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is it legal for the DMV to not accept money?

weflyhigh

weflyhigh

Senior member
I was reading a dollar the other day and it said "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private". But then I was at the DMV and they refused to take anything except checks. Is that legal?
 
Less of a headache by preventing workers from pocketing cash. It also solves payment disputes quickly compared to cash.
 
It's generally ok for private businesses to do that; I'm kind of surprised it's ok for the government to do it, even if it is the state gov. and not the federal.
 
Just get them to sign a letter saying why they did not accept your legal tender. Then when they sue you or suspend your license... you can show the judge the letter.

Or you can write a damn check... up to you.

Edit: damn golgatha with the good link!
 
weflyhigh said:
I was reading a dollar the other day and it said "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private". But then I was at the DMV and they refused to take anything except checks. Is that legal?
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Just because the item can be legally used to pay a debt, doesn't mean that anyone must accept it to pay the debt.

For example, cocaine is not legal tender. You cannot legally use cocaine to pay a debt. You could legally use toilet paper to pay a debt though if both sides agree. However, you'll have a hard time getting many organizations to accept toilet paper as payment. Thus, it is legal, but not accepted at many places.

The goverment simply wanted to help clairify that certain pieces of paper are legal to use to pay debts. See this link (made green for the sake of a money related thread):
This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services.
 
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Golgatha said:
Yes, it is completely legal.

http://www.ustreas.gov/education/faq/currency/legal-tender.shtml

Quite ironic, but legal.
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On the contrary... I believe the DMV qualifies as a government institution, not a private business and and fees would be considered public charges. (The qualifier however would the the "organization" part.)

The pertinent portion of law that applies to your question is the Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.
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Of course then you start treading on the sovereignty of state powers in such an argument. A judge would really have to sort it out, and to be honest... is it worth it?
 
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SunnyD said:
On the contrary... I believe the DMV qualifies as a government institution, not a private business and and fees would be considered public charges.
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Simply because a frequently asked questions webpage mentions private buisnesses as an example, doesn't mean it doesn't also apply to governmental organizations.

And the other point: what debt is he paying to the DMV? At least here, you don't ever have debts to the DMV. Instead, you want one of their products, but you pay for up front and never incur debt. Thus, there is no debt to pay and "legal tender to pay debt" laws are not relevant.
 
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dullard said:
Simply because a frequently asked questions webpage mentions private buisnesses as an example, doesn't mean it doesn't also apply to governmental organizations.
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I addressed that. You failed to read that.

Edit (Since you did):

And the other point: what debt is he paying to the DMV? At least here, you don't ever have debts to the DMV. Instead, you want one of their products, but you pay for up front and never incur debt. Thus, there is no debt to pay and "legal tender to pay debt" laws are not relevant.
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I addressed that too. Yet you still failed to read that.
 
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TwiceOver said:
Sweet. So that kid being a dick trying to pay his car tow fee with pennies in that video can go suck it.
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If it wasn't posted ("no cash" or "no pennis") then he had every right to do that. Also, I believe they looked into the state laws before doing that.
 
I'm pretty confident you could win a court case forcing them to take money. This would be no different than, for example, a business selling gift cards, then refusing to accept them towards purchases.
 
mrjminer said:
I'm pretty confident you could win a court case forcing them to take money. This would be no different than, for example, a business selling gift cards, then refusing to accept them towards purchases.
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He bought the money from the DMV? 😕
 
geno said:
He bought the money from the DMV? 😕
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So, you have no valid counterargument, or you're claiming you're too dumb to comprehend this:
--
1. government declares the national currency is the dollar / various denominations thereof (additionally, the government recognizes no other form of currency as valid for debts or payments) ->
2. government creates and distributes the national currency to its citizens and businesses (effectively, selling it to people in return for services/goods)->
3. government refuses to accept the national currency

Here, the government has, basically, sold people currency to be used for services/goods for the price of services/goods, and then refused to accept the currency.
--
1. business declares the gift cards are a valid substitute for the national currency in their transactions (effectively, the gift card is professed as currency redeemable at the business) ->
2. business creates and distributes gift cards to its customers for the national currency equivalent ->
3. business refuses to accept the gift cards

Here, the business has, basically, sold people currency to be used for services/goods for the price of the national currency, which was bought for the price of services/goods, and then refused to accept the currency.
--

Anyways, I think you're claiming the latter.
 
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