this timeframe. For WHMI News, I’m Michael Kruzman.
All of Michigan’s Secretary of State branches will be closing for an extended weekend later this month to update their systems. President’s Day weekend, the Michigan Department of State will be shutting down all Secretary of State offices and services to modernize its computer system to better serve customers. The Customer and Automotive Records System (CARS) will add new online options, improve existing online and kiosk options, and help staff more efficiently look up vehicle information and process transactions. CARS will update records in real time and is a replacement to the mainframe technology the department has been using that was built in the 1960s. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said this is the first step in implementing her 30-minute guarantee, which was one of the platforms she ran on last election cycle.

During the upgrade, branch offices, online services, and auto business transactions will be taken offline and be unavailable beginning at 5pm, Friday, February 15. They will re-open and go back on-line at 9am on Tuesday, February 19. Self-service kiosks are currently being taken offline in phases, with the Livingston County branch in Genoa Township going down at the end of the business day on February 14. All late fees for transactions with expiration dates between February 11and March 2 are being waived. For a few weeks following the launch, services may take longer as staff gets accustomed to the new system. Customers are being encouraged to use CARS e-services at www.ExpressSOS.com, or to complete their transactions outside of this timeframe. (MK)