The world seems to be turning a corner with dealing with COVID-19. Though the risk of possibly catching the virus is still there and the health care system is still dealing with the after-effects of the pandemic, things are a bit better than they were before. Face mask mandates are being lifted, more people are heading back into the office to work, and individuals are stepping out to partake in recreational activities. Many of those recreational activities will require traveling by car, truck, SUV, or even motorcycle. The total amount of miles traveled by individuals in the United States totaled approximately 5.6 trillion in 2018, which just goes to show how much travel we did even before the pandemic got underway.
One of the requirements needed when driving a vehicle is obtaining a vehicle registration from your local DMV (Depart of Motor Vehicles). When you register your vehicle or motor vehicle at your local DMV, that means that you are creating a record of your automobile within your state’s auto database. That’s what this type of registration is at its base level, though there are many more components of vehicle registration. What we’ll focus on today is answering the question of why you are required to have a vehicle registration.
It’s required by law.
As a part of asking “what is vehicle registration”, you’ll need to determine why such registration is needed in the first place. One of the biggest reasons why you require vehicle registration is that it’s required by law. After you register your new vehicle for the first time, it becomes an annual task that needs to be completed. In order to legally operate a vehicle in your state, your automobile has to be registered. In many states, if you don’t have any registration, then you can face a fine or even imprisonment.
When you receive your license plate sticker from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), this gives physical proof that your car has been registered. When a police officer sees your license plate with this current sticker, this will let them know that you are legally allowed to operate the vehicle. Though registration fees and rules vary from state to state, in most cases, this legal requirement stays the same in many cases.
Registration proves that you’ve paid state taxes on your car.
Everything in life seems to be taxed. For example, let’s say you’ve had a few health-related scares and begin to realize the value of primary care service. You decide to set up an appointment with your primary care physician, to check for any chronic conditions, and to check into any preventative care options which might be available. At the end of your visit to the primary care clinician, you will be taxed for any out-of-pocket expenses. Even your health and wellbeing are taxed by the government. Another taxed item includes your vehicle registration.
When you pay a registration fee for your vehicle registration, you are also paying for your new vehicle’s taxes. Though not as life-changing as paying taxes for out-of-pocket expenses for a doctor’s visit, paying these taxes is still important. If you didn’t pay the taxes for your automobile, then you wouldn’t be able to drive your vehicle. Paying your taxes on your vehicle is one reason why you’re required to have vehicle registration.
Registration helps in case of car theft.
Say for instance after your visit to a primary care clinician, you walk out to the parking lot and don’t see your new car. Your car has been stolen. One of the things which a vehicle registration can help with in a case like this is that this document shows proof of ownership. Keeping a record of your automobile in your state’s DMV database is one reason for having vehicle registration. This can help authorities with applying ownership to the vehicle while searching for your stolen property.