HARRISBURG, Pa. — PennDOT says a system outage on Sept. 29 and a payment processor blocking older web browsers caused errors that prevented some drivers from renewing vehicle registrations online.
The department gave the explanation Thursday, answering questions Lehigh Daily sent after reporting on the errors Oct. 5. Its answer does not say how many drivers were affected or what those whose registrations have expired should do.
The “Data Validation Error” message drivers shared online came from an outage that began around 4 p.m. Sept. 29, PennDOT press officer Leanne Trindel said in an email. Service was restored around 8:25 p.m., nearly 4½ hours later.
She said something else caused the blank payment pages.
“The payment processor recently blocked some older browsers for security reasons that customers may have been using to complete their online services transactions,” Trindel said.
PennDOT made changes as of Tuesday to reduce those cases, she said. She did not say when the block began, which browsers were blocked or which company processes the payments.
Most drivers renew online: 58% of registration renewals last year, according to PennDOT.
On Thursday, PennDOT posted on Facebook that some online driver and vehicle services were unavailable, then updated the post to say they were back. The post gives no times or cause. PennDOT’s online services page now also says some customers may have to try logging in more than once.
Some drivers described longer trouble. The driver whose Sept. 29 Reddit post drew about 100 comments wrote that PennDOT phone staff said the department had been working on the problem for about two weeks. A commenter described a blank payment page that had been up for more than a month. PennDOT’s answer did not address either account.
What drivers can do
If checkout fails: Try a different or more up-to-date browser, Trindel said.
If you were charged: Drivers charged for a renewal that didn’t go through can request a refund using Form MV-700, Trindel said, calling that outcome unlikely. The form asks for proof of payment and can be emailed or mailed to PennDOT.
Other ways to renew: Trindel listed three. Online messengers are private businesses that PennDOT contracts to handle in-person renewals. They charge their own service fee on top of the state fee and can often hand over the registration on the spot, PennDOT’s website says. Renewals can be mailed with the renewal coupon or a form from PennDOT’s website. Drivers can also renew in person at PennDOT’s Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg.
That office and PennDOT’s call center are closed through Monday for the Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day holiday.
If your registration has expired, the Vehicle Code has no grace period. The fine for driving an unregistered passenger car is $96.