I'm a dummy; please answer a car registration (U.S.) question

[Rapscallion]

What do they do in the UK?

We don't need to reregister our cars every year.

We have what we call the MOT (Ministry of Transport) test for roadworthiness every year if the car is over three-years-old. If there are no complications the car can be in and out in a few hours and it's pretty basic. Other than that, we have the Road Fund Licence (car tax) where we pay an amount based on the engine size (loosely) every year to pay for the roads, and that's on a disc in the bottom left corner of the windscreen.

The police rarely even look for that these days, though. They use ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) and know which number plates are currently taxed and chase down those who aren't.

Rapscallion

[PepperElf]

ah. so it's different, but a little similar to stuff here then.

While I have a yearly registration I don't have to get it inspected. And for us "road use" tax usually comes from a mix of funds IIRC, such as gas and registration fees etc. Although I suspect we also have some ANPR here too, or something similar depending on the area.

[Andara Bledin]

Other than that, we have the Road Fund Licence (car tax) where we pay an amount based on the engine size (loosely) every year to pay for the roads, and that's on a disc in the bottom left corner of the windscreen.

The first part is similar to what we pay registration for, and the latter probably serves mostly the same purpose as our tags, as PepperElf commented.

Although I suspect we also have some ANPR here too, or something similar depending on the area.

The US is a little over-large and spread out for ANPR to be ubiquitous, but it is absolutely deployed in more populous areas. Both stationary installations as well as vehicle-mounted systems on patrol cars.

There was an article on Ars Technica about how a researcher used the data to look at some traffic patterns and it raised some questions about safety and storage of the data.

^-.-^

[protege]

Every place that has stickers has your registration as a card in your glove box, too.

I don't know how it is in other places, but Pennsylvania is a bit different. Depending on your vehicle's registration, you may or may not have a sticker. For example, my Corolla is similar to what most people have--you pay the annual renewal fee ($36) and you get a new registration card and a license plate sticker. My other car has "classic" tags on it. Since the registration on that never expires, there aren't any stickers. You pay a one-time fee, and it's good as long as you own the vehicle. "Antique" tags are similar--one-time registration fee, no stickers.

We don't have a road tax either--I'm sure the inspection fees, gas taxes, and other fees help pay for the roads. I do know, from personal experience, that having to get one's vehicles inspected every year...sure helps keep the junk off the roads, and the emissions tests keep our air clean. It's annoying if your car fails though!

[Food Lady]

$36??!?? Ours is $75!

[Aethian]

82 for mine.

[Slayer]

I pay about $280...

But we don't have inspections so I guess it evens out? Idk lol

[Aethian]

No inspection for my state.

[Food Lady]

We don't have inspections, and we don't pay $280! I think our state is generous, unless you count property tax. I just had my taxes done this morning. We get a credit (under a certain income) simply for living here. And then there's a separate credit if you rent.