Schmidt Submits Transportation Budget Amendments to Lower Registration Fees & Taxes for Ohioans

COLUMBUS – State Representative Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland) submitted amendments to the Transportation Budget to lower registration fees and eliminate unnecessary registration taxes. 

Schmidt’s amendments would remove provisions of the bill that would increase the annual Bureau Motor Vehicles (BMV) additional registration fee as follows: 

• From $11 to $21 for passenger/noncommercial vehicles.
• From $30 to $40 for non-apportioned commercial vehicles (cars, buses, trailers and semitrailers).
• An increase in the annual registration tax collected for apportioned commercial vehicles (subject to rates under the International Registration Plan) by ten dollars.

“I've always said that a government fee is a tax.  I have real concerns with additional fee increases, especially as many Ohioans are out of work and businesses continue to struggle due to the pandemic,” said Schmidt.

Schmidt also proposed an amendment that would eliminate the provisions of the bill that increases the fee for motor vehicle and specialty vehicle certificates of title by two dollars and directs the proceeds from the increase to the Security, Investigations and Policing Fund. 

Schmidt also supports an amendment proposed by State Representative Jon Cross (R-Kenton) that replaces the annual $25 registration tax for commercial trailers and semitrailers with a one-time $50 registration tax. The amendment specifies that the $25 annual tax applies through December 31, 2021, and makes conforming changes for the multi-year and permanent registration options for commercial trailers and semitrailers.

“Ohio’s registration fees are too costly, causing thousands of commercial trailers and semitrailers to be registered in states where the fee is much more cost effective,” said Schmidt. “I believe that Rep. Cross’s amendment would bring this revenue back home to Ohio, where it can be put to good use improving our transportation system.”

Schmidt’s amendments to the Transportation Budget will continue to have hearings as the bill makes its way through the committee process.