Each State sets its own criteria in regards to how much or how little it will cost the vehicle owner to register their vehicle each year. While the basic criteria so used does vary from State to State, we typically so find that what is taken into consideration consists of factors such as the weight of the vehicle, the value of the vehicle, the age of the vehicle, the type of vehicle, as well as it being in some States, just a simple flat rate so being charged upon the vehicle.
The thing is that all the vehicles so being driven in America, utilize the roads of America; in addition to the salient fact, that the weight of the vehicle as well as the fuel so being used to power the vehicle, makes a material difference in the amount of pollution or damage so being generated from that vehicle; and finally, the amount of vehicles that are on the road at any given time makes a difference in regards to the efficiency or inefficiency of those roads so being driven upon, as well as idling time of said vehicles.
As it stands currently, no State takes into account the amount of mileage driven or not driven on an annual basis. In other words, all things being equal, those that drive a lot are going to pay the same annual registration fee as those that drive considerably less; in which, logic clearly tells us that there is a direct correlation, depending upon the vehicle, in regards to the more miles that a given vehicle is driven, in conjunction with the wear and tear upon the roads so being driven upon, as well as the pollution so being generated by that vehicle. This would seem to signify that those that drive a lot of miles, should fairly pay more in their annual vehicle registration fees than someone that does not.
In most States, though not all, the vehicle owner is required to pass an emissions test each year, in which, at that emissions test, the odometer mileage on that vehicle can easily be recorded; thereby signifying that if the governance of that State, or the Federal government, for that matter, desires to impose an additional registration fee, for having driven more than some allocated amount of miles, that imposing such, and thereby invoicing for such, would not be a difficult hurdle to accomplish.
While those that drive a lot, might well complain about the additional fees that would be imposed upon them, and with some degree of correctness, point out that the monies so being spent by them on fuel contributes to road upkeep and repair; the bottom line is that there isn’t any real good reason why those that drive much more than other drivers, shouldn’t pay a higher registration fee, as a reflection of the fact that their usage is above whatever norm has been determined by that State. Further to the point, the less mileage so being driven by vehicles, corresponds to not only less wear and tear on roads, but also less pollution, and in addition, less vehicle accidents.