On September 26, 2017, Michigan will take another step into the digital age. That’s when a new law will take effect authorizing the use of an electronic copy or digital photograph of a vehicle registration certificate, thereby satisfying the requirement that the vehicle registration be carried in the vehicle or by the person driving the vehicle. Here’s the details:

The registration shall at all times be carried in the vehicle to which it refers or shall be carried by, or electronically accessible to, the person driving or in control of the vehicle.

The paper or electronic copy of the vehicle registration shall be displayed upon the demand of a police officer.

Anyone using an electronic device to display a vehicle registration shall not be deemed to have consented to a search of the entire device; the police officer may view only the registration and may not manipulate the device to view anything else that’s on it.

The police officer may require that the electronic copy of the registration be forwarded to a specified location for review and verification at a later time.

The police officer is not liable for any damage to the device being used regardless of whether the police officer or the operator of the vehicle is physically handling the device.

Now here’s a practical tip from a former police officer: For everyone’s safety, remember to keep your hands visible to an approaching police officer and be sure that he or she knows that you are reaching for nothing more than your smart phone.

If you have any questions about this new regulation, please feel free to contact us at (248) 477-6300.