NEWS State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Providence, RI 02908 www.fiscalfitness.ri.gov
CONTACT: Dan Majcher (401)222-5078
Governor Carcieri Announces the Launch of e-Licensing Service
PROVIDENCE, RI – January 26, 2006 - Governor Donald L. Carcieri today unveiled the launch of a new business service for Rhode Islanders. Travel agencies and travel agents can now renew their professional licenses online and pay the statutory fee with a credit card. The rollout of this new service is part of a Rhode Island eLicensing initiative, which is a collaborative effort by the Governor’s Fiscal Fitness team, the Division of Information Technology (DoIT), and participating licensing agencies to set up online license applications, including payment of statutory fees by a credit card, for Rhode Island citizens. “In this information age, I am pleased that our state government can now provide business-friendly technology to professionals working in Rhode Island,” said Governor Carcieri. “This is the first of many professional license renewals that will be available online. We will continue this momentum to improve government service for the Rhode Island citizens and business owners by providing better and more convenient online services.”
Electronic license renewals for travel agencies and professionals is Rhode Island’s newest business service and is available at the Department of Business Regulation (DBR) website: http://www.dbr.state.ri.us/travel_agent.html or by visiting the RI.gov Licensing page at: www.ri.gov/Licenses. Over seven hundred travel agencies, travel managers and travel agents licensed in Rhode Island are the first to have the opportunity to renew their licenses through the eLicensing Program. The online service is quick and easy. A licensee simply needs to input their license number to renew online. In addition, they also have the ability to update their personal address. Payment is made by credit card using RI.gov’s secure payment engine. The customer then receives an online receipt and confirmation of payment. The renewal request is sent to the Division of Commercial Licensing, Racing and Athletics at DBR for approval and fulfillment. At this time, the renewed license will then be mailed to complete the transaction.
“Director Marques and the employees of the Department of Business Regulation should be applauded for their efforts to provide a better way of doing business with the State,” said Dan Majcher, Director of the Governor’s Fiscal Fitness Program. “It’s our goal to not only provide the business community and citizens with a fast and easy way to interact with state government, but also to create efficiency within our government. The elicensing initiative achieves both goals. I am proud to be part of this effort that will expand to other licenses across state government.”
The eLicensing initiative is driven by Governor Carcieri’s Fiscal Fitness program. The goal is to provide business-friendly technology that will offer better services, streamline internal government processes, reduce paperwork flow, and the costs associated with the manual renewal process. Several professional licenses have been identified by state agencies and the Governor’s Fiscal Fitness team to be included as part of the eLicensing Program. The renewal applications for these licenses will be made available online continuously over the next several months.
The online travel license renewal service was created by the Department of Business Regulations in collaboration with RI.gov, the state’s official Web site provider. (www.ri.gov)