Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emission Certificate Fee topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
DMV seeks $1 increase to emissions certificate fee to keep pollution control distributions whole
Summary
The DMV asked legislators to raise motor vehicle emissions certificate fees from $6 to $7 to offset rising costs and falling volume (including EV growth and extended first‑certificate timelines) so statutory distributions and a $1 million reserve can be maintained.
JD Decker, administrator of the Compliance Enforcement Division, told the committee that the pollution control account (BA 4722) funds emissions programs and distributes money to Clark and Washoe counties, TRPA, NDEP and the Department of Agriculture. He said the account’s revenue has been eroded by inflation, fewer gasoline/diesel vehicles and a 2023 change that extended the time before new vehicles need their first emission certificate.
"This decision unit is a companion to an emissions fee BDR, which would increase the fee for diesel and gasoline emission certificates from $6 to $7," Decker said, adding that without the increase allocations to outside agencies would need to be reduced or eliminated and that the account must maintain a $1,000,000 reserve pursuant to statute (NRS cited during the hearing).
DMV staff told legislators the $1 increase was chosen as the smallest amount believed sufficient to preserve historic distributions to the other agencies and the reserve. Staff acknowledged the increase may be insufficient over a longer horizon if electric vehicle adoption and other factors continue to reduce test volume and recommended monitoring or statutory mechanisms to adjust distributions without repeated legislation.
Legislators asked for more detail on the distribution waterfall and how shortfalls would be handled. Bethany Musselman explained that statute defines a pecking order for allocations; DMV said if revenue is insufficient the lowest priorities in that statutory waterfall (for example TRPA) could see reductions or elimination.
Decker and Musselman said the department will continue modeling revenue impacts as vehicle fleets change and asked the committee to consider the BDR to avoid reductions to partner agencies and the pollution control reserve.
