A valley driver says she wants a refund from the DMV after a dispute over her mother's car registration. Contact 13 looks at what you need to know when trying to get some money back.
"It's just not right. It's not right to do this to people," says Val Scott.
She's had to pay for the registration on her mother's SUV, twice. It all started last summer.
"She had registered it in August. She passed in November... I actually helped her pay for the initial registration," says Val.
When Val inherited the Nissan, she paid $870 to register the vehicle again, this time under her name. But she was expecting a refund from her mom's original registration payment.
"You pay for a year registration. The year is not fulfilled, you owe me money," says Val.
Val filed the required paperwork and was told it would take about 8 weeks to process. But a couple months later, Val learned some disappointing news.
"That's when they told me I was not eligible for the refund," says Val.
She was expecting about $500 from the DMV. Now she wasn't getting anything.
"Carson City told me they were going to refund it. The DMV told me," says Val.
That's when she reached out Contact 13. We called the DMV and learned Nevada law prohibits Val from getting any money back because she kept the car.
"Guardians or survivors have to sell or dispose of the vehicle," says the DMV's Kevin Malone.
But there is an exception. Last year, the Nevada Legislature made a change to the law.
"If you surrender your license plates, and this applies to anyone, the DMV gives you a credit for the unused portion of a registration," says Kevin.
But Val kept her mother's personalized plates. As for initially being told she was eligible for a refund, the DMV admits that was a mistake.
"In this case, it looks like a bit of a training issue," says Kevin.
In the end, Val understands the DMV has to follow the law. That's why she's pleading with state lawmakers.
"Change the law. Make it right. Just make it right," says Val.
