Vehicle Registration Costs and Fees

MrRossKeys

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I apologize if this thread is in the wrong forum or has been discussed previously.

I am in California and just received my Vehicle Registration Renewal notice from DMV. The fees add up to $730 including a $364 registration fee and a $345 license fee. Oddly enough the weight fee is $0.

$700+ is about ~$300+ more than I have ever paid for vehicle registration. The most expensive car I've owned previously was around $435 a year (which was much higher than any other I had owned previously).

My questions:
1. Is $700+ what all other Mach E owners are getting? In California? Across the U.S?
2. Are other similarly priced vehicles (~$60,000) being charged the same for registration?
3. Is this change related to the 250% proposed registration fee in California?
4. Is there anything that can be done to lower the fee?

With all the money saved on gas with this vehicle, I might as well have started a piggy-bank to pay the higher registration. I don't want to feel as shocked as I feel, but it's almost $1000 to register this vehicle. What gives? What am I missing? Thanks.
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snowy_91

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You are not paying fuel taxes, so they need to make up the the money on registration fees.
 

ARK

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I recently got my California renewal too. I have the AWD SR Premium. My Mach-E stickered at $51,440 with destination and delivery (included Rapid Red + Interior Protection Package).

Your First Edition costs about $7,000 more - $5,000 extra for the ER battery + $2,000 more for the FE, and then more or less depending on a couple small options.

My total is $570 ($610 really because of the $40 fee for the black plates).

Registration is $262, license is $297, $11 county/district fees, and $40 for the special plates.

As a frame of reference, I also got the renewal for my 2006 Mustang GT. The grand total for that one is $163, broken down as $122 for registration, $30 for license, and $11 for county/district fees.
 
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benk016

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Not California, but in Oklahoma, they more than doubled the cost of renewal for EVs starting in 2022.

My brother just got his renewal for his Bolt. Normally all cars would have been $89.05. But any EV under 5000lbs gets a $110 electric fee.
Ford Mustang Mach-E Vehicle Registration Costs and Fees IMG_20211208_184202
 

TheVirtualTim

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The average ICE vehicle uses around 600 gallons/year based on typical driving. They are trying to make up for the fact that you don't pay gas-tax to use the roads.

Here in Michigan I did the calculation and worked out that the (based on Michigan's gas tax) the average driver would pay about $211 in state taxes (this excludes the federal component of the gas tax which is about 18¢/gallon).

But you're in California ... I expect taxes are higher.
 


generaltso

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Registration in VT is $74 a year for EVs. Gas cars are $76 a year.
 

heisnuts

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Wow, makes me glad we moved out of California years ago. But hey, at least you will not have to go and get a smog check every 2 years like all of those ICE cars in California ?
 

devmach-e

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Only way to reduce your registration fee is to drive a cheaper car. More expensive cars have always paid a higher registration fee. And yes, a different $60K would pay the same amount.
 

JamesInWeston

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I expect Florida will try to implement an EV registration surcharge. But I already pay state taxes on my consumption of electricity, so such a tax would be double taxation and unfair. More fair would be to have the state calculate what portion of the total tax on electricity is attributable to EVs, and send that money to the same highway fund receives the state gasoline tax.
 

macchiaz-o

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In Arizona, EVs are exempt from taxes. I can register my EVs for 5 years for $60
BEVs aren't exempted from annual property tax in Arizona... But there is a deep discount compared to taxes levied on other vehicles.

This is changing soon, though. For vehicle registrations starting on 1/1/2022, the discount is dramatically reduced. Starting 1/1/2023, no more VLT discount for new BEV registrations.
 

ARK

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I expect Florida will try to implement an EV registration surcharge. But I already pay state taxes on my consumption of electricity, so such a tax would be double taxation and unfair. More fair would be to have the state calculate what portion of the total tax on electricity is attributable to EVs, and send that money to the same highway fund receives the state gasoline tax.
Whichever way it gets sliced and diced, as gasoline cars go the way of the dodo, government will need to make up the tax shortfall for road maintenance. I think it’s probably fairest if people have to submit annual mileage or something, but even if not, if it’s done through the electric utility, taxes will need to increase dramatically somewhere to replace the lost revenue from gas.
 

IamIA

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$750 for me. I think it is based on cost. This one was $69,440.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Vehicle Registration Costs and Fees 20211216_232126
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