OLATHE, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Most Americans would rather pay a fee to go online than stand in line at a government agency, like the DMV or IRS (IRS), according to a new Wakefield Research survey. The national poll, conducted earlier this month, found 67 percent of citizens would not mind paying a $1 to $5 efficiency fee if it allowed them to skip the in-person line and use a Web-based government service instead.

The study, conducted on behalf of eGovernment firm NIC Inc. (NASDAQ:EGOV), also uncovered the value of an online line jump: Thirty percent of respondents would pay $10 or more, and 14 percent would shell out $20 or more to avoid waiting in a government agency line.

The high preference for time-saving technology may be driven by the fact that 34 percent of Americans polled in the study said they had waited in line an hour or more at a government office. Fourteen percent had waited two or more hours. But increasingly, citizens can interact with government online. More than 3,500 local, state and federal government agencies have partnered with NIC to implement online options for drivers license and vehicle registration renewals, business document filings, court record searches, and other services.

An online efficiency fee of $1 to $5 is similar to the amount people are accustomed to paying for other valued conveniences. According to the Wakefield research, nearly half of those surveyed (48 percent) already spend $1 to $5 almost daily on items like toll roads, coffee, bagels, and music downloads.

NIC created the nations eGovernment industry in 1992 and is the leading company in the nation that provides complete Web portal services from the development of online services to secure payment processing to government agencies. Earlier this month, NIC captured the No. 20 spot on Forbes list of Americas 25 Fastest-Growing Technology Companies.

About NIC

NIC is the nations leading provider of government websites, online services and secure payment processing solutions. The companys innovative eGovernment services help reduce costs and increase efficiencies for government agencies, citizens and businesses across the country. The NIC family of companies provides eGovernment solutions for more than 3,500 federal, state and local agencies across the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.egov.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50380212&lang=en

NIC Inc.
Angela Skinner, 913-754-7054
Director of Communications &
Investor Relations
askinner@egov.com

Source: NIC Inc.

Copyright Business Wire 2012