I Mailed In My Check For Car License Plate Renewal - It Was Cashed - And Now They Claim They Never Received Payment (Tamiami: car registration)

[wondermint2]

I mailed in a check to the Sarasota County Tax Collector on January 11th in the amount of $57.65 made payable to: "Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates" (to renew the license plate on my car). According to my bank that check was payed on January 18th. I never received my tags in the mail and today I called over there to the Sarasota County tax collector office and they are insisting they never received my payment. I hope that this is just a dumb clerical error. How could this happen? My tags expired in January so I don't think it fair if they try to tack on a late penalty. Tomorrow I will go to my bank (Suntrst Bank) and get a photocopy of the cashed check. Then I will take that over to the tax collector's office in person to get this straightened out. Hopefully that should do the trick and they will cooperate once I present my evidence? Could the tax collector of cashed my check in her 'personal' account? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[jnanner]

just head over with the cancelled check in hand. they probably made an error. i'm sure they arent trying to take you for $57. it will get fixed, i'm sure. good luck. also, since it's most likely their error make sure they waive any late fees and get you your new tags on the double!

[Old Man Winter]

Thank you for your donation. The department will benefit from your generosity, but please remit payment for your late tag fees....

[wondermint2]

I was searching online about what tax collector offices do if a person claims they paid with a check and bank records indicate it was cashed - however it is not showing up in their (the tax collector's records). I didn't find anything specifically about Sarasota County - but in another city (that I read about online) it is not as simple as waltzing in their office and showing them the cashed check and expecting everything to be immediately resolved on the spot. In said city they require a written request along with the photocopy of the front and back of the cashed check - THEN THEY SUBSEQUENTLY TURN IT OVER TO THEIR RESEARCH DEPARTMENT for verification. Sigh....... So if this is how Sarasota does it also (would seem likely) then what I am I supposed to do without license tags on my car in the meantime? It kind of looks like I'll have to fork over another $57 payment AGAIN TOMORROW just so I can have tags in the meantime (while their "research staff" looks into this)? And since apparently they don't take the photocopy of the cashed check as proof until they research it - then it seems likely they might tell me if I want tags tomorrow that I have to pay the late fee now too. Probably under the premise that once their research staff verifies that indeed they did cash my check on January 18th - then at a later date they will refund my late fee along with my extra duplicate payment for my tags? And God only knows how long this "research might take and if they'll get it botched up again. Bunch of bungling idiots.........

[mr&mrssunshine]

it amazes me how these people get away with it. we currently have a Govt entity telling us we are not registered for something on their system.despite a cashed check AND a form from them with their reference number whoch THEY issued !!!!!!!!!! then you get the rudest person on the other end of the phone saying 'i am too busy to look'................................

[gettinoutofjersey]

might i suggest that next time you do it online. no need to talk to anyone there, although everyone at the venice office i have had contact with has been very courteous. just got my son his learners permit, nice guy. got our tags and license when we moved down, girl was real nice. want a real experience with butt holes, go deal with nj dmv. they have an exclusive on arrogance. now back on subject, if you do it online then you use your credit card and have the credit card company to assist in getting to the bottom of the problem.

[1coolcustomer]

Sorry about your luck there but in the future I'd just go to the tax collector's office and pay with cash, it goes susprisingly quick in the 2 county offices I've been to, in and out in about 15-20 minutes and some things like vehicle registration , you have to take the car there anyhow so they can come out and read the VIN #.

I pay my property taxes, car tags, etc, right there with cash and get a receipt on spot.

[wondermint2]

Well I have good news to report today. I went to the tax collector office in Venice (because I live in Nokomis now) - it's the one on 4000 South Tamiami Trail in the Anderson building. I showed them the photocopy copy of my cashed check and they were stumped at first. So they did a bit of investigation on the phone and computer while I waited there - and they were able to verify that they had indeed cashed my check. They still aren't sure what happened but they just went ahead and gave me new license tag. No late fees. I was only there for about 20 minutes. I was very pleased with this tax collector office - they seemed courteous and professional. I'm from St. Louis, MO and while I never had any problems with my car registration while I lived in St. Louis - the driver's license offices in St. Louis are not as nice as Sarasota/Venice and the lines are much longer and slower in St. Louis.

[Old Man Winter]

Im glad it turned out well for you . That office in Venice is actually very good so I am not surprised it was rectified. I had an issue a few years ago where I missed my license renewal, I drove around for 2 full years on an expired license . While they could do nothing to waive the penalty, they were very timely with getting it all back in order for me. So check those expiration dates on your license !!

[jnanner]

see that, you did all that stressing for nothing. glad it worked out.