eTags provides online vehicle registration renewal services to motorists in California, Florida, and Maryland. They offers vehicle owners an alternative to standing in line at the DMV or even having to deal with confusing and sometimes frustrating online platforms with other online renewal options. They want their California customers to be aware that registrations fees will be slightly higher for certain vehicle owners next year when it comes time to renew.
In the state of California, registration fees go towards paying for the DMV and the California Highway Safety Patrol. However, new fees legislation passed in the California legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown would go towards improving California’s roadway infrastructure. There will be two news registration fees that will go into effect on January 1st of 2018.
The first is called a “Transportation Improvement Fee.” This will be calculated on the value of the vehicle, but public officials note that most vehicle owners will spend around $50 for this fee based on average vehicle values. The second fee will be specifically for Californians who own zero-emissions vehicles. This will be $100, and it will offset some of the lost revenue that California has missed in the past year as these vehicle owners are not paying any taxes on gas, which are used for highway improvement projects.
Also, please keep in mind if you live in California that gas taxes will be going up soon as well as part of this bill. The gas tax will be bumped by 12 cents, and the diesel tax will go up an additional 20 cents. This increase is slated to take effect in November. If you renew your vehicle registration in 2018 through eTags or the DMV or just simply go to the pump, you will be paying more, so it’s important to keep this in mind when you budget out your vehicle expenses.
