So I’ve got my annual car registration renewal notice here.

In Florida, Virginia, and probably some other states, car registration isn’t handled via a state DMV (although there is such a thing). Rather, it’s handled by the county tax collector. Presumably, this simplifies keeping tabs on everybody — the DMV doesn’t have to “know” you’ve moved, because the tax collector (and God love ’em) will know it.

Anyhow, there’s an option to renew the registration online. The notice provides the Web address to do so, specifying that you can use MasterCard, Visa, ATM, debit, or cash card to make the payment. And there’s a caveat:

(Additional fees apply for registrations processed through this web site.)

Elsewhere on the form is a yellow information box. It says:

Please complete your renewal as usual. Consider renewing online — it saves time, money, and gas.

Got that? Additional fees apply when you renew online. But… it saves you money!

Fair enough: it doesn’t say whose money it will save. Maybe it means the tax collector’s — don’t have to do all that troublesome handling of paperwork.

I’m just sayin’.