EXCLUSIVE: Head of Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration explains what drivers need to know about big hike in car registration fees
Marylanders looking to register a vehicle or renew their registrations may be facing sticker shock of a whole different sort: Fees in the state have gone up, starting July 1.
Maryland lawmakers approved the fee hike a few months ago when they OK’d the state budget. They said the increase in fees was necessary as a way to pour money into the depleted Transportation Trust Fund, which pays for road projects.
All told, the registration fees Maryland drivers now have to pay have jumped anywhere from 60 to 80 percent.
Before July 1, people who own a regular size car, on average, were paying $135 every two years. The new rates make that more like $220 every two years. The fees are higher for heavier vehicles like trucks.
Chrissy Nizer, the head of Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration, joined WTOP’s Anne Kramer and Brennan Haselton to explain the new fees.
Listen to the full interview below. This post will also be updated with a transcript of the interview later.