Jim Grennell handles license renewals for all types of vehicles and vessels, including cars, ATVs and boats at Methow Valley Licensing & Services in Twisp.
Full range of services available
People will no longer have to make a trip over the Loup to get license plates, transfer a vehicle title or register a snowmobile. Jim Grennell opened Methow Valley Licensing & Services in Twisp on Friday (Jan. 31).
Grennell handles license renewals for all types of vehicles and vessels, including cars, off-road vehicles and wheeled all-terrain vehicles, overweight vehicles and boats. He can provide renewal tabs, title transfers and disabled-parking permits. Grennell doesn’t provide driver’s licenses, which are processed through a separate system.
People can order their tabs or license plates online and pick them up at his storefront on West Second Avenue, or Grennell can put them in the mail.
Subagents are sole proprietors who work under a contract with Washington, but they get training from the county auditor and the state. They receive service fees on the licenses they process. Grennell was appointed by Washington in November, when he started his in-depth training.
“It’s quite an intense process, like submitting a bid,” Grennell said. You need a background in finance, computers and customer service, he said. Grennell spent three decades in nonprofit management and was director of the Okanogan County Dispute Resolution Center for the past two years.
As sole proprietors, subagents are responsible for finding a location and paying for rent, overhead and insurance. The Washington Department of Licensing provides the computer and related equipment.
“It’s a very unique business relationship between the state, the county, and an independent business owner,” Okanogan County Auditor Cari Hall said. Hall solicited applications for a new subagent after the previous one closed in May and recommended Grennell to the state.
“I was fast-tracked to open as soon as possible, because so many people asked about a local office. They were almost ready to jump of over the counter to hug me, they were so thrilled not to have to drive over the Loup,” Grennell said about his time training at the Auditor’s Office in Okanogan.
Grennell takes credit and debit cards as well as cash and checks. People should bring a form of ID. If they’re picking up tabs for somebody else, they should bring a letter of permission.
Methow Valley Licensing & Services is at 201 W. Second Ave. (in the former Filer Plumbing building, heading out Twisp River Road), 997-9009. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
