the Department.

2. The Department may impose a reasonable fee in accordance with fair market prices on such entities, including third-party vendors that enter into contracts with the Department, for customer-initiated transactions conducted through electronic means. Such fees shall be used to defray the costs of the transaction to the Department. Any transaction fees imposed and collected by the Department shall be paid into the state treasury and set aside as a special fund to be used to meet the expenses of the Department.

1991, c. 115; 2009, c. 419; 2018, c. 361.