Seattle City Council likely to increase car tab registration fee

Seattle drivers could soon be hit with another car tab fee increase. A proposal included in the city council’s version of the next biennial budget would tack another $10 to city car tab fees.

If the bill, CB 120459, is passed, the new price increase would bring the Vehicle License Fees to $50 total and would go into effect July 1, 2023.

What’s with all the expired car tabs on the road?

Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda says the pay hike will create safe routes to school and better protect pedestrians and cyclists. Mosqueda is hopeful it will only be temporary if the city succeeds in finding more progressive revenue sources later.

This comes after another recent Seattle City Council decision in November 2020 to raise licensing fees from $20 to $40 dollars.

License plate fees in Washington state have also increased recently, with new license plates going from $10 to $50, and replacement plates costing $30.

Other vehicle licensing fee increases from this year include:

• Dealer temporary permits will increase from $15 to $40.
• A maximum optional dealer documentation fee will increase from $150 to $200.
• The stolen vehicle check fee, which is out-of-state vehicles registering in Washington for the first time, will increase from $15 to $50.

The goal is to bring in another $6 million in funding to the city over the next two years for transportation-related improvements, with priorities in the cities infrastructure spending plan focusing on safety, equity, and maintaining city streets, sidewalks and bridges, according to the City Council’s spending plan.

A final vote on the proposal will be part of Tuesday’s city budget vote at 2 p.m.

Editor’s Note: The original version of this story stated that Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda was the sponsor of the amendment. Councilmember Pedersen was the sponsor. We regret the error.