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HF5148 • 2026

Motor vehicle registration tax modified, registration tax rebate provided, and money appropriated.

Motor vehicle registration tax modified, registration tax rebate provided, and money appropriated.

Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Tabke, Rehm, Norris, Huot, Curran, Hanson, J., Hill
Last action
2026-05-14
Official status
Introduction and first reading, referred to Transportation Finance and Policy
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Motor vehicle registration tax modified, registration tax rebate provided, and money appropriated.

Motor vehicle registration tax modified, registration tax rebate provided, and money appropriated.

What This Bill Does

  • Motor vehicle registration tax modified, registration tax rebate provided, and money appropriated.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-14 House

    Introduction and first reading, referred to Transportation Finance and Policy

Official Summary Text

Motor vehicle registration tax modified, registration tax rebate provided, and money appropriated.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
A bill for an act

relating to transportation; modifying motor vehicle registration tax; providing a

registration tax rebate; appropriating money; amending Minnesota Statutes 2025

Supplement, section 168.013, subdivision 1a.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement, section 168.013, subdivision 1a, is

amended to read:

Subd. 1a.

Passenger automobile; hearse.

(a) On passenger automobiles as defined in

section
168.002, subdivision 24
, and hearses, except as otherwise provided, the registration

tax is calculated as $10 plus:

(1) for a vehicle initially registered in Minnesota prior to November 16, 2020, 1.54

percent of the manufacturer's suggested retail price of the vehicle and the destination charge,

subject to the adjustments in
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paragraphs
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(e)
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and (f)
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; or

(2) for a vehicle initially registered in Minnesota on or after November 16, 2020, 1.575

percent of the manufacturer's suggested retail price of the vehicle, subject to the adjustments

in
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paragraphs
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paragraph
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(e)
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and (f)
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.

(b) The registration tax calculation must not include the cost of each accessory or item

of optional equipment separately added to the vehicle and the manufacturer's suggested

retail price. The registration tax calculation must not include a destination charge, except

for a vehicle previously registered in Minnesota prior to November 16, 2020.

(c) The registrar must determine the manufacturer's suggested retail price:

(1) using list price information published by the manufacturer or any nationally

recognized firm or association compiling such data for the automotive industry;

(2) if a dealer does not determine the amount, using the retail price label as provided by

the manufacturer under United States Code, title 15, section 1232; or

(3) if the retail price label is not available, using the actual sales price of the vehicle.

If the registrar is unable to ascertain the manufacturer's suggested retail price of any registered

vehicle in the foregoing manner, the registrar may use any other available source or method.

(d) The registrar must calculate the registration tax using information available to dealers

and deputy registrars at the time the initial application for registration is submitted.

(e) The amount under paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), must be calculated based on a

percentage of the manufacturer's suggested retail price
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, as follows:
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or at an identified amount,

as specified in the following tax devaluation schedule.
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(1) during the first year of vehicle life, upon 100 percent of the price;

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(2) for the second year,

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95

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percent of the price;

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(3) for the third year,

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90

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percent of the price;

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(4) for the fourth year,

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80

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percent of the price;

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(5) for the fifth year,

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70

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percent of the price;

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(6) for the sixth year,

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60

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percent of the price;

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(7) for the seventh year,

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50

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percent of the price;

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(8) for the eighth year,

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40

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percent of the price;

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(9) for the ninth year,

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25

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percent of the price; and

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(10) for the tenth year, ten percent of the price.

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Tax Devaluation Schedule

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Year of

vehicle life

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MSRP under
$50,000

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MSRP
$50,000 to
$75,000

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MSRP over
$75,000

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First year

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100 percent

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100 percent

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100 percent

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Second year

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90 percent

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95 percent

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100 percent

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Third year

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80 percent

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90 percent

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95 percent

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Fourth year

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70 percent

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80 percent

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90 percent

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Fifth year

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50 percent

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70 percent

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85 percent

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Sixth year

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40 percent

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60 percent

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80 percent

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Seventh year

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25 percent

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50 percent

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75 percent

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Eighth year

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10 percent

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40 percent

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70 percent

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Ninth year

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$20

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25 percent

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60 percent

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Tenth year

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$20

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10 percent

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50 percent

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11th or

subsequent

year

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$20

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$20

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$290

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(f) For the 11th and each succeeding year, the amount under paragraph (a), clauses (1)

and (2), must be calculated as $20.

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(g)
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(f)
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Except as provided in subdivision 23, for any vehicle previously registered in

Minnesota and regardless of prior ownership, the total amount due under this subdivision

must not exceed the smallest total amount previously paid or due on the vehicle.

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EFFECTIVE DATE.

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This section is effective the day following final enactment and

applies to taxes and fees payable for a registration period starting on or after January 1,

2027.

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Sec. 2.
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REGISTRATION TAX REBATE.
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Subdivision 1.

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Definition.

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For purposes of this section, "qualified registration instance"

means an imposition of the motor vehicle registration tax on a motor vehicle in which:

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(1) in the most recent taxable year ending before January 1, 2025, the taxable net income

of the vehicle owner is below the starting point for the third tier of the income tax under

Minnesota Statutes, section 290.06, subdivision 2c, paragraph (a), clause (3), (b), clause

(3), or (c), clause (3), whichever is appropriate for the taxpayer's filing status, and as adjusted

for inflation under Minnesota Statutes, section 290.06, subdivision 2d;

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(2) the vehicle was subject to the calculation as provided under Minnesota Statutes 2025

Supplement, section 168.013, subdivision 1a, paragraph (e), clause (1), for its first year of

vehicle life; and

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(3) the tax under clause (2) was payable for a registration period that started on or after

July 1, 2025, and on or before June 30, 2026.

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Subd. 2.

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Rebate payments.

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The commissioner of employment and economic

development, in consultation with the commissioners of public safety and revenue, must

issue a rebate payment to the owner of a motor vehicle for each qualified registration instance.

The payment is calculated as the lesser of $150 or 20 percent of the total amount paid under

Minnesota Statutes, section 168.013.

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Subd. 3.

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Requirements.

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(a) By October 15, 2026, the commissioner of employment

and economic development must issue the rebate payments required under this section.

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(b) Each rebate payment must be accompanied by notification that provides a brief

overview of the primary uses of registration tax revenue for state and local highway purposes.

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Subd. 4.

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Disclosure.

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The commissioner of revenue may disclose to the commissioner

of public safety, and the commissioner of public safety may disclose to the commissioner

of revenue, information as necessary to determine a qualified registration instance for a

vehicle owner for purposes of this section.

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Subd. 5.

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Appropriation.

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(a) The amount necessary to implement the requirements under

this section is appropriated in fiscal year 2027 from the driver and vehicle services operating

account in the special revenue fund to the commissioner of employment and economic

development. This is a onetime appropriation.

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(b) By January 15, 2027, the commissioners of public safety and employment and

economic development must jointly submit a notification on the expenditures under this

subdivision to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with

jurisdiction over transportation policy and finance. The notification must include

identification of the number of rebate payments made, the average rebate payment amount,

and the administrative costs and total rebate expenditure amounts.

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EFFECTIVE DATE.

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This section is effective the day following final enactment.

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