by Jon Styf
State registration fees for personal vehicles and motorcycles will be waived starting on July 1 for a full year.
The move comes out of legislation passed at the end of this year’s session and then signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee earlier this month.
The law applies to registrations that expire after July 1 and before June 30, 2023.
“Plates expiring before or after this period will be subject to the ordinary registration fee,” a notice from the Department of Revenue said.
“We want to make sure motorists are aware they will not pay this state registration fee when they renew their registration during the next fiscal year,” Revenue Commissioner David Gerregano said. “However, other fees may still apply. Be sure to check with your local county clerk, as applicable fees do vary.”
The fee waiver applies to personal vehicles but does not apply to commercial vehicle registrations. The state portion of those registration fees is $23.75 for personal vehicles and motor homes while it’s $16.75 for motorcycles and autocycles.
A $100 registration fee for electric vehicles, however, will not be waived and neither will any county fees for registrations.
The legislative initiative will have a total financial impact of $121.6 million for the state.
The bill received a budget appropriation to cover the two funds that receive revenue from the registration fees. That includes $110.6 million to the state’s Highway Fund and $5.2 million to the Police Pay Supplement Fund, which receives the first dollar of each registration.
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Jon Styf is an award-winning editor and reporter at The Center Square, who has worked in Illinois, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida and Michigan in local newsrooms over the past 20 years.
