Electric Vehicle Owners Could Face Annual Fees In Florida In 2024

Electric vehicles have been the talk of the town for the past few years. Chances are you know someone who owns one of these vehicles. Recently, Florida lawmakers are talking about imposing annual registration fees on electric vehicles in Florida.

This past Wednesday, the Senate Transportation Committee backed proposal SB 28. SB 28 states that the annual license tax would be $200 for electric vehicles and $25 for electric motorcycles. Beginning in 2029, the additional annual license tax would jump to $250 for electric vehicles and $35 for electric motorcycles.

For all plug-in hybrid vehicles (mixture of electric and gas) the annual license tax would be $50 and for plug-in hybrid motorcycles the annual license tax would be $10. By 2029, the annual license tax fee would double for both plug-in hybrid vehicles and hybrid motorcycles.

According to reports, Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, is a sponsor of this bill. Hooper called into question the “fairness” for everyone who drives on the state’s roads. The fee structure is based upon numbers from the Electric Drive Transportation Association.

“The association projects motorists who drive 10,000 miles a year pay about $190 a year in federal, state and local gas taxes, Hooper said. For people who drive 12,000 miles a year, the combined taxes come to about $228 a year,” said Hooper.

In 2023, the Senate had proposed a similar bill, but it did not pass through the House. Hooper’s bill will start to make its rounds in the January 9, 2024 session. Two thirds of the proposed registration fees would be going to the State Transportation Trust fund with local governments getting the rest.

If passed, the bill is proposed to generate $65 million a year, according to state economists. At the end of 2022, Florida had 167,990 registered EVs. This number was up over 95,000 more than in 2021.

Do you own an electric vehicle? Are you opposed or in favor of the annual registration fees on electric vehicles in Florida? Be on the lookout for updates on this bill, and to learn more, read the bill here.

Here are the top 10 vehicles targeted for catalytic converter theft in Florida. Throughout the state of Florida there is a new theft epidemic on the rise and that is catalytic converters. To be honest, it makes sense as there are nearly 22 million people living in Florida. It shouldn’t come as a surprise since some of the models on this list are the most popular cars in the state, but what are Florida lawmakers doing to help curb this?

There is a new law being proposed in Florida that would make it a third degree felony to buy, possess or sell any stolen catalytic converters. Thieves can take the “cats” (catalytic converter) in about a minute and this bill will head to the House for a vote.

Carfax  released the list of the 10 top vehicles targeted for catalytic converter theft in Florida and all regions of the United States.

Catalytic converters contain metals such as rhodium, palladium, and platinum which can be turned around and sold for thousands of dollars. To put this into perspective, currently (at the time of writing this) rhodium is selling for $4,200.00 and gold is selling for $1913.00. 

If someone does steal your catalytic converter, you’ll know immediately because it will be very loud! The catalytic converter passes air from the engine and out through the muffler. You may also experience darker exhaust and you will might a warning light on the dash telling you something isn’t right.

One of the best ways to keep you and your vehicle safe from thieves is to know your surroundings. Remember to park your vehicles in a well lit area especially if you have fleet vehicles for business. You can even install a catalytic converter anti theft device and if you want to take that extra step. Carfax suggests etching you VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on the converter itself.

Now that we've given some background on what you can do to prevent your vehicles' catalytic converters from theft, lets get into this list on the top 10 vehicles targeted for catalytic converter theft in Florida.

One of the hottest rucks on the market for consumers at the moment. Be sure to park in a well lit area if you have a new Tacoma.

These big family vehicles are easy targets for thieves. Make sure you know your surroundings before parking these trucks.

The first of two Chevy's on this list .. welcome the Traverse. These are becoming more and more popular as a family adventure SUV. If you're taking a Travers eon a road trip make sure to park near cameras or lights in the hotel parking lot.

If you're parking this truck in your driveway, use a motion sensor camera to help keep it safe. If your truck sounds much louder you'll know if your catalytic converter was stolen.

One of the most popular SUVs in America and for law enforcement officers. Definitely watch where you park with this one!

If you own a business or use these vans for fleet, keep your eyes peeled on the jobsite. Fleet vehicles are among the highest targets for thieves.

The only Kia on the list, but coming in at number four, if you have one of these be sure to check your surroundings!

A very popular sedan in Florida and a daily commuter. Make sure you're parking in your garage if you have one or near a motion camera in your driveway.

Up 57 spots from 2021, the Outlander is the second most popular vehicle thieves target when stealing catalytic converters.

The number one selling truck in Florida tops another chart, but for being poplar for the wrong reason. If you have any F series trucks you'll want to remain on high alert and if you think you've had your catalytic converter stolen, turn the engine over and listen for a change in your exhaust sound.