Service Oklahoma to Begin Managing Tag Agencies Next Month
News 6 - December 14, 2022 6:05 am
Service Oklahoma, a new branch of the state Office of Management and Enterprise Services began operating driver’s license services last month and will begin managing tag agencies next year.
The Operator Board of SO met last week to discuss the contract for tag agencies, which is still being finalized.
Jay Doyle, the CEO of Service Oklahoma, said they don’t want Oklahomans to feel “any disruption in service on day one.”
“The same places they’ve really gone before, they can continue to go. From that point forward we’re going to work on improving those services.”
Service Oklahoma was formed through legislation passed earlier this year. The agency is taking over license services from the state Department of Public Safety and tag agency management from the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
“We’re trying to be more proactive,” Doyle said. “We’re trying to bring services to the citizen in the simplest, fastest way possible, easiest way possible.”
Tag agents have until the end of the year to be in “good standing” with the OTC prior to the Jan. 1 transition to Service Oklahoma.
Doyle said they expect all tag agencies to be able to make the transition. “I think our expectation is that all tag agents that want to be a part of service Oklahoma will have the ability to do that. We don’t anticipate a significant drop off in any way shape or form,” he said.
When asked how many of the 200+ tag agencies are not in compliance, an OTC spokesperson said they forwarded the question to Service Oklahoma. Doyle said he did not know how many agencies are not in good standing with the agency.
One tag agent in the Tulsa area, who wished to not be identified due to fear of retaliation, said she fears losing her ability to offer services because of her status with the OTC.
She claims that the OTC considers her agency out of compliance and that she disagrees.
It’s not clear if agencies not in compliance with the OTC when the transition occurs on Jan. 1 will lose their ability to offer services.
