These States Charge Extra Fees To Register EVs And PHEVs

39 states charge additional fees beyond the standard car registration for an EV, ranging from $50 to $400.

Photo by: InsideEVs

By: Ty Duffy

Oct 29, 2024 at 1:00pm ET

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Manufacturers and dealers play up fuel savings and federal incentives to potential EV customers. However, buyers who follow through on buying an EV may be surprised by an added expense when transferring their plates. Many states — even some that one would characterize as decidedly blue ones that offer generous EV incentives — charge an additional registration fee for electric vehicles.

According to the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, 39 states charge additional fees beyond the standard car registration for an EV, ranging from $50 to $400. Several of those states also charge reduced added registration fees for plug-in hybrid vehicles and hybrid-electric vehicles.

Why do states charge more to register electric vehicles and hybrids?

Most states fund road improvements by levying a tax on gasoline. At least superficially, the process works neatly and fairly in a gasoline-only context. Drivers who place more stress on the roads by (a) driving more or (b) driving heavier trucks and SUVs that are less efficient use more fuel and thus pay more for the road’s upkeep. Lumped into the price of gas, the tax goes mostly unnoticed. Attempts to avoid the tax by driving less, driving together and driving more efficient vehicles are all public benefits.

EVs mess with that formula. Without an increased fee, one could characterize EV owners as freeloaders, using and damaging the roads (arguably more, given how heavy EVs are) without paying for their upkeep. EV owners not paying a gas tax may not have been a huge deal when a few early adopters were buying EVs. But with EVs accounting for nearly eight percent of new vehicle sales, the shortfall is becoming a lot greater.

Which states charge more to register electric vehicles?

Alabama: Annual additional fees of $203 for EVs, $103 for PHEVs. Fees increase by $3 every four years.
Alaska: No
Arizona: No
Arkansas: Annual additional fees of $200 for EVs, $100 for PHEVs, $50 for HEVs
California: Annual additional fee of $100 for zero-emission vehicles
Colorado: Annual fee of $50 for EV Decal, $12 for Registration fee for EVs and $8 for PHEVs
Connecticut: No
Delaware: No
DC: No
Florida: No
Georgia: Annual $210.87 licensing fee for non-commercial EVs and PHEVs. Annual $20 registration fee and $35 special tag fee. One-time $20 manufacturing fee.
Hawaii: Annual $50 additional fee for EVs.
Idaho: Annual $140 additional fees for EVs and $75 for PHEVs.
Illinois: Annual $100 additional fee for EVs.
Indiana: Annual additional fees of $221 for EVs and $74 for PHEVs.
Iowa: Annual additional fees of $130 for EVs and $65 for PHEVs.
Kansas: Annual additional fees of $100 for EVs and $50 for hybrids.
Kentucky: Annual additional fees of $120 for EVs and $60 for hybrids.
Louisiana: Annual additional fees of $110 for EVs and $60 PHEVs.
Maine: No
Maryland: Annual additional fees of $125 for EVs and $100 for PHEVs (starting July 1, 2025)
Massachusetts: No
Michigan: Annual additional fees of $100 ($200 for vehicles more than 8,000 pounds) for EVs and $30 ($100 for vehicles more than 8,000 pounds) for PHEVs
Minnesota: Annual additional fee of $75 for EVs.
Mississippi: Annual additional fees of $150 for EVs and $75 for PHEVs and HEVs.
Missouri: For vehicles below 18,000 pounds, annual additional AFV decal fees of $105 and for EVs and $52.50 for PHEVs.
Montana: Annual fees for EVs ($130 below 6,000 lbs, $190 above) and PHEVs ($70 below 6,000 lbs, $100 above). Then, the state charges a permanent one-time registration fee for EVs ($260 below 6,000 lbs, $380 above) and PHEVs ($140 below 6,000 lbs, $200 above) if your EV or PHEV is 11 or more years old.
Nebraska: Annual additional fees of $150 for EVs and $75 for PHEVs.
Nevada: No
New Hampshire: Annual additional fees of $100 for EVs and $50 for PHEVs.
New Jersey: Annual additional fee of $250 for EVs.
New Mexico: No
New York: No
North Carolina: Annual additional fees of $214.50 and $107.25 for PHEVs.
North Dakota: Annual additional fees of $120 for EVs and $50 for PHEVs.
Ohio: Annual additional fees of $200 for EVs, $150 for PHEVs and $100 for HEVs.
Oklahoma: Annual additional fees for EVs ($110 for 6,000 lbs or below and $158 for between 6,001 and 10,000 lbs) and PHEVs ($82 for 6,000 lbs or below and $118 for between 6,001 and 10,000 lbs).
Oregon: EV owners pay an additional $115 or $0.02 per road mile annually. PHEVs and HEVs pay an annual additional fee of $20 for 0-19 mpg, $25 for 20-39 mpg and $35 for 40 mpg or greater.
Pennsylvania: Additional annual fees of $200 for EVs and $50 for PHEVs. (starting January 1, 2025)
South Carolina: Additional biennial fees of $120 for EVs and $60 for PHEVs and HEVs.
South Dakota: Annual additional fee of $50 for EVs.
Tennessee: Annual additional fees of $200 for EVs and $100 for PHEVs and HEVs.
Texas: EV owners pay a $400 first-time registration fee and $200 annually afterward.
Utah: Additional annual fees of $138.50 for EVs, $60.25 for PHEVs and $23.25 for HEVs.
Vermont: EV owners pay $89 annually or $178 biannually. PHEV owners pay $44.50 annually or $89 biannually.
Virginia: EVs pay an annual Highway Use Fee of $128.14. PHEV and HEV owners pay based on mpg.
Washington: EV owners pay annual additional $150 registration and $75 transportation electrification fees. PHEVs with 30 miles of EV range or more pay additional $75 registration and $30 transportation electrification fees.
West Virginia: Annual additional fees of $200 for EVs and $100 for PHEVs
Wisconsin: Annual additional fees of $175 for EVs and $75 for PHEVs and HEVs.
Wyoming: Annual decal fee of $200 for EVs.