Springfield Police will begin enforcing a new city ordinance on March 26. It allows officers to tow vehicles displaying missing, invalid or expired plates and registration tabs.
The ordinance is already in effect, but the City of Springfield is offering a 30-day public education period to let people know about the new requirements. The Springfield Police Department encourages residents to make sure their vehicle registrations are up to date before enforcement begins.
Since Feb. 1, the Springfield Police Department has been conducting targeted patrols aimed at addressing expired temporary tags and registrations. In the first three weeks of February, officers issued 266 citations for vehicle registration violations. While towing will not occur during the education period, according to SPD, drivers may still receive a citation for non-compliance.
Starting March 26, vehicles will be subject to towing if their license plates or registration tabs are expired for more than 30 days.
If a vehicle is towed, a release form must first be obtained from police headquarters at 321 E. Chestnut Expwy. during regular lobby hours before retrieving a vehicle from impound. To get a vehicle release form, a person must show proof of registration, a government-issued photo ID and proof of vehicle ownership.
