If you own a vehicle in California, in order to drive it legally you must pay for basic insurance and pay your yearly registration fees. Registration is fairly costly in California, so you might be wondering where all of your hard-earned money goes. The following is information about what you pay for when you send in your registration tax.
Part of your registration tax is called the Vehicle License Fee, and this fee first was levied in 1935 and is considered a property tax on motor vehicles. Different cars are charged different amounts for the VLF, depending on the age of a vehicle and the purchase price of the vehicle. Your VLF will drop every year for 11 years of vehicle ownership then stay at the same level.
The VLF is distributed in various amounts to different government agencies, and the largest portion goes back to your county. In addition, some of the money goes to the Department of Motor Vehicles and some goes to the California Highway Patrol. Funding for state highways also is financed using the VLF, and there are other state programs that are funded with this tax, as well.
There is more to your bill than just the VLF. Your general registration fee of $69 also is included in your bill, and this is broken down into a registration tax that goes directly to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as well as a chunk which is sent to the California Highway Patrol. Failure to pay any portion of your vehicle taxes results in very stringent fines, and if you are caught driving in an unregistered vehicle, the fines are even higher.
There are other fees that are part of your total cost, and some are only charged to certain types of motorists. For example, if you are registering a commercial vehicle, you will often be charged a weight fee. If you have a special license plate, such as one that has been personalized, you must pay extra for that every year. In addition, your bill includes various county and district taxes. If you have outstanding parking tickets, you often are charged an Owner Responsibility Fee, as well.
In addition to paying for your registration tax, in Berkeley and many other areas, smog certification is required every other year. While smog checks are not needed for late model vehicles or hybrid vehicles, most other vehicles will need to have a smog test. This is an added cost, but the money for the smog check goes directly to the smog test station to cover labor and equipment costs.
Part of your registration tax is called the Vehicle License Fee, and this fee first was levied in 1935 and is considered a property tax on motor vehicles. Different cars are charged different amounts for the VLF, depending on the age of a vehicle and the purchase price of the vehicle. Your VLF will drop every year for 11 years of vehicle ownership then stay at the same level.
The VLF is distributed in various amounts to different government agencies, and the largest portion goes back to your county. In addition, some of the money goes to the Department of Motor Vehicles and some goes to the California Highway Patrol. Funding for state highways also is financed using the VLF, and there are other state programs that are funded with this tax, as well.
There is more to your bill than just the VLF. Your general registration fee of $69 also is included in your bill, and this is broken down into a registration tax that goes directly to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as well as a chunk which is sent to the California Highway Patrol. Failure to pay any portion of your vehicle taxes results in very stringent fines, and if you are caught driving in an unregistered vehicle, the fines are even higher.
There are other fees that are part of your total cost, and some are only charged to certain types of motorists. For example, if you are registering a commercial vehicle, you will often be charged a weight fee. If you have a special license plate, such as one that has been personalized, you must pay extra for that every year. In addition, your bill includes various county and district taxes. If you have outstanding parking tickets, you often are charged an Owner Responsibility Fee, as well.
In addition to paying for your registration tax, in Berkeley and many other areas, smog certification is required every other year. While smog checks are not needed for late model vehicles or hybrid vehicles, most other vehicles will need to have a smog test. This is an added cost, but the money for the smog check goes directly to the smog test station to cover labor and equipment costs.
About the Author:
Nolan Tornes likes writing and sharing tips on auto maintenance. For additional information about DMV smog Berkeley centers or to find out more about car smog Berkeley centers, please go to the Berkeley-Smog.com website now.
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