Current through the 2024 legislative session
Section 31-3-101 - Registration fees; exemptions(a) Except as otherwise provided, the following fees shall accompany each application for the registration of a vehicle:(i) A county registration fee computed as follows, or five dollars ($5.00), whichever is greater: (A) 3% of 60% of the factory price plus special equipment value for a vehicle in its first year of service;(B) 3% of 50% of the factory price plus special equipment value for a vehicle in its second year of service;(C) 3% of 40% of the factory price plus special equipment value for a vehicle in its third year of service;(D) 3% of 30% of the factory price plus special equipment value for a vehicle in its fourth year of service;(E) 3% of 20% of the factory price plus special equipment value for a vehicle in its fifth year of service;(F) 3% of 15% of the factory price plus special equipment value for a vehicle in its sixth year of service and thereafter.(ii) A state registration fee computed as follows:(A) Passenger cars ..........$30.00(B) School buses ...........$25.00(C) Repealed by Laws 2014, Ch. 128, § 2.(D) Motorcycles, autocycles and multipurpose vehicles .......................$25.00(E) House trailers and other noncommercial vehicles based on unladen weight, which for purposes of this subparagraph only, shall be by the manufacturer's published weight, if available: (I) 1,000 pounds or less ....$ 5.00(II) 1,001 to 3,500 pounds . . . $30.00(III) 3,501 to 4,500 pounds . . . $40.00(IV) 4,501 to 5,500 pounds . . . $50.00(V) 5,501 to 6,000 pounds ....$70.00(VI) 6,001 pounds or more ....$90.00(F) Commercial vehicles, except passenger cars, school buses, house trailers, multipurpose vehicles, autocycles and motorcycles for which the fees shall be computed based on gross vehicle weight pursuant to W.S. 31-18-401;(G) Repealed by Laws 2009, Ch. 16, § 4.(H) Commercial vehicles being operated as a combination of two (2) or more vehicles shall be registered on the gross combined weight and pay fees as prescribed by W.S. 31-18-401(a)(ii)(A) and 31-18-401(a)(iii).(iii) Except as otherwise provided in W.S. 31-18-201(d)(iii), an equalized highway use tax collected by the department in lieu of the county registration fee imposed by paragraph (a)(i) of this section for commercial vehicles or fleets proportionally registered under W.S. 31-18-201(d)(ii);(iv) As used in this subsection, "special equipment value" shall not include any value from an assistive device.(b) The fees prescribed by subsection (a) of this section are modified for owners of the following vehicles:(i) Repealed by Laws 1987, ch. 90, § 2.(ii) Repealed by Laws 1987, ch. 90, § 2.(iii) War veteran owners of vehicles entitled to exemptions pursuant to W.S. 39-11-105(a)(xxiv) and 39-13-105 may claim unused exemptions against the fees prescribed by paragraph (a)(i) of this section;(iv) Repealed by Laws 1987, ch. 90, § 2.(v) Repealed by Laws 1997, ch. 154, § 3.(vi) Any veteran as defined by W.S. 39-13-105(a) who was a prisoner of war while serving in the armed forces of the United States is exempt from the fees provided by subsection (a) of this section for one (1) vehicle owned by the claimant. In order to receive the exemption, the claimant shall file with the county treasurer a sworn claim at the time of registration indicating the claimant's right to the exemption. County assessors shall file notice of the number of exemptions granted and revenue lost in the same manner provided by W.S. 39-13-102(k);(vii) Fees prescribed in subsection (a) of this section for vehicles not previously qualified for operation in this state are reduced by the proportionate share of the year prior to first operation if the vehicles have not been illegally operated on the highways of this state prior to application for registration;(viii) A farmer, rancher, logger or well servicer who owns a commercial vehicle or combination of commercial vehicles operated by him or his employees primarily in agricultural operations, logging operations from the source to the mill, or in the servicing of well field operations and registered with the county treasurer under W.S. 31-18-201(b)(ii) shall pay twenty-five percent (25%) of the fee prescribed in subparagraph (a)(ii)(F) of this section;(ix) An owner of a commercial vehicle or combination of vehicles registered with the county treasurer under W.S. 31-18-201(b)(ii), except for a vehicle owner whose fee is modified pursuant to paragraph (viii) of this subsection, shall pay a percentage of the state registration fee prescribed by subparagraph (a)(ii)(F) of this section as provided in the table below if the owner states under oath on a form prescribed and furnished by the department that the owner will not operate the vehicle or combination of vehicles more than the applicable number of miles stated in the table below on highways in the calendar year of registration: NUMBER OF MILES OPERATED | PERCENTAGE OF STATE FEE |
2,500 miles or less | 15% |
2,501 to 5,000 | 20% |
5,001 to 10,000 miles | 25% |
10,001 to 20,000 miles | 50% |
20,001 to 30,000 miles | 75% |
(x) The department shall prescribe by rule and regulation a means to identify conspicuously the vehicle or combination of vehicles for which a percentage of the state fee is paid at the time of registration pursuant to paragraphs (viii) and (ix) of this subsection. The department shall furnish the means of identification to each county treasurer to be issued at the time of registration. The vehicle owner shall display the means of identification as required by rules and regulations of the department. Failure to display the identification as required shall result in the penalties provided by law for failure to display a license plate;(xi) If an owner of a commercial vehicle or combination of vehicles who pays a percentage of the state fee pursuant to paragraph (ix) of this subsection desires to increase the authorized amount of mileage for which the vehicle or combination of vehicles is registered, he shall pay an additional fee equal to the fee due for the additional amount of miles less the amount of fee paid at the time of registration. If the department determines through an audit, a verification of mileage statements or other means that the owner of a commercial vehicle or combination of vehicles has exceeded the authorized amount of mileage, an additional fee shall be due equal to twice the amount that should have been paid for the actual amount of miles driven less the fee paid pursuant to this paragraph and paragraph (ix) of this subsection;(xii) Repealed by Laws 2009, Ch. 16, § 4.(xiii) A vehicle designed and used exclusively for the purpose of removing, towing or transporting wrecked, disabled or replacement vehicles incidental to an accidentally wrecked or disabled vehicle shall be considered a single unit and the fees prescribed by subparagraph (a)(ii)(F) and paragraph (a)(iii) of this section shall be based only on the gross weight of the towing vehicle;(xiv) From and after January 1, 1993, vehicles owned and primarily operated by an enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone or Northern Arapaho Indian tribe who resides within the exterior boundaries of the state of Wyoming on the Wind River Indian Reservation or on other Indian country as defined by 18 U.S.C. § 1151 are exempt from fees provided by paragraph (a)(i) of this section. To receive the exemption, at the time of first registering the vehicle for which the owner qualifies for the exemption under this paragraph, the claimant shall file a sworn claim with the county treasurer indicating the claimant's right to the exemption. If the claimant ceases to be an enrolled tribal member or ceases to reside within an area under this paragraph that creates the claimant's right to the exemption under this paragraph, the claimant shall pay fees as required under paragraph (a)(i) of this section beginning when the vehicle's annual registration is next due following the change in eligibility. County treasurers shall file notice of the exemptions granted and revenue lost and may be reimbursed by the state treasurer for all or a portion of revenue lost from funds appropriated for that purpose, in the same manner and subject to the same time limitation as provided for veteran exemptions under W.S. 39-13-102(k). The department, in consultation with the state treasurer, shall prescribe forms and procedures necessary to implement this paragraph. A vehicle registration issued under this paragraph shall indicate that the claimant received the exemption and shall include the text, "IF A CLAIMANT'S ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS TRIBAL MEMBER RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION CHANGES, THE CLAIMANT SHALL NOTIFY THE COUNTY TREASURER WITHIN SIXTY (60) DAYS OF THE CHANGE." When an annual registration for a vehicle registered under this section is due to be renewed the county treasurer shall notify a claimant of the duty to inform the county treasurer if the claimant is no longer eligible for this exemption;(xv) A disabled veteran who receives fifty percent (50%) or more service connected disability compensation from the United States department of veteran's affairs is exempt from the fees imposed under subsection (a) of this section for one (1) vehicle owned by the claimant for which the claimant qualifies for a license plate in accordance with W.S. 31-2-215. County treasurers shall file notice with the department of revenue of the number of exemptions granted and the fiscal impact on revenues.(c) When a factory price or special equipment value is not available for the computation of fees as required by this act an affidavit of valuation executed by the owner may be accepted. When an affidavit is presented for a homemade trailer or homemade special equipment, an affidavit of valuation executed by the owner may be accepted but the valuation given shall not be less than the actual cost of construction of the trailer or homemade special equipment. The county clerk or treasurer may also utilize a valuation for any trailer set by the county assessor. In no event shall any special equipment for which a registration has been issued be assessed for property taxation purposes pursuant to W.S. 39-13-103.(d) The fees prescribed by subsection (a) of this section collected for the registration of a vehicle are in lieu of taxes provided by W.S. 39-13-101 through 39-13-111.(e) Repealed by Laws 1990, ch. 93, § 3.(f) Repealed by Laws 1990, ch. 93, § 3.(g) Owners of the following vehicles are exempt from the payment of fees provided by subsections (a) and (b) of this section:(i) Vehicles owned by the United States, state of Wyoming, county, city, town or political subdivision of Wyoming or a joint powers board created under W.S. 16-1-101 through 16-1-109, or vehicles owned by an irrigation district created under W.S. 41-7-201 through 41-7-210 or vehicles owned by a weed and pest control district created under W.S. 11-5-101 et seq. provided the vehicles are essential to the operation and maintenance of the district and are used for no business or commercial activity unrelated to the operation and maintenance of the district, or vehicles owned by a senior citizen center that is providing services to senior citizens under W.S. 18-2-105;(ii) Motor vehicles which have not been operated or driven upon Wyoming highways during the registration year upon the verified affidavit by the owner stating facts entitling him to relief;(iii) Antique motor vehicles if registered pursuant to W.S. 31-2-223;(iv) Vehicles held for sale by licensed Wyoming dealers or manufacturers.(v) Trailers if permanently registered pursuant to W.S. 31-2-206(n) through (q).(h) Any owner of a vehicle who wishes to donate money to promote awareness and education efforts for procurement of organ and tissue donations for anatomical gifts shall be provided space on the registration form to do so pursuant to W.S. 31-2-225(a)(v). Any money received under this subsection shall be forwarded by the county treasurer to the state treasurer to be deposited into a separate account to be used as provided by W.S. 35-5-225.(j) Any owner of a vehicle who wishes to donate money to provide for wildlife conservation efforts related to the transportation system shall be provided space on the registration form to do so pursuant to W.S. 31-2-225(a)(vi). Revenues collected under this subsection shall be forwarded by the county treasurer to the state treasurer to be deposited into the wildlife conservation account created by W.S. 31-2-231(b).Amended by Laws 2023, ch. 68,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2023.Amended by Laws 2021 , ch. 16, § 1, eff. 7/1/2021.Amended by Laws 2020 , ch. 32, § 1, eff. 7/1/2020.Amended by Laws 2017 , ch. 210, § 1, eff. 7/1/2017.Amended by Laws 2017 , ch. 165, § 1, eff. 3/6/2017.Amended by Laws 2015 , ch. 93, § 1, eff. 7/1/2015.Amended by Laws 2014, ch. 128,§ 2, eff. 1/1/2015.Amended by Laws 2014, ch. 128,§ 1, eff. 1/1/2015.Amended by Laws 2013 , ch. 74, § 1, eff. 7/1/2013.