Michigan § 257.227 - Application for renewal of vehicle registration; fee; presentation of certificate of title; waiver; proof of vehicle insurance; transmission of vehicle policy information; disclosure.

(1) Application for renewal of a vehicle registration shall be made by the owner upon proper application and by payment of the registration fee for the vehicle, as provided by law.

(2) Every application shall be accompanied by the certificate of title pertaining to the vehicle, showing ownership in the person applying for registration at the time of the application. The secretary of state may waive the presentation of the certificate of title.

(3) Every application for renewal of a motor vehicle registration shall be accompanied by proof of vehicle insurance in a form determined by the secretary of state.

(4) Notwithstanding subsection (3), the secretary of state shall accept as proof of vehicle insurance a transmission of the applicant's vehicle policy information for an insured vehicle for which vehicle registration is sought. The secretary of state may determine in what format and on what timeline the secretary of state will receive vehicle policy information, which shall not be required more frequently than every 14 days. In determining the format under this subsection, the secretary of state shall consult with insurers. The transmission to the secretary of state of the vehicle policy information is proof of insurance to the secretary of state for motor vehicle registration purposes only and is not evidence that a policy of insurance actually exists between an insurer and an individual. Vehicle policy information submitted by an insurer and received by the secretary of state under this subsection is confidential, is not subject to the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246, and shall not be disclosed to any person except the department of community health for purposes of 2006 PA 593, MCL 550.281 to 550.289, or under an order by a court of competent jurisdiction in connection with a claim or fraud investigation or prosecution.

(6) As used in this section, "policy information" means the information an automobile insurer is required to supply to the secretary of state under section 3101a of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3101a.