Good Question: How Are DMV Fees Calculated?

(CBS 5) – From gas, to insurance and registration, driving is not cheap in the Golden State. Mike Lindsay in Los Gatos asked this Good Question: How are DMV registration fees calculated?

ANSWER: According to Jaime Garza with the Department of Motor Vehicles, you pay 1.15 percent of the sales price of a car at the time of purchase. That amount is reduced by 10 percent over the next 8 years and then drops another 5 percent on year 9.

There are other fees attached to your yearly registration that can vary from county to county to fund everything from smog abatement to weight fees and fees for personalized plates. All registration fees are itemized on your renewal notice.

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