The Arizona Motor Vehicle Department is very strict about changing your driver’s license and registering your car as soon as you move here.

Fines for Not Registering Your Car Are Steep

The penalties for driving without a proper license, registration or insurance in Arizona are quite serious. Driving without a license is a class 1 misdemeanor and penalties can include the vehicle being impounded, 48 hours in jail and a court imposed fine of $300 or more.

New residents to the State of Arizona are required to obtain an Arizona driver license and to register their vehicles in this State.

Arizona state law requires that a new resident obtain a driver license and registration immediately if any one of the following applies, if you:

• Work in Arizona (other than for seasonal agricultural work)
• Place children in school without paying the tuition rate of a nonresident
• Have a business with an office in Arizona, and that bases and operates vehicles in this state
• Obtain a state license or pay school tuition fees at the same rate as an Arizona resident
• Have a business that operates vehicles to transport goods or passengers within Arizona
• Remain in Arizona for a total of 7 months or more during any calendar year, regardless of your permanent residence

The statute for driving without registration says that being without proper registration on a vehicle is a class 5 felony (which can come with jail time, usually spent in Tent City with guys wearing Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s pink boxers):

A person who is the resident or nonresident owner or operator of a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer that is required by law to be registered in this state and that is not registered or does not display license plates assigned by the department for the current registration year and who operates or knowingly permits the vehicle to be operated on a highway is subject to a civil penalty of three hundred dollars.

The penalties are so harsh that if you’ve moved here, I urge you obtain current AZ registration and plates on your vehicle immediately!

Vehicle Registration Fees

So now you’re wondering what the car registration fees will run you…unfortunately, they’re a lot steeper in Arizona than in many other states, but at least they’re not as high as California.

Several fees are standard for all vehicles:

• Title fee – $4

• Registration fee – $8

• Air quality research fee – $1.50

The variable fee comes in the form of the vehicle license tax (VLT), which is assessed instead of the personal property tax that many other states charge. It is based on the manufacturer’s base retail price of the automobile, but takes into account amortization, so you will pay a little less to register your vehicle each year.

Let’s Do the Math

Here’s the formula – I suggest you break out your calculator (figures rounded):

Let’s say we’re talking about a 1 year old car that cost $25,000 new.

The VLT is based on an assessed value of 60% of the manufacturer’s base retail price:

$25,000 x .60 = $15,000

16.25% reduction for each year it has been registered in AZ:

$15,000 – 16.25% =  $12,563

Divide that figure by 100:

$12,563 / 100 = $1,256

Now you multiply that figure by $2.80 for a new car and $2.89 for a used car:

$1,256 x 2.89 = $363

So your vehicle registration fee will cost you $363 plus the standard fees for a total of $376.50. If you have an older car you’ll probably have to get an emissions test too.

If this math has driven you crazy, call the MVD instead and ask them for the registration cost.

Yep, it’s a lot, but at least you can use it as a deduction on your Arizona state taxes.

Phoenix is a large area but is developed on a N-S-E-W grid system. This means that most streets run parallel and perpendicular to each other. Central Avenue is the dividing line between the east and west sides of the city.

The Phoenix metropolitan area is served several freeways including I-17, I-10, the 101 and US 60. Outer Loops 202 and 303 have been completed. Our (sort of) tongue-in-cheek guide to driving in Phoenix is available for your edification and amusement.

Vehicle Registration and Licensing

Drivers License Office: 602-255-0072

Arizona requires vehicle registration and driver’s license upon establishing residency in the state. Proof of age and identity (previous driver’s license, birth certificate, etc.) are required. Applicants must pass a vision test and possibly a written and road exam. Licenses expire at age 60. Drivers must update their photo and vision test every 12 years. Drivers age 55 and older are issued licenses for 5-year durations.

Vehicle Registration Offices: 602-255-0072

Registration fees are based on the year, make and model of the vehicle. Prior registration and license plates must be provided. Emissions testing may be required, depending on the age of the vehicle.

There is a $300 fine if you are caught not registering your vehicle in AZ. If you rent an apartment, take a job, or register your child for school, you are considered a resident. It’s not worth taking the chance.

Vehicle registration is expensive in Arizona. The newer and more expensive the car, the higher the fees. A new $30,000 car will run about $500 – $600  the first year. It slowly drops after that.

Car Insurance

Proof of automobile insurance is required prior to registering a car in Arizona, and must be maintained after registration. Drivers must carry at least $10,000 for property damage and $15,000/$30,000 for bodily injury or death per accident. (Check with your agent – these amounts may increase.)

Taking the Bus

Valley Metro (602) 253-5000

Valley Metro is the public transit system for the entire Phoenix area. The buses run seven days a week, depending on specific routes. Senior citizens and the disabled may call Dial-A-Ride, which runs throughout the week, including Sundays and holidays.

Downtown Phoenix features DASH (downtown area shuttle) and makes stops all over downtown at a lower cost than that of the regular bus.

FLASH and FLASH Lite are free shuttles serving the Tempe and Arizona State University community.

The Bus Book is published by the transit authority and can be found at libraries, on buses and other public locations. Route information is also available by telephone and on the web site.

Light Rail

Phoenix and Tempe are working on a light rail system. It’s in the beginning stages, and will be open for public use in December 2008.