Department of Revenue News Release

The Missouri Department of Revenue has launched its new chatbot, DORA, to provide 24/7 customer assistance. DORA, which stands for Department of Revenue Answers, is a virtual assistant programmed to respond to common taxation, motor vehicle and driver licensing questions the Department receives. The Department is the first state agency in Missouri to utilize chatbot technology on its public website.

“The Department of Revenue is always looking for innovative ways to improve how we do business in order to enhance the overall citizen customer experience,” said Department Director Ken Zellers. “With DORA, customers can get many of their questions answered whenever they need assistance, no matter the day or time.”

In addition to answering a host of common questions, DORA is programmed to direct customers to the Department’s online services, such as its tax return status tracker. DORA’s capabilities will continue to expand and improve over time, thanks to the power of artificial intelligence.

 “In FY18, the Department’s call centers received over 1.7 million calls,” added Zellers. “DORA will help bring that number down while providing customers with something they want and are increasingly coming to expect: a self-service, electronic communications option.”

DORA does not have the capability to answer customer-specific questions. For example, DORA cannot tell a customer the status of their refund or the expiration date of their driver license. By interacting with DORA, customers agree not to provide any sensitive or personal data, such as their Social Security number, date of birth or bank account information.

Chat with DORA today at dor.mo.gov.

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