The DeKalb County Clerk's Office has implemented a program for Print-on-Demand registration decals, which will print a decal for license plates with the vehicle’s license plate number.

The program is already being used in 86 other counties, and, a sticker showing the license plate number will be issued a sticker. Registration cards will change as well. The previous 8.5x11 inch paper will has been replaced with a smaller document, and the decals are printed directly onto the cards. Having the registrant's license plate number on the decal is intended to help prevent the theft of renewal decals.

The county commission approved a line-item budget transfer to fund the service in March. County Clerk James L. (Jimmy) Poss told commissioners that while he already had the funds in his budget, he would need to move funds from one category to another to properly account for the change.

"Based on registration and renewal statistics provided from the Tennessee Department of Revenue Vehicles Services, DeKalb County will receive $1,500 from the state, which will assist with the startup costs of acquiring the equipment needed for the service," said Poss. "Our equipment provider, Business Information System (BIS) has provided a quote of $1,640 to implement the Print on Demand program, after reimbursement. Four new printers are to be installed at the County Clerk’s office as part of the system. As an addendum to the contract, an annual $800 expense will be required to cover any maintenance or replacement of any of the four printers for up to five years."

"The program is expected to save money, since we will no longer need to issue the standard registrations. The state is furnishing the specialized paper and assisting in the expense of the printers. This will combine vehicle registrations and tag decals into a single document. We will no longer staple the decal sticker to paperwork. This process eliminates the need for controlled stock decals, since license plate numbers are printed on the decal. Our Office should see increased efficiency by eliminating the log of decal numbers. The Department of Revenue will supply the plain thermal form stock paper," said the clerk.

"The printing of the registrant's plate number on the decal is an added security feature, and will curb theft of decals. For someone who wants to steal your decal, all they would have to do is peel yours off and put it on their plate. With Print on Demand if they try to take them it won't work, because the decal number has to match the license plate number. This system works a lot better for us, because we won't have to worry about keeping up with all the decal numbers. Their decal will be tied to their plate," Poss said.

The Print on Demand program is expected be in use statewide by the end of 2015.