Senate bill would double driver's‑license fees to cover DMV costs

The House Transportation Committee heard Senate Bill 23‑81, a proposal to raise many driver‑license and ID fees to make the Department of Transportation’s driver license division self‑supporting.

Sen. Dwyer, sponsor of the measure, told the committee the driver‑license division costs about $17 million per biennium to operate while current fee revenue is around $9 million — leaving an approximate $8 million shortfall that the highway fund has covered. "The highway fund… would otherwise be used for roads and bridges," he said, and described the proposed change as a way to avoid subsidizing driver‑license operations from funds intended for highways. He noted the last fee increase was enacted in 1987.

Under the bill, many existing fees would roughly double (the bill text changes multiple fee lines in section 39‑06‑49 of the Century Code); the measure also preserves an existing policy that North Dakotans age 18 and older who do not have another credential can obtain a non‑driver photo ID at no charge for voting purposes. Department of Transportation staff clarified that a commercial driver’s license (CDL) currently has a different validity period (four years) than a noncommercial operator’s license (six years) and that endorsement fees and durations differ; DOT said the code language in the bill separates commercial and noncommercial categories because the licenses have different durations and endorsement structures.

Committee members asked about potential effects on voters who use a non‑driver ID and whether the fee changes would create access issues; DOT witnesses said that the no‑cost ID for voting (for those without any credential) remains in place and that the majority of proposed increases affect renewal and endorsement fees. No committee vote was recorded; committee members requested additional technical review of fee lines and implementation details from DOT staff.