Nevada Highway Patrol
The Nevada Highway Patrol has flagged April as a month for officers to crack down on Nevada residents who register their vehicles in other states.
“It’s important that all people register their vehicles in the state they are residing in,” Department of Public Safety Director Chris Perry said. “The reality is, in the State of Nevada, the bulk of vehicle registration dollars go to the county and school district in which that motorist lives. Additional resources are needed by the county and appropriate school district as individuals and their families move into the state. Increasing our enforcement efforts will assist with collecting the funds for current and new residents and their children’s schools.”
“Troopers are always focused on identifying drivers who commit moving, non-moving and mechanical violations; out-of-state plates will be looked at with the same scrutiny as traffic violations in April’s enforcement campaign,” Perry said.
New Nevada residents are required by law to obtain a Nevada driver license and vehicle registration within 30 days. Failing to register a vehicle in time is initially a misdemeanor offense and a $1,000 fine. According to Nevada law, you’re a resident if you live in Nevada and are gainfully employed. You have 30 days to register your vehicle.
“It can cost you money if you’re caught breaking the law,” Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Director Bruce Breslow said, “but there’s no fine with complying with the law. A word to the wise might be ‘comply before you get caught.’”
“Just $33 goes to the State Highway Fund,” Breslow said. “The rest of the registration money is simply collected by the DMV and then distributed to the proper county and school district.”
Nearby states can have radically different fees and tax structures than Nevada’s. For example, it costs about $383 to register a 2013 vehicle in Washoe County with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $25,000. Of that, $350 is Governmental Services Tax. In Oregon, the border of which is only about 200 miles from Reno as the crow flies, that same vehicle would cost $195 for a registration good for four years.The problem, of course, is that the vehicle is not being driven in Oregon.
“The loss in revenue to counties and school districts as a result of people skirting the law is significant,” Department of Transportation Director Susan Martinovich said, “but there’s also a loss to the State Highway Fund. Those dollars that are lost could go toward building and maintaining roads those motorists are driving on as well as putting people to work.”
