Oregon vehicle registration, title fees to increase Dec. 31

Editor’s note: Based on a petition challenging House Bill 3991, the fees have been paused. Here is a link to a story on the latest news on this issue.

Starting Dec. 31, drivers will pay more to register and title their vehicles under a transportation funding bill approved three months ago by the Oregon Legislature.

House Bill 3991, which passed with a three-fifths majority on Sept. 29, increases vehicle title and registration fees to generate revenue for maintaining Oregon’s transportation system.

The fee increases include:

• Base title fees for most vehicles, excluding heavy vehicles and salvage titles, will rise by $139.
• Base registration fees for passenger vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds, low- and medium-speed vehicles, and light trailers will increase by $42 per year.
• An additional surcharge for vehicles with a combined fuel economy rating of 40 miles per gallon or higher and electric vehicles will increase by $30 per year.

Oregon drivers pay a four-year registration fee when purchasing a new passenger vehicle and a two-year fee when buying a used passenger vehicle or renewing registration.

First-time registration fees for brand-new vehicles are based on when registration begins. The increased fees will apply to new registrations starting Dec. 31.

Renewal registration fees are based on when existing registration expires. The increased fees will apply to registration renewals with expiration dates on or after Dec. 31, even if drivers renew early.

Title fees remain the same for each vehicle type and MPG rating, whether for a first-time title, title transfer, replacement or duplicate. Increased fees will apply to title transactions occurring on or after Dec. 31.

Title and registration fees combine with Oregon’s gas tax and freight hauler fees to finance the State Highway Fund, which distributes money to the state, counties and cities for road and bridge maintenance and improvements.

According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, the fee increases will help pay for snow and ice removal, clearing rockfall and landslide debris, removing traffic incident debris, and other critical maintenance work in counties and cities statewide. The revenue will also fund DMV staffing positions that were frozen or held vacant.

For more information, visit oregondmv.com or call 503-945-5000.