How Much Does It Cost To Register A Car in New Hampshire?
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Living in New Hampshire, you might already know that vehicle registration works a little differently from most states. While many states have a flat rate registration fee and a one-step registration process, figuring out how much does it cost to register a car in New Hampshire can be a little more complicated.
For one thing, New Hampshire has a 2-step registration process since you need to register both with the city you live in and with the state.
Here’s what you need to know to figure out how much does it cost to register a car in New Hampshire, what kind of fees you can expect, and what the process looks like.
How Do You Register Your Car In New Hampshire?
Unlike other states, where car registration is mostly handled by the state, sometimes with additional fees depending on what county you live in, New Hampshire has a two-step process that can only sometimes be done together.
First, you need to register your vehicle with your local city or municipality. You’ll go to your local town or city clerk’s office to register. If you live out of town in a rural area, you can contact the town or city clerk to find out which city’s jurisdiction you’re under based on your address or zip code.
Your local city or town clerk will also process your title and proof of residence if you are moving in from out of state, just bought a new vehicle, or bought a vehicle from out of state as a resident of New Hampshire.
Since you will need to have your title registered in New Hampshire before you can register your vehicle, you may need to get a temporary permit while your title goes through and then get your annual registration later.
Once your title is registered, or if you’re only processing a registration renewal, you’ll register first with your city or town and then with the state. Some city clerks’ offices are also able to handle your state registration, but they do charge an additional service fee for taking care of it, and you’ll need to be able to pay both registration fees at the same time.
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Finding Your City/Town Registration Fee
City and town registration fees are outlined by 261:153 Fees for Registration Permits and are based on the value of your vehicle as determined by the MSRP of that vehicle. For the purposes of finding your registration cost, the cost of your vehicle is rounded to the nearest $100, and the cost of your registration is rounded to the nearest dollar.
That means that your city/town flat registration fee will always be in whole dollars and that you’ll always be working with a rounded number.
Depending on the kind of vehicle you have, you may have several small fees in addition to the value-based registration fee. Each additional city fee averages about $3-$5, so they are minimal additions.
However, your registration fee may change since cities have the right to add or change registration fees in the city through a ballot vote. If the vote is approved, the registration fee will change, so it’s a good idea to look up your registration fee every year before you go to register your vehicle.
Since every city’s exact list of fees is different, it’s a good idea to look up registration costs in your specific city.
New Hampshire State Registration Fees
Once your vehicle is registered with the city, the next step is registering with the state. Thankfully it’s a little easier to find the cost of your registration with the state since New Hampshire has a regular fee schedule. If you want to find out how much does it cost to register a car in New Hampshire, you need to look at the fee schedule and add up all fees that apply to your vehicle.
Unlike city fees, which are usually based on the value of the vehicle plus additional registration fees passed within the city, New Hampshire state fees are based on the gross weight of the vehicle plus any additional fees passed in the state.
There are some exceptions; for instance, motorcycles, which have a base registration fee of $15, aren’t covered by weight-based registration fees. Ski area vehicles and other specialized cars may also have special-case registration fees that are based on something other than the weight of the vehicle or that are assessed in addition to the vehicle weight registration.
Registration fees in New Hampshire also often include license plate fees. For instance, there is an additional $40 fee for vanity plates when you register your car in New Hampshire.
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Other New Hampshire Car Registration Fees
Like any state, there are a few other circumstances where there are additional fees for registering your car. If you’re wondering how much does it cost to register your car in New Hampshire, you need to know what additional fees might apply in your situation.
Plate Fee For First Time Registration
In addition to other registration fees, the state of New Hampshire applies an $8 fee for the first time your license places are registered with the state.
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Registration Duplicate Fee
If you lose your registration or need a duplicate registration for any reason, there is a $15 fee for duplication.
Certified Copy Registration
You may be asked to provide a certified copy of your registration for a police investigation if you move out of state or if you sell your title-exempt vehicle. Certified registrations are treated the same as duplicate registrations and also cost $15.
Other Fees
You may also be charged a late fee by either city or state if you don’t register your vehicle within the grace period of registration. Additionally, vehicles are required to have an inspection when they are registered, which should be completed within 10 days of the registration, if registering within a month of expiration. You may need to get your vehicle inspected before registering if you are outside of the registration grace period.
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