The owner of Express OMV—a private company with locations in Baton Rouge and Denham Springs that issues drivers licenses, license plates and vehicle registration certificates—is getting ready to open a third office in Baker. Since forming his company two years ago, Express OMV owner Brooke Barnett says business has been so brisk he can hardly keep up with the demand.
“We average between 300 and 400 unique customers a day at our Baton Rouge location” at the intersection of Perkins Road and Siegen Lane, he says. “That’s a lot for a seven-person office.”
Express OMV is one of about 100 public tag agencies, or PTAs, in the state. They’re licensed by the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles to collect fees and remit documents required for motor vehicle ownership. PTAs have been around for several decades, though until recently most catered to auto dealers. Express OMV, by contrast, is a retail operator targeted to individual motorists.
Barnett says PTAs have an advantage over the state in that they can provide services more quickly and efficiently because they can innovate with technology that the state for one reason or another doesn’t utilize. Express OMV uses magnetic card swipes, for instance, to read data off customers’ drivers licenses during the renewal process, which is much faster and more accurate than manually entering information on a keyboard.
Express OMV has also proven successful by keeping margins low—in other words, charging customers just a fraction of the markup allowed by law. PTAs can legally charge a premium of up to $18 per document issued. Express OMV typically charges only $4, Barnett says.
“We try to stay very competitive and very streamlined,” he says.
Barnett formed his company just two years ago, taking over what was then a state-run OMV satellite location at the corner of Siegen Lane and Perkins Road. Last year, he opened the second location in Denham Springs. The third location will open in May at 2250 Main St. in Baker.
—Stephanie Riegel
