An Act To Permit Variation in Motor Vehicle Registration Expiration Dates
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0454
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: MOULTON
Amends: 29-A MRSA §405, 36 MRSA §1482

Legislative Document 
No. 454 
H.P. 347 
House of Representatives, February 10, 2011 
An Act To Permit Variation in Motor Vehicle Registration 
Expiration Dates 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative MOULTON of York.  (BY REQUEST) 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §405, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 
and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: 
A.  A registration expires on the last day of the month one year from the month of 
issuance, unless the owner of the motor vehicle requests an earlier expiration month. 
Sec. 2.  36 MRSA §1482, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2001, c. 671, §32, is 
further amended to read: 
C.  For the privilege of operating a motor vehicle or camper trailer on the public 
ways, each motor vehicle, other than a stock race car, or each camper trailer to be so 
operated is subject to excise tax as follows, except as specified in subparagraph (3):  a 
sum equal to 24 mills on each dollar of the maker's list price for the first or current 
year of model, 17 1/2 mills for the 2nd year, 13 1/2 mills for the 3rd year, 10 mills for 
the 4th year, 6 1/2 mills for the 5th year and 4 mills for the 6th and succeeding years.  
The minimum tax is $5 for a motor vehicle other than a bicycle with motor attached, 
$2.50 for a bicycle with motor attached, $15 for a camper trailer other than a tent 
trailer and $5 for a tent trailer.  The excise tax on a stock race car is $5. 
(1)  On new registrations of automobiles, trucks and truck tractors, the excise tax 
payment must be made prior to registration and is for a one-year period from the 
date of registration or is determined on a monthly proration basis if the 
registration period is less than 12 months. 
(2)  Vehicles registered under the International Registration Plan are subject to an 
excise tax determined on a monthly proration basis if their registration period is 
less than 12 months. 
(3)  For commercial vehicles manufactured in model year 1996 and after, the 
amount of excise tax due for trucks or truck tractors registered for more than 
26,000 pounds and for Class A special mobile equipment, as defined in Title 
29-A, section 101, subsection 70, is based on the purchase price in the original 
year of title rather than on the list price.  Verification of purchase price for the 
application of excise tax is determined by the initial bill of sale or the state sales 
tax document provided at point of purchase.  The initial bill of sale is that issued 
by the dealer to the initial purchaser of a new vehicle. 
For motor vehicles being registered pursuant to Title 29-A, section 405, subsection 1, 
paragraph C, the excise tax must be prorated for the number of months in the 
registration. 
SUMMARY 
This bill permits motor vehicle owners to choose the renewal date of their motor 
vehicle registrations at the time of registration, in which case the excise tax is prorated for 
the first year of registration.