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Treasurer urges $5 motor-vehicle fee; commission adopts temporary increase
Summary
Treasurer Bert Reuter explained new authority under Kansas Senate Bill 325 and recommended adding a $5 motor-vehicle transaction fee to better align user fees with workload; the commission voted to adopt the additional $5 fee for 2027-2029 (Resolution 2026-13).
Ellis County Treasurer Bert Reuter told the commission that Senate Bill 325 gives counties a new revenue tool to replace the prior $2.50 office fee and allow a base transaction fee of up to $5, plus a temporary additional $5 per transaction from Jan. 1, 2027 through Dec. 31, 2029. Reuter said the July 1, 2026 state changes already implemented a $5 base fee and the commission can choose whether to add the temporary extra $5 for three years to help fund motor-vehicle operations.
Reuter recommended adopting the additional $5 in 2027 to better align funding with motor-vehicle transaction volume; he estimated each $1 increase generates roughly $20,000 annually for the county and that the change would reduce property-tax support for motor-vehicle operations. The commission moved, seconded and voted to adopt the temporary $5 increase and approved Resolution 2026-13 to begin Jan. 1, 2027 and expire Dec. 31, 2029, with required state reporting to follow.
