car registration fees (Phoenix, Tucson: environment, work, mobile home)

[mamom1]

Not too long ago, I read a post on here about the cost of registering your car in the state and I'm confused.

Here in Mass. we register our cars every 2 years(I think it is 2 years) and it costs us around $45.00. We get a new registration and a little sticker to put on our license plate.

Every year we get an excise tax bill where the amount is based on the value of our vehicles. I drive a 2001 ford ranger and paid around $47.00 this year. My husband drives a 2005 nissan sentra and paid around $150.00.

So, I guess my confusion is, do you get charged an excise tax every year on your vehicles in addition to paying a ridiculous amount to register your car? Or, is the amount to register your car AZ's equivilent to Mass. excise tax?

[nickname]

You just pay the one ridiculous fee when you renew your "tag", which is the little sticker on the plate. For older vehicles, you need to get an emissions test every other year, so you can either pay for one year or two years at a time, depending where you are in the emissions process.

I know it's pretty expensive here to register certain vehicles, especially new ones. I'm curious as to how we compare with other states, since I've only ever lived in two other states and have been here since 2001 this time.

[Ponderosa]

The registration part is only $8 per year. The rest is tax and emissions testing - mostly tax. There is no separate tax bill. The tax portion is based on the value of the vehicle and is deductible. It goes down around 16% for each year and so gets pretty minimal on older vehicles but never zero. One of my cars (2000) is $47 this year. A new RV can cost thousands.

[azkylady2]

Originally Posted by nickname

You just pay the one ridiculous fee when you renew your "tag", which is the little sticker on the plate. For older vehicles, you need to get an emissions test every other year, so you can either pay for one year or two years at a time, depending where you are in the emissions process.

I know it's pretty expensive here to register certain vehicles, especially new ones. I'm curious as to how we compare with other states, since I've only ever lived in two other states and have been here since 2001 this time.

Ohio is 37 dollars for any passenger car.

[luv_it_here]

The registration cost in Phoenix breaks down to about $10.00 a year to register, all the rest of it is the VLT - vehicle license tax. That is based on the age and type of vehicle, which means it's pretty similar to what mamom1 said they have in Mass., but on a single bill.

You also have to pay for emissions testing, although on newer vehicles you only have to get that done every other year.

[eastcoastlady]

So is there something equivalent to "inspection" in the NE in AZ?
In MA, we have to register and have our cars inspected- 2 separate things. Your car has to pass inspection and I know the rules vary state to state in the NE.

[luv_it_here]

Originally Posted by eastcoastlady

So is there something equivalent to "inspection" in the NE in AZ?
In MA, we have to register and have our cars inspected- 2 separate things. Your car has to pass inspection and I know the rules vary state to state in the NE.

Inspected might be similar to our emissions testing. They run pollutant checks, etc. . .? Hook the car up to huge hoses, and test the output fumes for high levels of pollutants

Vehicle Emissions Testing Costs

[TurcoLoco]

Vehicle Registration related info: Motor Vehicle Division

As 'luv_it_here' provided, the registration cost:

Effective Sept. 1, 2004
Phoenix Area

• 1981 and newer cars, plus most light trucks (under 8,501 lbs.): $27.75
• Most other vehicles (except heavy duty diesels): $19.00
• Heavy-duty diesel vehicles (greater than 8,500 lbs. GVWR): $28.00

Tucson Area

• All vehicles: $12.25

Here is the link to the above info and also emission test locations:
Faster Emissions Testing! Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

If your vehicle is newer than 5 years old, you will not need an emission test done on it. So vehicle built in 2003 or before will need an emission test/certificate to register this year. Your husband's car will not need it until 2010.

[eastcoastlady]

I have a 2005 Mini Cooper convertible and a 2005 Mazda 3. Any guess what the "VLT" would be for those vehicles?

[TurcoLoco]

Originally Posted by eastcoastlady

I have a 2005 Mini Cooper convertible and a 2005 Mazda 3. Any guess what the "VLT" would be for those vehicles?

Registration Fees

Several fees are standard for all vehicles:

• Title fee - $4

• Registration fee - $8

• Air quality research fee - $1.50

The variable fee comes in the form of the vehicle license tax (VLT), which is assessed instead of the personal property tax that many other states charge. It is based on the manufacturer's base retail price of the automobile, but takes into account amortization, so you will pay a little less to register your vehicle each year.
If you are interested in the math, it is best to work with an example. Let's say you bought your car for $25,000. The MVD will take 60% of that value and reduce it 16.25% for each year that the vehicle has been registered in Arizona (the state will depreciate it only 15% if it was registered before August 1, 1998). The MVD then divides that number by 100. The quotient is multiplied by $2.80 if it is a new vehicle and $2.89 if it is a used vehicle. So your $25,000 automobile would have a VLT of $420 in the first year and $363.06 in the second. See how easy that was?
Mobile home owners pay a title fee of $7 alone.

Above info was taken from: Arizona Car Registration Guide - Forms, Locations & Hours - DMV.ORG