The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) sent out postcards this week to owners of “alternative fuel vehicles” (AFVs) — primarily electric vehicles and hybrids — advising them of the implementation of a new registration fee effective October 1.
Owners of these vehicles will receive their registration fee invoice in the mail and/or email, with payment due by November 1.
The new charge is the result of the enactment of House Bill 164, a contested piece of legislation that mainly consisted of a package of fee hikes requested by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT).
The bill also created the new AFV fee to capture the owners of vehicles not solely powered by gasoline or diesel. For decades, the state and federal governments have imposed taxes on these commodities, the revenue from which is the leading source of funding for road maintenance and construction. The people using vehicles not powered by traditional fuels have avoided paying this support.
The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that at least 35 states have implemented additional registration fees for electric vehicles to offset declining fuel tax revenues.
The amount of the Delaware AFV fee varies significantly, depending on the type and weight of the vehicle. If you would like to see a complete list, please click here.
For questions or for further assistance, contact the DMV via email DMVCustomerService@delaware.gov or by calling 302-744-2500.
To get answers to frequently asked questions, and receive future AFV registration fee information and invoices delivered securely via email, customers can register for eNotifications using this link: https://dmv.de.gov/OnlineServices/RegRenewalNotification/index.shtml?index.shtml?dc=notification
