mgs
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Title/Plates Cost

To: "MG List" <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Title/Plates Cost
From: Max Heim <mvheim@studiolimage.com>
Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1999 12:41:15 -0800
In California the fees vary based on the value of the vehicle at the time 
of first registration. My 1966 MGB was registered in my name in 1988 with 
a purchase price of $700 or $800 (I forget). Here's the fee breakdown 
from 1999:

Registration Fee    $30 (fixed amount)
Vehicle License Fee (VLF)     $8 (varies with value -- see below)
Weight Fee     $0 (apparently not applicable)
Special Plate Fee   $0 (if you have a commemorative license plate design)
County/District Fees     $8 (also vary)
Owner Responsibility Fee      $0 (no idea -- obviously not applicable to 
LBC owners!)
VLF Offset     -$2 (see rant below)
TOTAL DUE      $44

This "VLF Offset" negative-dollar figure is due to a shameless 
election-year voter-pandering scheme called the "Car Tax Rebate", 
announced with much ballyhoo. The state legislature, in a pathetic 
display, jumped on the opportunity to get on the books with a "tax cut", 
and rolled back the VLF by 25%, thus generating a massive $2 rebate for 
yours truly (whoop-de-doo!), while consumers of luxury imports and 
massive gas-guzzlers got rebates ranging up into 3 figures, all while 
depriving the state of something like $1.5 billion in revenues (which, in 
the best of all possible worlds, would be used to repair and maintain 
some of the miserable state highways). This might be called regressive 
non-taxation. Obviously, I have no complaint about the measly $44 fee 
total. It just irks me that the big cuts went to the fat cats. Just for 
the record, the total in 1988 was $25.

KGROWLER@aol.com had this to say:

>Yesterday I went to the Illinois Secretary of State's Office (which in most 
>other states I have resided in would be called the Department of Motor 
>Vehicles) to change the title of a '65 Midget I bought last spring into my 
>name. Normally I wouldn't bother with a car that I am not putting plates on 
>and driving. I usually just hang on to the signed off title until I need to 
>plate it. The change of plans was precipitated by a new fee schedule going 
>in 
>to effect Jan. 1. The cost of converting a title is currently $13. Next week 
>it jumps to $65! Annual plates jump as well. This makes me curious as to 
>what 
>similar fees are elsewhere. I know the $48 annual plate fee we were paying 
>is 
>relatively cheap. It is jumping to $78 which still isn't bad compared to 
>some 
>states. What kind of fees are assessed in other states, provinces and 
>countries?
>
>Kim Tonry
>Downers Grove, Illinois, USA
>


--

Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>