Vehicle owners in Maryland are going to start seeing new fees that will go to transit projects according to new state legislation.
Beginning July 1, the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) will increase vehicle registration rates and implement new fees. Prices could increase by up to 80%.
The new base rate for registration fees is based on vehicle class and weight. The fee has not changed since 2004 according to the MVA.
Electric vehicle owners will also see an increase in fees with a $250 biannual surcharge to offset the number of cars not paying the state’s gas tax.
According to officials, the increase in fees is a result of the Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2024 which includes a compromise between the Maryland House and Senate to put funding into road and transit project over the next five years.
According to the MVA, the vehicle fees will also offset emergency service and trauma response costs.
“As directed by state law, the MVA is required to adjust vehicle registration fees that will help provide critical revenue for the Transportation Trust Fund, which ensures all of the state’s infrastructure is in a state of good repair,” Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer said in a news release. “In order to make these new fees as affordable as possible, the MVA is now offering customers the convenient option to choose either a one- or two-year registration at time of their renewal.”
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Source: Baltimore Sun, WJLA.com
