North Dakota House Bill HB1345

North Dakota 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/25
• Refer: 1/13/25
• Report Pass: 1/31/25
• Engrossed: 2/6/25
• Refer: 2/13/25
• Report Pass: 3/7/25
• Refer: 3/10/25
• Report Pass: 3/21/25
• Enrolled: 3/26/25
• Passed: 4/4/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend and reenact subdivision a of subsection 2 of section 39-04-19 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to passenger motor vehicle registration; and to provide an effective date.

Summary

HB 1345 amends North Dakota’s motor vehicle registration fee schedule for passenger motor vehicles in section 39-04-19 of the Century Code. The bill updates the registration table for passenger vehicles by gross weight class and by registration year, setting the fees that apply to first and second registrations, later renewal years, and subsequent years. It also retains and restates special rules for house cars and pickup trucks, including how their registration weight is calculated for fee purposes. For pickup trucks, the bill continues to require registration fees to be based on the vehicle’s shipping gross vehicle weight rating, with the registered gross weight shown on the registration card at least twice that rating. It also preserves the requirement that owners request a higher registered gross weight if needed to cover the vehicle and any load carried. The bill defines pickup truck for this purpose as a vehicle under 11,500 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, under 8,000 pounds unladen weight, and equipped with an open box-type bed not exceeding nine feet in length. The act takes effect January 1, 2026.

Impact

The bill directly amends the state’s vehicle registration statute governing passenger motor vehicle fees, changing the fee amounts tied to vehicle weight and registration age. It affects vehicle owners, especially passenger car owners, house car owners, and pickup truck owners, by establishing the rates that will apply beginning in 2026 and by preserving the method used to calculate pickup truck registration weight and fees. No new program or enforcement mechanism is created; the bill primarily updates the existing fee schedule and related definitions within the motor vehicle registration code.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed both chambers unanimously, with 91-0 in the House and 44-0 in the Senate, and there is no committee transcript indicating opposition or extended debate. The voting record suggests general agreement on updating the registration fee structure and clarifying the treatment of pickup trucks and house cars.

Contention

There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The only potentially sensitive policy issue is the fee calculation for pickup trucks, including the requirement that registered gross weight be at least twice the shipping gross vehicle weight rating and that owners increase the registered gross weight when necessary. However, the unanimous votes indicate that any such concerns were not significant enough to generate recorded opposition. The bill’s effective-date delay until January 1, 2026, also suggests a routine administrative implementation period rather than a disputed policy change.