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How Much Does It Cost to Renew Your Vehicle Registration?

the costs to renew your vehicle registration

In 2020, most state governments provided wiggle room regarding the deadline for renewing vehicle registration. With the pandemic disrupting many everyday activities, state officials thought it’d be best to extend the deadline for several DMV services, including vehicle registration renewals. 

Most states, like New York, extended the deadline all the way to November of 2020 to accommodate people. But today, those extensions no longer exist. In New York and other states across the U.S., your vehicle registration should be renewed at this point. However, that’s not the reality for many people. 

Whether you forgot about the extended deadline or thought state officials would extend it again, you’re in a situation where you haven’t renewed your vehicle registration. And this situation can lead to consequences, which is why you should get your registration renewed as soon as possible.

The consequences of not renewing your vehicle registration

When you don’t do something on time, you face the repercussions. For example, think about turning in a school assignment late. When that happens, you get an F unless your teacher is gracious enough to extend the deadline. 

If the teacher gives you extra time, you’re in luck—you can turn in the assignment by the new deadline and still get credit. However, if you still forget—or ignore—the extended deadline and don’t turn in the assignment on time, you can bet you’re going to face the consequences. 

About 430,000 Massachusetts residents are in this type of situation. Instead of renewing their vehicle registration by the extended deadline, they let their registration lapse. And now, they are in jeopardy of getting fined every time they drive their motor vehicle. 

What’s even worse is that there are 580,000 motor vehicles in the state with an expired inspection sticker, and those vehicles belong to the 430,000 residents, who will get fined multiple times if they have more than one vehicle with expired registration. If an officer pulls them over, they’ll likely receive a $40 fine, but the residents can get a penalty from multiple officers in one day, so that number can always increase. 

The worst punishment, however, is when the fines lead to higher car insurance rates. If an insurer notices that a driver is accumulating fines, the company won’t hesitate to increase its price. 

Consequences like these are common across every state, not just Massachusetts. State officials everywhere are fining residents who haven’t renewed their vehicle registration by the extended deadline. It doesn’t matter where you live. If your registration isn’t up-to-date, you’re at risk of receiving a fine and more expensive car insurance.  

The costs to renew your vehicle registration 

how much it costs to renew your vehicle registration?

If you want to renew your registration, you may be wondering how much it costs. Luckily, this service doesn’t demand a hefty price, but it does differ from state to state. 

In New York, for example, renewing your vehicle registration can be anywhere from $26 – $71, depending on the weight of your vehicle. If your motor vehicle is 1,650 lbs. or less, the registration renewal will cost $26. If it’s 1,751 lbs. to 1,850 lbs., the registration renewal will cost $29. And if it’s 1,951 lbs. or more, the registration renewal will be anywhere between $32.50 to $71.  

In Connecticut, on the other hand, the cost is different. If you live in this state and want to renew your vehicle registration, the price is around $80 for two years. However, you also have to pay an extra $10 for the Clean Air Act fee.  

Ultimately, the price for registration renewal depends on where you live and what your state uses to determine the costs. Common factors that play a role in determining the fee include your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, age, current value, and weight. But sometimes, DMV offices and transportation agencies also look at the number of cars registered in your name and your vehicle’s horsepower to see if your fee should be higher or lower.  

Where you shouldn’t go to renew vehicle registration

Once you know the cost of renewing your vehicle registration, it’s time to do it. But where should you go? The first answer is the most obvious one: the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). 

This option is usually the go-to route because it’s so well known. However, that doesn’t mean it should be the most popular. The DMV is notoriously slow, and the pandemic makes that fact even more true. 

DMV offices across the U.S. are struggling to address the backlog they’ve accumulated because of COVID-19. When their offices re-opened during the pandemic, DMV employees walked in to find more people than usual needing their help. 

The situation has gotten so bad that some people are waiting up to six months to complete simple transitions like license renewals, driver’s tests, and out-of-state transfers. And while vehicle registration is something that you can handle online, the DMV’s website is not as user-friendly as it should be to ensure a quick, seamless process. 

Where to renew your vehicle registration

If you want to renew your vehicle registration quickly to avoid fines and higher insurance rates, you can’t depend on the DMV. Instead, you need to use a credible transportation agency like Barry Risk Management, Inc. 

With over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry, Barry Risk Management, Inc. has the skills to help you renew your vehicle registration, and everything happens online. Unlike the DMV, the online platform that Barry Risk Management, Inc. uses is simple and user-friendly to ensure you get your renewal done quickly. 

And if any questions ever arise as you’re renewing your registration, Barry Risk Management, Inc. has representatives that are ready to help. Knowledgeable and friendly, a representative can guide you from start-to-finish until your renewed registration is set up, so you don’t have to worry about tackling any confusing phases alone. 

Don’t get a fine for not renewing your vehicle registration. Call to have Barry Risk Management, Inc. at 1-888-995-TAGS(8247) to renew your registration quickly! 

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What Happens When You Don’t Renew Vehicle Registration?

what happens when you don't renew vehicle registration?

For every action, there’s a reaction. If you regularly drink water, you’ll stay hydrated. If you work out consistently, you’ll get in shape. And if you get enough sleep, you’ll wake up refreshed.

These basic truths are obvious. Knowing that there’s a reaction for every action is to be expected, and that’s why it should come as no surprise to learn this: if you don’t renew your vehicle registration, you’ll face penalties.  

Usually, it’s easy to remember to do the necessary things in life, like taking care of your health and wellness. But when it comes to the not-so-every-day-things, like renewing your vehicle registration, it’s a little tougher to remember to write that item on your to-do list. 

However, what happens when you don’t renew your vehicle registration? What are the specific consequences that you may face? Well, the straightforward answer is that it depends on the state you live in. Nevertheless, there are a few general penalties that you might notice no matter where you live.

The consequences of not renewing vehicle registration

Your vehicle registration must be renewed every year or every few years—the exact amount of time will vary depending on the state you call home. 

However, if you don’t know when it’s time to renew your registration, and therefore, forget to do it, you may face two things: a ticket and a fine. 

With expired vehicle registration, you open up the door for a police officer to pull you over and ticket you for a lapse in car registration. In addition, you may have to pay a fee to the state because of your mistake.

These consequences may not sound like a big deal at first. But after so many tickets and fines, you’ll start to notice how much money you could save by just renewing your registration instead of paying the penalties. 

You also may think it’s worth updating your registration if you have to face more consequences on top of all the fees. Not renewing your vehicle registration could lead to more expensive car insurance rates. And in the worst-case scenario, failing to renew your registration could mean losing your car. 

It’s not uncommon to see a vehicle get impounded because the owner forgot—or blatantly avoided—to renew their registration. In this scenario, you can’t get your vehicle back until you update your registration and pay all of your fines. Sometimes, that fine even includes the impound and towing fees. 

While these penalties may sound extreme, there is good news. Sometimes, states will offer a grace period for you to renew your vehicle registration. For example, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Colorado provide a one-month grace period after your registration expires, whereas Texas only offers a five day grace period.

It’s important to check with your state to see if a grace period is available. Hopefully, you’ll have a little wiggle room to renew your registration. But if you live in a major city, like New York City, for example, you may find that a grace period does not exist. 

Can you have expired registration during a pandemic? 

Remembering to renew your car registration during “normal” times is already difficult. Today, it’s easy to always have something going on, so registration renewal may be the last thing on your mind. And this sentiment is even more true during a pandemic. 

Because of COVID-19, many states have offered some leeway when it comes to renewing your vehicle registration. Keeping citizens healthy and safe during a pandemic is of utmost priority for many state officials. So, most local leaders don’t enforce penalties if your registration expired in 2020. 

However, does this freedom mean that it’s okay to have expired registration? The answer is simple: no. Even though most states are trying to be flexible when it comes to enforcing penalties, they do have an extended deadline for you to renew your car registration. 

For example, in New York, Governor Cuomo issued an executive order towards the end of March that extended the expiration date of vehicle registration and inspections. These registrations had to be valid as of March 27, 2020.

As time went on, Cuomo extended the order multiple times until it finally expired on November 3, 2020. However, to give people enough time to renew their registration, he signed an order that prevented police from giving tickets to drivers that had expired vehicle registration. 

Unfortunately, though, this order has expired. As of December 1, 2020, police officers can ticket you if you don’t have up-to-date registration in New York. So, even though there’s a pandemic, you still need to renew your documents. With extensions and executive orders expiring, you will start to face consequences for driving with outdated registration.

How much does it cost to renew vehicle registration? 

how much do you have to pay to renew vehicle registration

If you don’t want to face penalties for having expired registration, you need to get this taken care of sooner rather than later. However, to do that, there’s something you need to consider: the costs. 

Renewing your vehicle registration will cost money, and the renewal fees will differ depending on the state you live in. Some states are unique and require you to pay a fee based on the type of license plate that you have. 

For example, in Chicago, a standard renewal sticker costs $151. If you have a personalized plate, that cost increases slightly to $158. And if you have a vanity plate, the price for renewal goes up to $164. 

Other states look at a list of factors to determine how much you have to pay to renew your registration. In New Jersey, for instance, the cost is based on your vehicle’s model and weight. 

If you have a model from 1970 or older and it weighs under 2,700 lbs, you’ll have to pay $35 for registration renewal. If that model weighs between 2,700 lbs – 3,800 lbs, you’ll have to pay around $44. 

Every state is different, so it’s important to check the costs to ensure you know what you need to pay. Don’t listen to a friend or relative that lives in another state and doesn’t know your state’s laws. 

How to renew your vehicle registration

When it’s time to renew your registration, where do you go? You have two options: the DMV or a transportation agency. 

The first option is the most common one, although it does require you to wrestle with the endless hassles at the DMV. Taking this route, especially during a pandemic, means you’ll have to make an appointment for months out and wait in a long line for someone to assist you. However, it could also mean that you go on your state’s DMV website to renew your registration. But even then, the process is not so simple. 

If you want to avoid this unnecessary headache, option two is the best route to take. Transportation agencies like Barry Risk Management, Inc. can renew your registration quickly and easily—and it can all happen online. 

With over 30 years of experience in the DMV industry, Barry Risk Management, Inc. has the skill set and ability to handle your registration renewal so that you don’t get penalized. It doesn’t matter where you live. The representatives at Barry Risk Management, Inc. will ensure your registration complies with your state’s specific laws. 

For help renewing your registration, contact an agent at Barry Risk Management, Inc. today!

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How to Renew Vehicle Registration

What’s something we all have the same amount of and don’t like to give away irresponsibly? Time. 

Whether we like it or not, we all have 365 days in a year and 24 hours in a day. And each of us has a responsibility to figure out the best way to utilize the time that we have.

Most of us spend it with family and friends, but many of us also dedicate time to work, traveling, pursuing passions, and just simply relaxing. These are all acceptable ways to spend our time—some of us probably even do it without complaining. 

But one thing that most of us do complain about is spending time at the DMV. Despite some of our best efforts to avoid it, the DMV is the one place we all have to go to, and it’s frustrating. 

We have to wait in long lines, stand in crowded waiting rooms, and deal with tiresome processes. And sometimes, on an unfortunate day, we have to tolerate uninformed employees. 

Going to the DMV is arguably one of the worst places where we can spend our precious, limited time. But the DMV can seem like the only place to complete essential tasks like renewing our vehicle registration. 

When our registration expires, we have no choice but to renew it. However, we do have a choice about how we renew it, and thankfully, that doesn’t have to involve the DMV.

What is vehicle registration? 

Before we explain how to renew vehicle registration, we have to understand what this type of registration is. Whenever we purchase a motor vehicle, we must connect that vehicle to us. Otherwise, there’s no real proof that we’re the owners of it. 

This concept applies across every U.S. state. Regardless of the city we live in, we have to register our motor vehicles. It’s a simple law of the land. And if we fail to follow it, we’ll face penalty fees and have our motor vehicle sent to an impoundment or tow lot. 

When should you register a vehicle? 

what states requires vehicle registration?

There are a couple of different scenarios in which states require vehicle registration.

The first one is straightforward. As soon as we buy a car, we have to register it. If any of us buy a motor vehicle through a dealership, we can usually rely on that dealership to register the vehicle and even provide the title. 

However, if we decide to go through a private dealer, we have to handle the registration on our own. And unfortunately, this process requires a trip to the DMV. 

But what if we haven’t bought a new car and have simply moved to a different state? In this situation, we still have to get vehicle registration. The only exceptions are for active military and full-time students. 

If any of us fall into this category, we can skip the registration process once we move to a new state. However, for the rest of us, vehicle registration is mandatory. 

How do you register a motor vehicle? 

If we’re in a situation where we have to handle our registration, the DMV will require us to go through a list of steps. We can complete those steps in person, online, or by mail. However, some states might require in-person registration if it’s our first time registering the motor vehicle. 

Either way, the route we choose will likely require us to provide some documents along the way. More often than not, we’ll need to give the DMV the following information: 

  • The vehicle registration application 
  • Driver’s license 
  • Car title
  • Proof of the sales tax payment 
  • Proof of insurance
  • Proof that the vehicle passed a safety inspection 
  • Proof that the vehicle passed a smog test 

Of course, some of these documents might be unnecessary, depending on the state that each of us lives in. So, it’s essential to check the DMV’s website for the correct information.  

How much does it cost to register a vehicle?

Like most DMV services, it does cost money to register a vehicle. But the registration fees differ across states, and the way states calculate the final cost varies as well. 

For example, some state DMVs keep things simple and require a flat registration fee for every motor vehicle. However, other states prefer to look at a few factors to determine the appropriate cost. Some DMVs consider the vehicle’s age, fuel efficiency, weight, horsepower, and current value, as well as the number of motor vehicles that we already have registered underneath our name. 

New York, for instance, is one of those states that consider a set of factors. Instead of charging a flat fee, the DMVs in New York determine the registration costs by assessing a motor vehicle’s weight. The DMVs in Connecticut are the same way. They charge $80, but ultimately, the final price varies according to the vehicle. 

It’s important to go on a state’s DMV website to understand the costs of registering a vehicle. But once we know that information, we can typically pay the fee using a credit card, debit card, check, or money order.

How to renew vehicle registration through the DMV

how to renew vehicle registration at the DMV

After we’ve done the unavoidable and registered our vehicle through the DMV, time will pass by, and we’ll eventually have to renew our registration. 

Each state’s DMV site will explain the specific steps for renewing registration in person, online, and by mail. However, generally, the steps only differ if we decide to do it online or by mail. 

For example, if we opt for online renewal, we might have to provide some of the following documents: 

  • License plate number 
  • Vehicle identification number 
  • Driver’s license number
  • Current vehicle registration card
  • Car insurance 

However, if we decide to do it by mail, we may have to verify our vehicle and personal information on the renewal form. Then, we’ll have to provide the renewal fee and the other necessary paperwork by mail. 

Both options seem easy and straightforward. But if any of us has experience with the DMV, we know that nothing with this organization is ever straightforward. The DMV is always a headache, which is why we all hate spending time at it. 

The good news, though, is that we don’t have to spend time at the DMV to renew our vehicle registration. There’s a much simpler option that we can choose. 

How to quickly renew vehicle registration

If we don’t want to waste our time going through the DMV, we can quickly renew our registration online with Barry Risk Management, Inc. 

With knowledgeable representatives that are eager to help, Barry Risk Management, Inc. has the capacity to speed up the renewal process and get the job done quickly and easily.

There are no long lines, confusing paperwork, or trips to the nearest Post Office. The agents at Barry Risk Management, Inc. help complete everything. And they do it all online. There’s no need to ever leave the house.

For time-saving tools to renew your vehicle registration, contact a representative with Barry Risk Management, Inc. today!