In September, the Michigan Department of State will email license renewal information to Account Managers (unless your dealership is in the middle of a multi-year renewal cycle). To avoid delays, please take a few minutes now to make sure your related documents and records are up to date.
1.) Dealer licenses expire on Dec. 31 – regardless of how recently it was issued
- For example, if you buy a dealership in Nov. 2026, the dealer license still expires in Dec. 2026 and you will need to renew for 2027.
2.) CARS e-Services Account Manager
- Confirm the designated Account Manager is still active at your dealership.
- Only this person has access to renewal activity within e-Services.
- Need to update this contact? Use this form.
3.) Fleet Insurance (ACORD)
- Ensure your policy is current and matches all MDOS requirements. View MDOS details.
4.) Repair Facility License
- In addition to last week’s reminder to check your own repair license…if you have an agreement with an off-site facility, verify that their license is current.
- To check, click here, then go to → Business Services → Repair Facility → Search
5.) Uniform Dealer Surety Bond
- Dealers must have a $25,000 bond.
- If your bond is through MADA’s DIA program and due for renewal this year, you’ll receive paperwork by mail in September, giving you time to renew the bond before your license renewal.
Please watch out for bond “renewal” scams. We regularly hear from dealerships that paid an invoice believing it was their actual bond renewal, only to realize later they’d been targeted by a company counting on office staff not reading the fine print.
6.) Lost, Stolen or Missing Dealer Plates
- This has become the biggest issue causing renewal delays.
- If a dealer needs to replace lost or stolen plates, MDOS requires that a police report be filed before the replacement request will be approved.
- A copy of the police report must be submitted along with the replacement plate request.
Planning Business/License Changes?
If you submit business or license changes along with your renewal, the state must process those changes first. Only once they are completed will MDOS review and issue your license renewal. Depending on the changes, this may delay your renewal. To avoid this, MADA recommends completing any license changes before submitting your renewal (or after renewal, if changes are not time sensitive). If you are considering license changes at this time, please contact MADA for guidance.
