Florida lawmakers aims to require electric vehicle owners to pay $200 in annual registration fees
The cost would increase to $250 starting in 2029
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A Republican lawmaker in Florida proposed a registration fee aimed at helping make up for lost gas tax dollars.
State Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Chairman Ed Hooper of Clearwater proposed SB 28, which hopes to impose a yearly registration fee of $200 on electric vehicles (EVs) that would be in addition to regular registration fees.
The cost would go up to $250 starting in 2029. An annual fee of $50 a year would be imposed on plug-in hybrids, which would increase to $100 a year in 2029.
An electric vehicle is plugged into a charger in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong/File / AP Newsroom)
State lawmakers say the registration fee is needed to replace federal and state taxes, including taxes that fund road construction and repairs.
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The number of EVs in Florida has surged in recent years, but according to the U.S. Department of Energy, they still account for less than 1% of vehicles in the state. The agency said that in 2022 there were 168,000 EVs registered in comparison to the 15,846,500 gasoline-powered vehicles.
Map of registered electric vehicles in the U.S. by TransAtlas. (TransAtlas / Fox News)
Political science professor at St. Edward's University Brian Smith told FOX 13 Tampa that Florida had to find money for roads somewhere since electric vehicles are not paying gas taxes.
"That's going to cost people quite a bit of money, because now it's going to be $200 to renew an electric vehicle, when gas-powered vehicles about $50. So that's four times as much. And for a new car, it's going to be $400," Smith said. "We know that electric vehicles aren't paying gas tax, so the state needs to find its money from somewhere."
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Florida is not the only state looking to make money from EV owners. Thirty-two other states have also joined in and require a special registration fee for their electric vehicle.
An electric vehicle sits parked and plugged in at a charging station in Leonia, N.J. (Kena Betancur/VIEW press via Getty Images/File / Getty Images)
Hooper's bill will be considered when the next session begins in January.
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Hooper did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.