Neilson lauds cooperative effort to reduce vehicle fees for retirees and veterans

Change will allow more seniors, veterans to save money on vehicle fees

Rep. Ed Neilson December 18, 2024 | 4:18 PM

State Rep. Ed Neilson today expressed his gratitude toward Gov. Josh Shapiro and his House colleagues, state Reps. Joe Ciresi and Rob Merski, for the successful effort to allow more seniors and certain military veterans to be eligible for reduced or eliminated vehicle registration fees at PennDOT.

Neilson’s legislation, H.B. 2301, was signed into law by Shapiro as Act 60 on July 15, 2024 and went into effect this month. It included a proposal offered by Merski to increase the annual income cap for a retiree to qualify for a reduced vehicle registration fee of $11.

Previously, the annual income cap for a retired customer to qualify for a reduced registration fee of $11 was $19,200, which had not been increased since 1998.

Due to the newly enacted state law, the annual income cap is now $29,906, and it will be adjusted annually for inflation going forward. Because of the expansion of the annual income threshold, many more retired persons will be eligible for the reduced registration fee of $11.

“As people age and retire, they are usually restricted to a fixed income,” Neilson said. “Every dollar helps, and the expansion of the eligibility threshold will allow these retirees to save more money on their vehicle registration.”

Neilson’s legislation also included a proposal offered by Ciresi to eliminate registration and titling fees for one passenger vehicle or truck weighing 9,000 pounds or less owned by military veterans who meet the following requirements:

Vehicles registered to a veteran who lost a limb or eye or who became partially paralyzed while serving in the US Armed Forces.
Vehicles registered to a person who, as a member or the US Armed Forces, was captured by the enemy in any armed conflict for which the Department of Defense authorizes a campaign medal.
Vehicles registered to a person who has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Vehicles registered to a person who has been awarded the Purple Heart.