Secretary Johnson Gives Website Warning

Don’t confuse DMV-themed websites with official Michigan.gov site

LANSING, Mich. – Secretary of State Ruth Johnson today warned Michigan residents about paying for online Secretary of State services without first checking that the website they’re using is the official Michigan.gov site.

Secretary of State staff are receiving more and more complaints from customers who believed they visited a Secretary of State website to complete a transaction and paid a fee, only to later find that the fee did not go to the state, and they did not get the services they needed.

Unfortunately, these customers used an online search engine that directed them to sites not affiliated with the state of Michigan when they were looking for driver’s license and vehicle license plate renewal options or other Secretary of State services. These sites misleadingly charge for services or information that are normally available at no cost on the official department website.

“People should examine the site they’re on closely before agreeing to pay,” Johnson said. “Double-check the Web address to make sure it’s an official state of Michigan site before you pay for services that might be free. Don’t fall for misleading sites.”