Show The Ones You Love How Much You Care With Your ID

DMV Unveils New Next of Kin Registry That Goes Live Today

Dover -- When most people think of Valentine's Day, they have visions of roses or boxes of chocolate. However, the Delaware Department of Transportation's (DelDOT) Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is giving residents the opportunity to show their loved ones how much they care by making sure that they are contacted in the event of an emergency. The new Next of Kin Registry being launched today is the latest tool that emergency officials will be able to utilize in emergency situations to contact a victim's loved ones when every minute counts.

Delaware's Next of Kin Registry mirrors a similar program created by the state of Ohio and now becomes only the second in the nation. The program is aimed at providing another level of customer service to residents, while also giving them and their loved ones piece of mind. Participation in the program is voluntary and free of charge to anyone with a state-issued ID or driver's license, and the information that is given during registration is only available to law enforcement officials, unless it is deemed necessary to be shared with other emergency personnel.

"By offering the Next of Kin Registry, DelDOT and DMV are forming an important and necessary partnership with members of law enforcement and emergency officials," said Transportation Secretary Carolann Wicks. "Through this partnership, officials will be able to retrieve vital contact information in a fast and effective manner to safeguard our state and those who call it home."

"Any tool that allows the Delaware law enforcement community to better respond to the needs and concerns of victims and their families is something that we welcome and support," said Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Lewis D. Schiliro.

The way that the registry is designed to allow those who sign up to provide two different emergency contacts, a primary and a secondary. The information that you provide for each of them is their name, address, and up to three telephone numbers. Signing up for the program is fast, easy, and convenient with three different ways that will fit anyone's schedule:

- Online - Go online to dmv.de.gov where you will be prompted to create a MyDMV online account, which will enable you to manage your information in the database and take advantage of the other online services that will be offered in the future.
- In-Person - Sign up at any of our four DMV branch offices.
- By Mail - Download a form from dmv.de.gov or pick one up at any of our four DMV branch offices, and mail it in to the address on the form.

The creation of the Next of Kin Registry has been a multi-agency effort with DelDOT, DMV, the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System (DelJIS), the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Delaware State Police, and the Delaware Department of Technology and Information (DTI) all working together to get the registry into operation. The Delaware Department of State's Government Information Center (GIC) played an integral role in the project by fully funding the $50,000 cost to create and implement the program.

For more information or to sign up for the Next of Kin Registry, please visit citizen.dmv.de.gov/mydmv.ejs?command=MyDMVHome and click on "Next of Kin/Emergency Contact Enrollment" or call 302-760-2080.