Re: License plates

[Doug.Brightwell@Corp.Sun.COM (Doug Brightwell)]

> My understanding is that in many states, the Department of Motor Vehicles Records
> indexed on license plate number, and containing the name, address, and other
> information about the owner, is public or semi-public.  How would an interested
> party go about finding this information?  How difficult or costly is it?  And
> what all is actually listed in the record?

Several weeks following a car accident that I was involved in, I
received a notice from the California DMV notifying me that someone had
filed a request for the information on my vehicle registration. From
the name and address on the notice, I figured out that it was the other
driver's attorney, probably wanting to know where to send a subpoena.
Apparently, anyone can walk into a DMV office, fill out a form, pay
$1.00 (or whatever) and get the info because it's public record.
However, at least the DMV also alerts the "investigatee" to the fact
that someone now has their home address, and provides the name and
address of the requestor.

Doug