Driver alert as 180,000 motorists sent wrong rego bills in VicRoads bureaucratic bungle

About 180,000 Victorian drivers risk driving an unregistered vehicle unless they fork out more cash after VicRoads sent out the wrong renewal notices in a bureaucratic stuff-up.

A bungle at VicRoads has resulted in 180,000 Victorians being sent the wrong registration fee. Picture: David Crosling

As many as 180,000 Victorians were sent the wrong registration fee for their vehicles and boats in a VicRoads bureaucratic bungle.

The invoices for registrations due for the first week of July did not include the annual increase, linked to the inflation rate, of about 3.4 per cent.

The original renewal notices were sent out in the past few weeks but still had charges for the current financial year, not the new one starting on July 1.

The hitch affected renewals on registrations that expire between July 1 and July 7.

If the lesser amount is paid, VicRoads said its staff would follow up with the vehicle owners, as fees need to be paid in full, otherwise the registration would be invalid.

The VicRoads email was sent to 180,000 vehicle owners.

One motorist told the Herald Sun that she wasn’t sure if the email, which arrived about a week after the original renewal notice, was a scam.

“There are so many dodgy emails and texts going around, and then I get one from VicRoads saying they want me to pay more,’’ she said.

VicRoads said all other registration notices were correct and that the “one-off error’’ had been rectified.

“Incorrect pricing on registration renewal notices was recently sent to some customers – this has now been fixed, but we apologise for any inconvenience caused,” a VicRoads spokesman said.

Motorists were urged to disregard the original notice and pay the second amount.

Last month, VicRoads rolled out its digital licences program, enabling motorists to have their licence on their smart phone via myVicRoads app.

But learner and probationary drivers have to continue using their physical licence cards until later in the year when the digital offering to rolled out further.

Originally published as Driver alert as 180,000 motorists sent wrong rego bills in VicRoads bureaucratic bungle