Senate Bill 09-108
Higher registrations and late penalties
Prepare now for higher vehicle registration fees on renewal notices and fines for late registrations beginning July 1, 2009.
Senate Bill 09-108 was signed into law on Monday, March 2nd, and represents the largest fee increase for vehicle registrations in many years. As a general rule, the fees in this bill are based on the weight of the vehicle, which can be found under the CWT section on your registration. To arrive at your vehicle weight, take the number under CWT on your registration and multiple it by 100. Beginning in July, the average car registration (weighing 2001# to 5000#) will increase by $32. Motorcycles and very light-weight vehicles (2000# or less) will increase by $22.50. An average pick-up (5001# to 10,000#) will increase by $39.50, and larger trucks will see an increase of $51.50 to $55.00. The fee increase does extend to utility and camper trailers as well, based on their weight.
The bridge safety surcharge fee included in the bill is phased in over three years, so registrations will continue to increase over a three-year period. The average car will cost an extra $32 the first year; $36.50 the second year; and $41 the third year. Other vehicle types will experience similar staged increases over the three-year period.
One aspect of this bill that has not been widely publicized involves a mandatory fine for late renewals. The fee will be $25/month for every month past the grace period on your vehicle, up to a maximum of $100. This will be in addition to the standard renewal fees. Please evaluate your vehicle licenses to determine which vehicle or trailer is not up-to-date and renew prior to July 1, 2009. In addition, vehicle owners may want to consider selling or disposing of vehicles that are infrequently used, no longer used, or often left with expired registrations.
Although additional funding for state roads has been needed for some time, the bill faced significant opposition in both houses prior to passage by those desiring a different funding mechanism. You may view the vote history on SB09-108 by accessing the General Assembly website at www.leg.state.co.us and referencing the journals for both the Senate and House. The bill was passed in the House on February 25th and the Senate on February 27th.
The county clerk’s office is currently reviewing the 67-page bill which includes fees for a road safety surcharge and a bridge safety surcharge. Our office has yet to receive any official interpretation on implementing this bill from the Department of Revenue, but will continue to update Gilpin County citizens as we receive pertinent information.