First California Vehicle Registration Renewal

[ChairmanMeow]

I bought my Tesla back in Feb of 2020 and now I just received my first Vehicle Registration Renewal Notice from the DMV.

To my surprise, the amount due is $639 with $367 for the registration fee and $261 for the license fee.

I say surprised because comparing to my other car, Honda Accord, the total registration fee is only $180.

Is it because it's Tesla and that's why it's so much more expensive? Is this right?

 

[orangejooze]

I bought my Tesla back in Feb of 2020 and now I just received my first Vehicle Registration Renewal Notice from the DMV.

To my surprise, the amount due is $639 with $367 for the registration fee and $261 for the license fee.

I say surprised because comparing to my other car, Honda Accord, the total registration fee is only $180.

Is it because it's Tesla and that's why it's so much more expensive? Is this right?

Wow I am not looking forward to my first renewal come next September.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Yes, Registrations includes the Vehicle License Fee, which is a tax based on vehicle value.

Registration Fees - California DMV

Vehicle License Fee (VLF) – 0.65% of purchase price/value of vehicle

Our property tax on vehicles is based on MSRP and is
2.4%, 2.0%, 1.75%, 1.35%, 1%, 0.65%, 0.4%, 0.4%, ...

 

[ChairmanMeow]

Yes, Registrations includes the Vehicle License Fee, which is a tax based on vehicle value.

Registration Fees - California DMV



Our property tax on vehicles is based on MSRP and is
2.4%, 2.0%, 1.75%, 1.35%, 1%, 0.65%, 0.4%, 0.4%, ...

Thanks for that info, makes sense. However, do you know why the renewal is more expensive than the original fee I paid when I bought the car from Tesla? That was only $560 including the registration fee and license fee.

 

[RayK]

California starts charging EV registration fees up to $175 in July - Electrek

 

[MXLRplus]

It's a property tax. It used to be the actual cost of running the DMV.
We kicked Gray Davis to the curb when he allowed a massive hike.
Time to do it again.
Only a small fraction goes to roads.


Notice all the AZ plates in California? Everyone who can registers out of state.

 

[The_Observer]

Yep, just paid my registration fees for my 2020 Model 3 as well, around the same price OP is paying... I better expect German autobahn butter smooth roads in about a decade.

 

[H-H-H]

Received mine for a Model 3 MR purchased in Feb 2019. $514. It will go down a bit each year for a few years as it depreciates.

 

[phobos512]

Taxifornia strikes again...Income tax, property tax, sales tax, fuel tax for people who have ICEs, vehicle registration, and all you get in return are earthquakes, droughts, rolling blackouts, never ending fires, unbelievable housing prices... Gosh, why did we ever leave...

 

[lUtriaNt]

thanks for the heads up OP. im due in march. at least there is no need for emissions.

 

[Lpfan2002]

Other states don't even charge taxes for EV vehicles and here comes the Democratic Peoples Republic of California charging you for owning an EV. I'm afraid to even think about the cost of electricity in 10 years.

 

[mackgoo]

It;s tp make up for us not paying a gas tax. In the great words of the guy leaving. If you don't like it leave.

 

[MoparGuy]

People actually voted for this if I am not mistaken, I thought it was baked with the gas tax hike! yes in CA people vote for taxes and they always complain later, makes no sense right?

 

[Lpfan2002]

People actually voted for this if I am not mistaken, I thought it was baked with the gas tax hike! yes in CA people vote for taxes and they always complain later, makes no sense right?

yeah if you look at our voting track record. There are a lot of uneducated voter. People read the titles of props and check yes because it “feels good.”

 

[MoparGuy]

yeah if you look at our voting track record. There are a lot of uneducated voter. People read the titles of props and check yes because it “feels good.”

All you have to do to get anything approved in CA is to put D-CA before the name of whoever introducing the bill.

 

[lUtriaNt]

bought my model 3 perf in march 2020. renewal is $809.00.

 

[1100MCM]

bought my model 3 perf in march 2020. renewal is $809.00.

Same here but my renewal was 730.00

 

[Lydier]

My renewal fee is 599 for Tesla Model 3. I noticed there are two large additional HIDDEN CHARGES

- Road Improvement Fee 100
- Current Transportation Improvement Fee 165

You can only see the breakdown of your vehicle's renewal fees by using the DMV's online calculator tool. Here's the link.

Calculate New Vehicle Fees

www.dmv.ca.gov

Those two charges are a senate bill. The government started collecting these fees since 2017.
As to why do tesla owners have to pay so much for the improvement fees, I have no idea!

 

[Red_dragon]

I bought my Tesla model Y December of 2020 and only paid a license fee of $346. Just received a registration bill for upcoming year and total of $685 ($364 for registration fee + $312 for license fee +$9 for county/district fee). What a scumbag state of California robbing people on a broad daylight!!!

 

[stopcrazypp]

My renewal fee is 599 for Tesla Model 3. I noticed there are two large additional HIDDEN CHARGES

- Road Improvement Fee 100
- Current Transportation Improvement Fee 165

You can only see the breakdown of your vehicle's renewal fees by using the DMV's online calculator tool. Here's the link.

Calculate New Vehicle Fees

www.dmv.ca.gov

Those two charges are a senate bill. The government started collecting these fees since 2017.
As to why do tesla owners have to pay so much for the improvement fees, I have no idea!

Thanks for this tip, I was wondering why it was so high and it was not clear on the FAQs (only one that was clear was the License Fee which is 0.65% of current value). The calculator (below for renewal) gives the exact numbers for each line:
Welcome to California

The big ones are what you listed: the RIF (which applies only to EVs) and TIF (applies to all cars and is also based on your car's value).