New pickup registration fees going up
It's one of new laws in Iowa
By Rod Boshart Journal Des Moines Bureau | Posted: Wednesday, December 31, 2008
DES MOINES -- The sticker shock for new pickup owners in Iowa could come when they pay the yearly registration fee.
Instead of paying a flat $65 annual registration fee, state Department of Transportation officials said, Iowans who buy a pickup or truck after today that weighs 5 tons or less empty will be assessed charges based on the vehicle's weight, list price and model year.
For example, the annual fee to register a 2010 truck weighing 5,000 pounds empty that has a list price of $25,000 would be $270 under the new law that takes effect with the new year on Thursday.
Lawmakers last session also changed fees some Iowans pay to register and title their motor vehicles and trailers or license their motorcycles. That added revenue is to help upgrade the state's aging transportation system.
"Generally speaking, if your car, pickup truck or sport utility vehicle was titled and registered to you in Iowa before Jan. 1, 2009, your vehicle registration fees will not increase," DOT spokeswoman Dena Gray-Fisher said. "However, the new law does extend the number of years before vehicle registrations decline."
The new fee schedule is to increase transportation revenue initially by about $11 million and gradually ramp up to raise $128 million in 2012 -- the first infusion of new revenue into the state's road use tax fund for transportation repairs and upgrades since 1989.
Retiring Sen. John Putney, R-Gladbrook, said the change brings equity to a registration fee system that treated pickups differently from other vehicles, while generating revenue to deal with needed highway repairs and upgrades.
"Every little bit will help and we've got to start somewhere. We tried to come up with legislation that sort of eased us into it," he said. "We were due to make that (pickup fee) adjustment. It was only right."
All pickups currently licensed in Iowa would be grandfathered in to retain the $65 yearly registration fee, but any new pickup purchased for the 2010 model year and beyond would be subject to the higher assessment.
The law provides a special exemption for business-trade trucks weighing 10,000 pounds or less that will be assessed a maximum $150 fee for the 2010 model year and beyond, and gradually decline to a $50 floor over 12 years. Those vehicles would have to display a business-trade truck license plate.
One other law change that takes effect Thursday is a new requirement that cigarettes sold in Iowa be self-extinguishing products to reduce the risk of fires caused by unattended, smoldering cigarettes.
Iowa becomes at least the ninth state to require products manufactured with less porous paper and "fire safety bands" designed to extinguish a cigarette that has not been inhaled by the smoker for a period of time.
State Fire Marshal James Kenkel said he hopes the change reduces the number of fire deaths caused by careless smoking, which has been the leading cause of fire-related fatalities in Iowa for the last 30 years.
New laws
-- Antique vehicle -- An antique vehicle is defined as a motor vehicle 25 years old or older. The annual vehicle registration fee varies.
-- Automobile -- The annual vehicle registration fee is based on the vehicle's weight, list price and age. The minimum registration fee is $50, if titled and registered after Jan. 1.
-- Business trade truck -- The annual vehicle registration fee is based on the loaded weight of the truck and any towed vehicle. The fee is based on a range of 3 to 40 tons, and varies from a minimum of $150 up to $1,695.
-- Bus -- The annual vehicle registration fee is determined by the number of passengers to be carried. The fee is based on tonnage, and varies from a minimum of $35 up to $1,695.
-- Low-speed vehicle -- The annual vehicle registration fee is based on the vehicle's weight, list price and age. The minimum fee is $50, if titled and registered after Jan. 1.
-- Multipurpose vehicle -- The annual vehicle registration fee is based on the vehicle's weight, list price and age. The minimum fee is $50, if titled and registered after Jan. 1.
-- Semi-trailer truck -- The annual registration fee is $30 for trailers with an empty weight over 2,000 pounds, and $20 for trailers with an empty weight of less than 2,000 pounds.
-- Special truck and truck tractor -- The annual vehicle registration fee is based on the loaded weight of the truck and any towed vehicle. The fee is based on a tonnage range of 6 to 32 tons, and varies from a minimum of $80 up to $675.
-- Trailer -- The annual registration fee is $30 for trailers with an empty weight over 2,000 pounds, and $20 for trailers with an empty weight less than 2,000 pounds.
-- Travel trailer -- The annual registration fee is based on 30 cents per square foot of floor space and the travel trailer's age.
-- Truck and truck tractor -- The annual registration fee is based on the loaded weight of the truck and any towed vehicle. The fee is based on a range of 3 to 40 tons, and varies from a minimum of $35 up to $1,695.
On the Net
-- Details at www.iowadot.gov/time21/vehicle_reg.html
Source: Iowa Department of Transportation
Instead of paying a flat $65 annual registration fee, state Department of Transportation officials said, Iowans who buy a pickup or truck after today that weighs 5 tons or less empty will be assessed charges based on the vehicle's weight, list price and model year.
For example, the annual fee to register a 2010 truck weighing 5,000 pounds empty that has a list price of $25,000 would be $270 under the new law that takes effect with the new year on Thursday.
Lawmakers last session also changed fees some Iowans pay to register and title their motor vehicles and trailers or license their motorcycles. That added revenue is to help upgrade the state's aging transportation system.
"Generally speaking, if your car, pickup truck or sport utility vehicle was titled and registered to you in Iowa before Jan. 1, 2009, your vehicle registration fees will not increase," DOT spokeswoman Dena Gray-Fisher said. "However, the new law does extend the number of years before vehicle registrations decline."
The new fee schedule is to increase transportation revenue initially by about $11 million and gradually ramp up to raise $128 million in 2012 -- the first infusion of new revenue into the state's road use tax fund for transportation repairs and upgrades since 1989.
Retiring Sen. John Putney, R-Gladbrook, said the change brings equity to a registration fee system that treated pickups differently from other vehicles, while generating revenue to deal with needed highway repairs and upgrades.
"Every little bit will help and we've got to start somewhere. We tried to come up with legislation that sort of eased us into it," he said. "We were due to make that (pickup fee) adjustment. It was only right."
All pickups currently licensed in Iowa would be grandfathered in to retain the $65 yearly registration fee, but any new pickup purchased for the 2010 model year and beyond would be subject to the higher assessment.
The law provides a special exemption for business-trade trucks weighing 10,000 pounds or less that will be assessed a maximum $150 fee for the 2010 model year and beyond, and gradually decline to a $50 floor over 12 years. Those vehicles would have to display a business-trade truck license plate.
One other law change that takes effect Thursday is a new requirement that cigarettes sold in Iowa be self-extinguishing products to reduce the risk of fires caused by unattended, smoldering cigarettes.
Iowa becomes at least the ninth state to require products manufactured with less porous paper and "fire safety bands" designed to extinguish a cigarette that has not been inhaled by the smoker for a period of time.
State Fire Marshal James Kenkel said he hopes the change reduces the number of fire deaths caused by careless smoking, which has been the leading cause of fire-related fatalities in Iowa for the last 30 years.
New laws
-- Antique vehicle -- An antique vehicle is defined as a motor vehicle 25 years old or older. The annual vehicle registration fee varies.
-- Automobile -- The annual vehicle registration fee is based on the vehicle's weight, list price and age. The minimum registration fee is $50, if titled and registered after Jan. 1.
-- Business trade truck -- The annual vehicle registration fee is based on the loaded weight of the truck and any towed vehicle. The fee is based on a range of 3 to 40 tons, and varies from a minimum of $150 up to $1,695.
-- Bus -- The annual vehicle registration fee is determined by the number of passengers to be carried. The fee is based on tonnage, and varies from a minimum of $35 up to $1,695.
-- Low-speed vehicle -- The annual vehicle registration fee is based on the vehicle's weight, list price and age. The minimum fee is $50, if titled and registered after Jan. 1.
-- Multipurpose vehicle -- The annual vehicle registration fee is based on the vehicle's weight, list price and age. The minimum fee is $50, if titled and registered after Jan. 1.
-- Semi-trailer truck -- The annual registration fee is $30 for trailers with an empty weight over 2,000 pounds, and $20 for trailers with an empty weight of less than 2,000 pounds.
-- Special truck and truck tractor -- The annual vehicle registration fee is based on the loaded weight of the truck and any towed vehicle. The fee is based on a tonnage range of 6 to 32 tons, and varies from a minimum of $80 up to $675.
-- Trailer -- The annual registration fee is $30 for trailers with an empty weight over 2,000 pounds, and $20 for trailers with an empty weight less than 2,000 pounds.
-- Travel trailer -- The annual registration fee is based on 30 cents per square foot of floor space and the travel trailer's age.
-- Truck and truck tractor -- The annual registration fee is based on the loaded weight of the truck and any towed vehicle. The fee is based on a range of 3 to 40 tons, and varies from a minimum of $35 up to $1,695.
On the Net
-- Details at www.iowadot.gov/time21/vehicle_reg.html
Source: Iowa Department of Transportation
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MrsH wrote on Dec 31, 2008 1:54 PM:
Grant wrote on Dec 31, 2008 7:18 AM:
who should not be there. So now vehicle fees go up. And recently it was proposed that Iowa cities be allowed to tax resident's income. Where's the outrage?!
*www.fairus.org "
lll wrote on Dec 31, 2008 6:57 AM: