DMV's New Fee Structure Raises Costs Of Driving

Licenses Will Be Valid Longer Under Policy

The D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles has raised fees for driver's licenses, but residents will be making fewer trips to the DMV because licenses will be valid longer.

The changes are included in a new fee structure the DMV put in place at the beginning of the month.

The cost of a noncommercial driver's license increased from $39 to $44, and the license will be valid for eight years instead of five.

The DMV notes that the extension means that customers will pay the equivalent of $5.50 per year, rather than $7.80.

The vehicle inspection fee increased from $25 to $35. New vehicles that have never been titled will receive inspection stickers valid for four years, up from two.

Inspection renewals for all other vehicles are required every two years.

The fee increases are related to the additional time allowed between license renewals and the "increased cost for conducting inspections, respectively," Lucinda Babers, DMV director, wrote in an e-mail.

The last fee increase for vehicle inspections was in 2001. In 2003, driver's license fees increased from $10 to $39 when the department implemented security features to prevent identity theft and fraud.

Babers expects customer volume to drop because of the extended licensing period.

"It allows us to reduce customer wait time for those who must visit a service center in person due to the complexity of their transaction or their need to pay cash," she said.

Residents who wait until the last minute to renew may print temporary driver's licenses, identification cards and vehicle registration receipts from the DMV's Web site, http://www.dmv.dc.gov.

Effective this month, motorists will be eligible for an excise tax exemption and a one-time reduced registration fee if they have fuel-efficient vehicles, defined as cars that exceed 40 miles per gallon in city driving. Motorcycles are excluded.

The changes were included in the D.C. Council's 2009 fiscal budget.