How much do you pay for your vehicle registration?

[CubicleFarmer]

*should have been skeptic

 

[Gary Fowler]

I cant recall the exact cost of license for my vehicles in Ark but they are very reasonable. I do think that my truck cost me $3.50 per year for a Veteran plate but I can only license one vehicle. All automobile plates are the same price as far as I know with average cost about $30 per year. I get all my vehicles (4 + motorcycle)licensed for a bit over $100 per year. My trailer tag is good for life and very cheap IIRC (been about 5 years)was only about $15.
There is personal property tax added to real estate tax but without looking at my tax receipt to see the individual cost, I do know that total tax for last year was $2504 for my house, 11.2 acres of land and all my personal property. Sales tax varies by city but minimum of 9.5% up to 10.5% in Hot Springs. While property taxes are cheaper here than what I paid when living it Texas, we also have state income tax to pay along with Federal so it adds back up quickly.

When you boil it all down, I think most places equal out to nearly the same out of pocket expense for running your local government. IF they don't get you directly in property, vehicle or state income taxes, then they get their money indirectly through hidden (or partially hidden) taxes like sales taxes, gasoline taxes or VAT taxes like Canadians pay.

 

[Looking4new]

Brits pay VAT.
We Canucks pay Gouge and Screw Tax, and Provincial Sales Tax. Sometimes called Hose and Screw Tax. That is on top of the Road Use Tax that is added to the fuel at the pumps. Starting January 1, 2017 there will be a Cap and Trade Tax on the gas. Another 4% increase in the price of gas.

I forgot the price I paid for my trailer plates but they are lifetime. That was instituted about 40 years ago and the last plate I bought was about 35 years ago. We just have to register when we swap them from one trailer to another.
Our vehicle license plates are owned by us and we just need to buy the validation sticker for them. I get mine every 2 years. The good thing is that I do NOT have to buy the sticker in the county I reside. I can buy my sticker anywhere I am in Ontario. If I am not in Ontario when it comes due, I can do the whole process by mail and pay with credit card.

 

[jclaudii]

In Arkansas Gary is pretty close, our registration fees do seem cheap compared to other states but we do have to pay a percentage of our vehicles worth for personal property tax. On the plus side (some may argue with this one), there is no smog check or safety registration to pass and no weight plates. We do have a farm plate for pickup trucks that grant some additional things but I have not looked into that for years.

We also have antique tags, if it's over 25 years old you buy your last plate ever for that rig. It does have a stipulation that it can not be your primary driver (a Sunday driver)and can not be heavily modified from stock.

I looked into this before some and the only thing I can figure out is the revenue dept/vehicle tags is still in place to provide jobs to low skill folks. The entire system of who owns a rig should be fully automated and ran on a database and website with min cost. Seems today it is complicated to justify folks keeping their jobs.

 

[Oaktree]

....................................................
Kicker is NH so call tax free state...not true,property tax one of the highest in the nation along w/other %$#& taxes like view tax.

No one ever said N.H. was tax free, we just don't have either an income or sales tax (outside of lodging and prepared meals). I don't see that property taxes here are all that different than neighboring states. Certainly high compared to southern states to be sure, but total tax burden in N.H. isn't abnormally high, it's just that most of it comes from one source.
AFAIK there is no such thing as a "view tax". Please provide link to a state statute if I'm wrong. If you have a nice view it will likely be incorporated into your property assessment, but then again a view does increase property value. No doubt if you had a view it would be a factor in setting your asking price if selling it would it not?

I know of no state that the registration fee is based on miles driven. That is what the 20｢ a gallon gasoline tax (in TX) is for. The more you drive the more you pay.

With hybrids and electric (or other alternate fuel) vehicles becoming more common it wouldn't surprise me if that changed in the future. It would be easy enough to require mileage to be noted when re-registering, a road use tax bill could be generated from that. I'd expect much whining and bleating from those who own them and are getting a free ride now, but fair is fair. It's a matter of when, not if. As to whether it would reduce fuel taxes, well....never underestimate government greed.

I remember when N.H. instituted a statewide property tax for education that was supposed to reduce local taxes. It did, for a while until the cities & towns just padded it right back up to where it was before.

 

[the old grind]

MY beef isn't just with MI's registration/plate rates, it's also with the 'catastrophic claims' tax when renewing insurance. This is pretty much forced crowd-funding of insurance claims above 10 million. (example: lost wages, can't bag fries after broken clavicle b'cuz seat belt wasn't worn when texting and driving into ditch)
Basically, all registrants pay the big claims at renewal so insurance cos don't have to. This had been $90, was reduced to $72 for ~1yr, is now $80 per.

We've already had 'no fault insurance' for decades, meaning no matter who is at fault the ins co only has the claimant/policy holder to weasel out of reimbursing.

So here's what I paid for current plates, before the new hikes are even here, and all due to be re-tagged by May:
'99 Chev K-2500 ______$86
'06 Monte Carlo LT____$101
'06 Monte Carlo LT ___ $87
'89 H-D FXSTS _______$23
Plates only __________ $297, if paid on time, and with no Recreational passport (annual State Parks sticker) OR $5-15 'late fee'.

Now add the 'Insurance Company Bailout' $320 for bike/1yr and Spring insurance renewal on cars/truck, and another $240 to renew again in Aug.

The '06 F-450 and '82 C-30 compost-hauler won't be insured, wearing plates, or leaving my ten any time soon, if ever.

BTW, My total mileage driven on plated cars, truck, bike rarely exceeds 10k. Truck has 39k on odo, so my driving costs are typically in dollars/mile, and the old 'vette is still 'for sale or trade'. (... for a nice towable tree spade?)

 

[PJSprog]

License plate renewal fee for a passenger vehicle in Illinois is $108/year for standard or personalized, higher if you get vanity (no numbers). Motorcycles plates are $41/year.

We don't pay a "personal property tax" in Illinois, but we more than make up for it in other higher taxes and fees.

 

[Oaktree]

We don't pay a "personal property tax" in Illinois.

We don't either. For those who live in states that do, what "personal property" counts towards it? Do you basically have to inventory your home and account for every clock radio and set of dishes or is it restricted to "major" items (definition open to interpretation)?

 

[BoylermanCT]

We don't either. For those who live in states that do, what "personal property" counts towards it? Do you basically have to inventory your home and account for every clock radio and set of dishes or is it restricted to "major" items (definition open to interpretation)?

In CT, personal items that are subject to property tax are houses, sheds, barns, land, cars, trucks, trailers, horses, snowmobiles, tractors. Boats are not taxed, but the trailer is! I've thought about putting a large houseboat on my 2 acre pond. Would save a fortune on taxes! Now if you have a business, then all equipment is subject to the property tax - copier, coffee machine etc. And in addition to this, we have income tax, sales tax, business tax, gas tax etc. CT has never said no to any tax ideas. We also have lotto and casinos for more tax revenue.

We are thinking of a 2nd gas tax, as the roads and bridges need repairs, and the state has stolen the money from the 1st gas tax to pay for other things. So this new gas tax would be "just for roads and bridges". I thought that was the purpose of the 1st gas tax! They have proposed a mileage based road tax for everyone, but can't figure out how to enforce it.

 

[Turbys_1700]

NC changed the tax structure the last few years increasing tag and registration fees in order to lower the income tax. Go figure. As it stands they have different tag fees based on the GVWR of the vehicle.

< 4K# private car or truck 36.00
< 5K# private truck 56.50
< 6K # private truck 67.00
etc...
plate fee for trailer 25.00

Safety and Inspection Fees 13.60
Emissions Inspection Fee 30.00

If you car is 35 years or older, or if your truck is an older diesel under no emissions requirements, or if your truck is over 8100 gvwr. If you car is less than 3 years old and has less than 70K miles it is exempt. Testing is required in 48 of 100 counties. Confusing isn't it???

Personal property tax on the vehicle is paid at the time you purchase your tag. The rate varies from county to county. The lower the value of the vehicle the lower the tax. I have 3 beater cars and a decent truck. For example the tax on my old 2000 Buick is 13.60 per year. State income tax is a flat 5.75%.

Oaktree to answer your question personal property is taxed at the assessed value by the county. That includes house, real estate, etc. Typically reevaluations occur every 5 to 8 years.