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Due to scheduled system maintenance, all ticket-related DMV services including ticket payments will be unavailable between 1:00am and 6:00am on Sunday, December 7. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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What to Do if Your Vehicle Was Stolen in DC

The DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV) will fully implement the “no tickets for stolen vehicles and plates” provisions of the Strengthening Traffic Enforcement, Education, and Responsibility (“STEER”) Amendment Act by July 31, 2025. Working with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), and the DC Department of Public Works (DPW), DMV has programmed eTIMS, the agency’s ticket processing system, to automatically dismiss tickets to stolen vehicles and tags once notified of the report by MPD.

Under the new process, vehicle owners who have reported their vehicle as stolen in DC will not receive photo enforcement tickets. The system will automatically block issuance of tickets to these vehicles. Unlike photo enforcement tickets, parking violations are issued manually by on-site ticket writers. Parking tickets may still be issued at the scene; however, under the updated process, any DC tickets issued to a reported stolen vehicle will be automatically voided or dismissed before a notice is sent to the registered owner.

What to Do if Your Vehicle Was Stolen in DC:

1. Contact MPD and file a police report. Ensure the report includes:  

  • Your tag number, vehicle make, model and color.
  • Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
  • Any other identifying characteristics.

2. File a claim with your insurance company and include the MPD police report.

3. If you have reported your vehicle stolen and are still receiving tickets, contest your ticket and include a copy of the MPD police report. 

Please note: If you are the registered owner of the vehicle and you did not report it as stolen to the police, you may still be held responsible for any tickets issued. 

Individuals who find their vehicle without the assistance of law enforcement after reporting it stolen must report the recovery to MPD immediately.

 

Do you have a Ticket Alert Service (TAS) Account?

A TAS account provides real-time notifications of ticket-related activity for up to four vehicles and a single driver license.

TAS is FREE! Learn more at TicketAlert.dc.gov.

DMV is leveraging new technology to automatically dismiss tickets to stolen vehicles and tags once we are notified by MPD. A file-sharing system has been implemented between MPD and DMV for photo enforcement tickets. This system automatically cross-checks all reported stolen vehicle data with the ticket issuance database, ensuring that no tickets are issued or mailed to individuals who have reported their vehicle as stolen.

Learn more about auto theft prevention from MPD.

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