CA - Registration Price Shock, Commerical?

[time]

Registration and plates showed up today. California Registration was $1055 ? What?

And why does it say vehicle use is commercial? Is that normal for the weight class? I certainly didn't register or purchase the truck as a business.

CA DMV shipped the plates to Rivian and then they mailed them to me. I guess that's normal. I feel like I've had to pickup plates at dealers before on special orders.

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[Jason C]

I believe it says commercial because of the GVWR being over 8500lbs. But damn 1055.00 ouch. I'm not longing forward to that.

 

[LaunchGreen]

Is a big chunk this maybe?

 

[time]

I just ordered some vanity plates and mailed off for HOV stickers. You need to have your real plates in hand before you can do that (as I've learned from previous mistakes). It doesn't appear the commerical class is going to prevent any of that. But with the vanity plates, that adds another $50. $1100 for a single truck feels like a lot CA. Just feels like a lot.

 

[LaunchGreen]

The VLF (above) on $75,000 is $487
There is a charge for heavy electric vehicles (see image below). That's $266
There is is a whole host of other fees - they have a calculator that shows a breakdown. It's insane as you'd expect from California.

 

[time]

Is a big chunk this maybe?

Oh, well at least it will be mostly a write-off then. I have other higher dollar vehicles but I guess I've just never paid much attention to the fee. Certainly first time I've seen over 1k. but I bet this VLF explains it. I prefer this over property tax for sure.

 

[jbender]

Sure glad Arizona uses VLT compared to what you guys in CA have

 

[Gshenderson]

I assume that’s in addition to some % sales tax? No wonder all the Californians are invading my spaces! ?

To be honest, though, WY isn’t much cheaper and might even be more. On top of ~5% sales tax (depending on County), annual registration fees are 3% of the original purchase price less a “depreciation factor”. The depreciation factor starts at 60% in year 1 and reduces to 15% in year 6 and then stays there. So year 1 registration in WY would be 1.8% of the purchase price. But in WY you have zero income tax, so the get their revenue in other ways.

 

[mkg3]

Registration and plates showed up today. California Registration was $1055 ? What?

And why does it say vehicle use is commercial? Is that normal for the weight class? I certainly didn't register or purchase the truck as a business.

CA DMV shipped the plates to Rivian and then they mailed them to me. I guess that's normal. I feel like I've had to pickup plates at dealers before on special orders.

Years ago, I bought a Toyota pickup, you know the original small one and not the Tundra full sized like today, and was told that ALL pickups in CA is registered with commercial plate. It has to do with having a bed that can carry stuff.

When I challenged it saying it will never carry stuff for commercial purposes, I was told it did not matter - its just the law in CA.

 

[urundai]

Welcome to life in CA. My Model X registration continues to shock me every year when it comes time to renew.

 

[SANZC02]

I believe it says commercial because of the GVWR being over 8500lbs. But damn 1055.00 ouch. I'm not longing forward to that.

That would not force R1T to be commercial, that is unladen weight, R1T is around 7100 pounds. The GVWR is 8532 so that does not trigger it either.

Clearly they made a mistake when they submitted the registration.

 

[R1Sky Business]

Welcome to life in CA. My Model X registration continues to shock me every year when it comes time to renew.

Does the X registration get slightly cheaper every yr?

 

[time]

Rivian needs to get it together with their licence plate screw supplier. Rusty already and Im in SoCal. I didn't even receive screws for the front plate bracket. Kind don't feel like I shouldn't have to paint these but yet here I am...

Debating putting the front plate on. Might wait for the vanity plates to arrive.

 

[LaunchGreen]

Oh, well at least it will be mostly a write-off then. I have other higher dollar vehicles but I guess I've just never paid much attention to the fee. Certainly first time I've seen over 1k. but I bet this VLF explains it. I prefer this over property tax for sure.

That $266 heavy electric vehicle fee is probably what pushed it over the $1k mark and made you notice...

 

[astonius]

Constantly reminded why I’m so grateful to not live in California.

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