Vehicle experts weigh in

With COVID-19 restrictions relaxing and base customer service areas able to accommodate more personnel, many community members voiced questions regarding vehicle shipping, registrations, inspections and sales.

Chief Master Sgt. Ernesto J. Rendon, Jr., 86th Airlift Wing Command chief, Master Sgt. Travis Ferguson, 569th Vehicle Registration non-commissioned officer in charge, Tech. Sgt. Octavio Ortega, 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron mechanic and Ms. Natasha Lasky, vehicle shipping customer service representative, hosted a virtual town hall May 20 to address issues related to personal vehicles in the Kaiserslautern Military Community.

During opening remarks, Rendon recognized the demand to understand the current processes and limitations for vehicle registration and shipment.

Below are summarized answers to several questions fielded during the town hall.

Is there a way to streamline or open up more appointments with vehicle registration? What about the possibility of scanning and emailing required documents, then coming in to sign for temporary plates?

Use of Appointments Plus has allowed us to see approximately 75% more customers since Health Protection Condition Charlie was implemented. As more facilities open in the garrison, customers will see a decrease in volume to individual locations and more access to take care of vehicle registrations and renewals.

Due to the legal documents needed for the process, in-person appointments are necessary. Scanned or emailed documents are not an option for this process.

What do I do if my date of estimated return from overseas extension or registration expires prior to shipping my vehicle?

Obtain a registration renewal prior to shipping. A $35 fee is required and QQ plates will come at no charge.

If my vehicle has expired temporary plates, what paperwork do I need to bring to the next appointment for permanent plates? Can I do the inspection before the next appointment?

Bring the 190-1AA form to inspections. The substation is also open to obtain a one or two year registration. The second year will be an additional $35 fee.

If people have temporary and expired tags, why are those people who are getting inspections being told to complete de-registration and get another temporary registration, but can’t get an appointment?

Due to current COVID-19 and physical distancing standards, the amount of people allowed in the office is limited. The U.S. Army Europe Vehicle Registry stated all temporary registrations are good until further notice.

Any word on when Sembach vehicle registration will open?

Sembach falls under the Army, but we are told they anticipate opening the first or second week of June.

What’s the current process for buying/selling/transferring vehicles?

With appointments being limited, personnel who are PCS-ing, retiring or separating are encouraged to make an appointment on Appointment Plus. If it’s an emergency, that is, if a vehicle isn’t in the system, please have the unit commander or first sergeant send an email to request an earlier appointment.

With the current delays in getting orders, can we ship vehicles with some other documentation? i.e. SURF with current DEROS, a Memo in Lieu of Orders?

No. Please call DSN 487-7750 or go to pcsmypov.com for more information.

For a civilian PCS-ing back to the States, can I ship a vehicle if it’s registered as non-operational?

Yes, but there may be issues regarding why it’s non-op. The vehicle must be able to move on and off the loading trucks.

When you go to ship your vehicle is it all one process, i.e. inspection/registration all at the same IAL appointment?

Pre-checks and marking the condition of the vehicle are done at the same time. Go to vehicle registration afterwards, which would be best with an appointment.

Does my vehicle need an inspection prior to shipment?

Pre-inspections are offered and recommended to everyone. No appointment is needed and the process takes five to ten minutes. The vehicle will need a valid registration, but not a valid safety inspection.

Can we sign guests in on base?

Based on current local guidelines, no.

What if we can’t get an appointment before our plates expire?

Permanent plate expirations have been extended 60 days. Temporary plates are considered passable by law enforcement and base Esso stations.

The full virtual town hall video can be viewed on the Ramstein Facebook page. Visit the official Ramstein website at www.ramstein.af.mil and go to the COVID-19 tab located in the top right side of the page for the most up-to-date information.