Vehicle registrations go online

Motorists no longer need to physically visit the Barbados Revenue Authority (BRA) payment centres to update and receive vehicle registration discs, the government has announced.

Instead, private vehicle registrations can now be completed entirely online through a new portal at https://portal.bra.gov.bb, marking a major shift towards digital convenience for thousands of drivers across the island.

This initiative is the result of a collaborative effort between the BRA, the Barbados Licensing Authority, general insurance companies, and The Barbados Police Service.

In a government statement, Minister of Finance Ryan Straughn highlighted the benefits of the new system: “This collaborative effort represents a major step in modernising the way we serve Barbadians. By digitising this aspect of the private vehicle registration process, we are not only improving convenience for the public but also strengthening the integrity of our registration and insurance systems while working to reduce the lines in our offices.”

The system uses data from general insurance companies to automatically update vehicle registration records, ensuring compliance with the Road Traffic Act.

Once the vehicle’s up-to-date insurance data is uploaded, owners can download a digital vehicle registration card.

In a statement, a senior BRA official, Carolyn Williams-Gayle, stressed that the accuracy of records is crucial. She explained that issues may arise due to data entry errors, missing information, mismatched records, or lapsed insurance policies. The system is designed to provide real-time error notifications to help users rectify these issues.

She said: “As with any digital transformation, accuracy of records is essential. During the testing of the system, we identified four issues which will prevent the registration card from being generated. Issues may arise due to data entry errors such as incorrect licence plate, chassis, engine or VIN numbers; missing information; mismatched records or lapsed insurance policies.

“To assist vehicle owners, we designed the system to provide real-time error notifications when an issue is detected. These messages will specify the nature of the discrepancy and direct users to the appropriate avenue for the issue to be rectified.”

The majority of the island’s motor insurance companies have uploaded their data to support the new system, said the BRA official. But some owners will still need to go to their insurance company and the BRA’s offices.

She said: “Currently, 75 per cent of the general insurance companies which serve Barbados have uploaded their data to facilitate the generation of the Vehicle Registration Card and we thank the insurance companies for their participation in this process. However, where insurance details have not been uploaded, the registrant will still need to visit their insurance company and the authority’s offices in person to access their vehicle registration card.”

Williams-Gayle expressed gratitude to participating insurance companies and noted that the BRA’s contact centre is available for inquiries at 429-ETAX (3829).

(PR/BT)