Oregon electric car owners to pay higher registration

As will other fuel-efficient cars, to pay toward use of roads

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- New Oregon vehicle registration, title and trip permit fees -- including higher registration fees for electric vehicles than gas-powered ones -- will take effect Jan. 1 as part of “Keep Oregon Moving,” the biggest transportation investment in state history, Oregon DMV officials said Tuesday.

Under the transportation funding package the Oregon Legislature passed in 2017, passenger vehicle registration fees will be based largely on the vehicle’s fuel efficiency rating. Drivers of more efficient vehicles will pay more to register and renew their tags, so they contribute more for use of the roads. That’s because these drivers are contributing much less (or nothing) in fuels tax while driving just as much.

Drivers of electric vehicles and passenger cars that get 40 miles per gallon or better will have a choice. They can pay a full fee for two or four years up front, or they can pay a lower fee and a monthly per-mile charge for miles driven in Oregon if they join OReGO.

Oregon residents with vehicle tags expiring on or after Jan. 1, 2020, will see these new fees in their renewal reminders starting this month. If your vehicle’s tags expire after Dec. 31, 2019, the new fee will apply even if you pay early. Registration fees are based on the vehicle registration renewal date, not the date that the fee is paid.

Here is a summary of the new fees for passenger vehicles (new vehicles are registered for four years at first, then every two years):

Most passenger vehicles
Fuel economy   Four years Two years
0-19 mpg          $244          $122
20-39 mpg        $264          $132

High-mileage passenger vehicles
Fuel economy                             Four years Two years
40+ mpg NOT in OReGO           $304           $152
40+ mpg enrolled in OReGO      $172           $86
Electric NOT in OReGO             $612           $306
Electric enrolled in OReGO        $172           $86

Drivers can compare what they would pay in OReGO versus what they currently pay in gas tax by plugging their car’s mpg rating and the typical number of miles they drive into the OReGO calculator at www.MyOReGO.org/calculator.

Drivers can contact OReGO customer service at (503) 986-7827 or myOReGO@odot.state.or.us, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to learn more or for help signing up.

DMV will update its fee information at OregonDMV.com as of Jan. 1, 2020.

Fees for commercial trucks and buses also are going up under this transportation funding program. For more information on commercial vehicle fees, visit the Motor Carrier Transportation Division at www.Oregon.gov/ODOT/MCT.

Vehicle registration fees, title fees and other motor vehicle-related fees, such as fuels taxes and motor carriers’ weight-mile taxes, are set by the Legislature and help support Oregon’s transportation system – statewide and at the local levels. The increased fees are part of the major funding package to improve our state’s transportation system and to strengthen our economy.

Here are some transportation system investments your fees will support:

* Highway maintenance, preservation, seismic upgrades and safety, including specific construction projects across the state.
* Increased funding for road maintenance and repairs in small cities and counties.
* A Safe Routes to School infrastructure program to reduce barriers and hazards for children walking or bicycling to and from school.
* Economic benefits by sustaining jobs, keeping freight moving, and providing a boost to local communities across the state.

For upcoming transportation projects in your area, visit www.oregon.gov/ODOT.

Any time you need to visit a DMV office, first check www.OregonDMV.com to find office hours and locations, and to make sure you have everything you need before your visit. You also can do some DMV business from home, such as vehicle registration renewals, at OregonDMV.com.