Authorized Third Parties (ATPs) provide a convenient option for quickly conducting Motor Vehicle Division business. The companies provide many of the same services as MVD Customer Service Offices, including title and registration transactions. The program is growing, and there are now more than 160 locations statewide.

“Customers get personal attention, usually with little or no wait,” says Third Party Program Manager Robert Smith. “A lot of third parties have extended hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays, and most of them are small businesses, which are key to a healthy economy.”

Smith and his team work closely with the MVD Customer Service program to determine where the needs are the greatest and how ATPs can help.

Despite the difficult economy, the number of ATPs has increased and during Fiscal Year 2012 the businesses conducted a combined 4.1 million transactions.

For their services, Arizona law allows the ATPs the allowance of a small retention fee for some transactions. ATPs are also permitted to assess convenience charges in addition to the standard MVD fees that customers pay in the field offices and online. “The convenience charges vary and they’re entirely up to the individual businesses,” Smith says. “People are paying for priority treatment.”

MVD monitors the performance of ATP offices to ensure among other things, transactions are carried out properly and timely fund transfers are made to MVD. There is a potential for sanctions if a company doesn’t meet the required standards.

ATPs are actively seeking new customers and are anxious to provide additional services.

A list of Authorized Third Parties with locations and hours of operation is available at www.azmvdservices.com.