DOVER — The Administrative Office of the Courts’ Office of State Court Collections Enforcement has expanded the number of locations and the payment options of its network of self-payment kiosks throughout the state.
In cooperation with the Division of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Child Support Enforcement, the payment kiosks, operated by TouchPay, are now located at DMV offices in all three Delaware counties and for the first time are accepting child support payments.
Not only are there more Delaware Office of State Court Collections Enforcement’s self-payment kiosks, but they also accept child-support payments. (Submitted)
“Recognizing there was a need to help individuals who have court-ordered financial obligations, we reached out to other state agencies to help us make the payment process as easy and convenient as possible. We are pleased to announce that DMV offices in all three counties will now feature our self-payment kiosks and that those kiosks will now also accept child support payments. We would like to thank the DMV and Child Support Enforcement for their willingness to cooperate with us on this project,” said Deputy State Court Administrator James Wright.
The court’s payment kiosk program was launched in 2011 and allows people to make court-ordered payments at a place other than a courthouse and, in most cases, provide immediate credit for making those payments. In 2015, the payment kiosks handled more than 6,000 transactions, more than double the number of transactions processed in 2014.
The first kiosks were located, with the cooperation of the Department of Correction, in adult Probation and Parole offices. In October 2014, a kiosk was placed at the DMV office in Dover as a pilot project. After that successful trial, a kiosk was placed at the Wilmington DMV office in January, and the final two kiosks — at the Georgetown DMV office and the Delaware City DMV office — became operational Wednesday.
“The benefits of the partnership between the DMV and the Court system will provide increased customer service to those conducting DMV business,” said DMV Director Scott Vien. “The kiosk system will enable our customers to settle court related issues conveniently and quickly without having to leave the DMV site.”
At the same time as the kiosk program has added new locations, the kiosk payment options also have been expanded to include child support payments.
“Our collaboration with the court to offer our child support customers another method of paying support is a huge step forward,” Division of Child Support Enforcement Director Ted Mermigos said. “We are always looking for better ways of doing business and to bring convenience to our customers.”
The kiosks accept all fines and assessments for the Justice of the Peace Court, Family Court and Court of Common Pleas along with probationary fees from the Department of Correction in addition to the child support payments. Using a kiosk to make a payment produces a receipt that in many cases immediately clears outstanding warrants related to non-payment.
“Our kiosk initiative is designed to provide easily accessible one-stop payment locations to the citizens of Delaware. The agencies involved with this project are working together to develop a creative way to assist the public in managing their various state obligations,” said William DiBartola, collections administrator for the Office of State Court Collections Enforcement.
The kiosks also accept payment for criminal fines and assessments from Superior Court but there can be a delay of 14 to 30 days before an account is credited. In time-sensitive cases, defendants or their representatives should make cash payments with OSCCE or at the Superior Court Prothonatary Office in the county in which the defendant has an outstanding debt. In addition, if a person has had their license suspended due to non-payment of child support, they will need to make an in-person visit to their local child support office and cannot clear that issue at a kiosk.
In addition to the four DMV locations, kiosks are also located at the Probation and Parole offices in New Castle and Seaford.
Locations and hours that kiosks are available are listed below: All DMV offices are open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and noon to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays.
• Delaware City DMV, 2101 Mid County Drive
• Dover DMV, 303 Transportation Circle
• Georgetown DMV, Georgetown State Service Center, 23737 DuPont Blvd.
• Wilmington DMV, 2230 Hessler Blvd. New Castle
• New Castle Probation and Parole, 26 Parkway Circle.
• Seaford Probation and Parole Office, Shipley State Service Center, 350 Virginia Ave.