Nevada DMV Technology Fee $1 refund for DMV customers begins Monday
CARSON CITY — One-dollar bills being refunded to Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles customers who paid the DMV Technology Fee between July 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021 can be collected weekdays at any DMV office starting Monday, April 4, 2022.
Nevada DMV is asking eligible customers to request the refund during their next office visit, rather than wait in line to receive the nominal cash amount.
“Our best advice to customers is to combine the refund with other DMV business that they were going to do anyway, so they don’t have to make a special trip,” Nevada DMV Director Julie Butler said.
A $1 technology fee had been applied to most DMV transactions, including driver’s licenses, state ID cards, vehicle registrations and titles, as well as business licenses.
Technology fee charges ceased May 17, 2021 in response to a May 13 Nevada Supreme Court decision affirming a district court ruling that had declared Senate Bill 542 of the 2019 Legislative Session unconstitutional.
The bill had authorized an extension of the DMV Technology Fee Program through June 30, 2022 and was passed by simple majority vote of the Nevada Legislature. However, the state district and supreme courts later ruled that a two-thirds majority vote was required by the Nevada Constitution and struck down the legislation.
The DMV Technology Fee Refund Program was approved last October by the Nevada Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee, which determined that a cash refund was the most cost-effective way to reimburse customers.
Nevada DMV is refunding a total of about $6 million to individuals and businesses. The administrative cost to the agency is expected to be around $2.3 million, which is a savings of about $5.5 million against the original $7.8 million appropriated for costs during the 2021 Legislative Session.
Customers need neither an appointment nor proof of payment to obtain their refund. A designated customer service counter will be available Monday through Friday at each of the large DMV branches to verify and fulfill customer refunds. Regular DMV counters at the smaller offices can assist with refund requests.
Refund checks for DMV business and commercial fleet customers were mailed February 22, 2022.
The cash refund program is expected to last a little over a year through June 30, 2023.
No refunds will be issued to individuals or businesses who did not pay the DMV Technology Fee between July 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021. Refunds cannot be claimed at DMV partner locations, including county assessors or treasurers, emissions stations or AAA offices. Refunds will be processed Monday through Friday only.
Eligible customers are not required to claim their refund. Details of the Technology Fee Refund can be found at dmv.nv.gov/refund.