BLA expanding fully online services to cut wait times

Vehicle owners and operators can expect an easier time doing business at the Barbados Licensing Authority (BLA) with the introduction of full online vehicle registration and expanded digital payment services, Chief Licensing Officer Treca McCarthy Broomes revealed on Thursday.

When questioned about the long wait times of people seeking to register their vehicles at The Pine, St Michael office, she said: “That is the next thing on cards for us, which is definitely going to be this year, that we’re going to be doing vehicle registrations online and all payments for services from the licensing authority will be online.”

The shift will go beyond registration, with all payments for BLA services expected to be available online, she added. “So people would be able to pay for their weight certificates, their inspection, their roadworthy certificates online, everything, even their driver’s licenses.”

The head of the BLA also confirmed that a digital driver’s licence, which she announced last week, has already begun: “Right now you can actually go on the BLA.gov.bb website and pay for your driver’s licence. If you are now getting a driver’s licence for the first time, if you’re renewing from 16 to the age of 84, can be done online, all now and you will be able to get automatic reminders of when next you have to pay.”

The BLA is working to upgrade its website: “We are definitely improving it, we are working with [Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology] to get all of that done.”

She gave an assurance that people will still have the option to conduct business in person if they prefer that avenue. “There are persons who want to do things face to face, they can do that, persons who want to do online, they can do that. So you have an option.”

During the vehicle registration process, documents must be validated before the transaction is finalised, she said. “We’re verifying everything that you are who you say you are. The vehicle is actually what you’re registering. It’s not a stolen vehicle, so we do thorough checks.”

She stressed that the authority conducts thorough checks on all applications, including reviewing customs documentation, confirming ownership details and ensuring all payments are accurate.

“We validate every single thing. We look at all the documents, the customs entries, we look to see if the owner is alive or dead, we look at everything. We validate every single thing, if the registration is correct, if the payment is correct, everything.”

While some procedural differences exist across locations, including at The Pine, McCarthy-Broomes noted that validation is a standard requirement at all branches as the Authority continues efforts to improve accountability and service delivery.