Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Capitol View®
Tim Pugmire

Audit: state overcharged for some MNLARS transactions

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

A new report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor details data accuracy issues with the state’s vehicle licensing and registration system (MNLARS) that resulted in the overcharging of some customers for taxes and fees and undercharging others.

The review covered MNLARS transactions from the time of the troubled system’s launch in July 2017 through February of this year.

The report says MNLARS “generally calculated” accurately some types of transactions, such as wheelage tax, sales tax and most license plate transactions. But there were “significant inaccuracies” in others, such as new vehicle registrations.

The report made several recommendations to the two state agencies in charge of the system, Minnesota IT Services and the Department of Public Safety, including the establishment of a process for routinely assessing the integrity of the data.

In their response to the report, agency leaders stressed that improvements have already been made to address inaccuracies related to system defects. But they also took issue with the way some of the report’s conclusions were drawn.

“The vast majority of inaccuracies asserted in this report are not the result of a malfunctioning MNLARS IT system,” the agencies said in a joint statement. “Rather, they largely reflect differences in interpretation of statute, human error in data entry, and the misalignment between unique Minnesota laws and automotive industry practices.”

Lawmakers are scheduled to discuss the findings Wednesday during a joint meeting of the House and Senate transportation committees.

"Too many Minnesotans have been getting fleeced for months by a system that has been broken for far too long,” said Rep. Paul Torkelson, R-Hanska, chair of the House transportation committee. “This audit finally gives us an idea of the dollars and cents literally taken from the pockets of thousands of Minnesotans who were overcharged for their vehicle taxes and fees.”