It sounds like the start of a bad joke — but for drivers in this state, it’s completely real. There’s no speeding involved, no red lights run, and no parking tickets in sight. Yet drivers are being told to pay a new fee or forget about driving altogether.
It doesn’t matter how carefully you drive or how clean your record is. This time, the rule isn’t about behavior on the road — it’s about paying up, or facing the very real possibility of losing the right to drive.
One state approves controversial law, taking effect in January
One of the key financial burdens faced by a number of states is acquiring adequate funding to maintain and update infrastructure. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts’ 2025 data, over the next ten years, 33 states are projected to fail to meet their respective maintenance funding and roadway quality benchmarks. This is quite concerning, considering that the majority of fundamental infrastructure was constructed in the mid-20th century.
The Pew Charitable Trusts emphasize that roads and bridges are among the fundamental infrastructure that are in dire need of funding. That is why state officials have been seeking high and low for solutions to fill funding gaps, and why one particular state has decided to approve a controversial law to increase its emergency transportation funding.
Inevitably, state residents were unhappy with the results of the decision, as drivers are being asked to pay $145 or risk losing their license. In a day and age where every penny counts, it’s no wonder that the new law is facing widespread criticism.
Drivers asked to pay $145 or risk losing their license
Citizens from Oregon are not happy. In September 2025, Oregon approved a controversial law, House Bill 3991. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, this law will allow the state to benefit from emergency transportation funding to enable the upkeep and/or modernization of Oregon’s transportation infrastructure as needed.
The reason for Oregonians’ unhappiness is that House Bill 3991 (2025) includes an entire list of increased fees, such as higher vehicle fees, among others. Unlike the Ohio Operation Green Light that gave Ohioans free licenses, Oregonians are now being asked to pay more. Drivers who opted for the greener vehicle choice, namely electric vehicles, will face annual registration surcharges of $145, which is a $30 increase.
This $30 increase was not included in the petition organised by No Tax Oregon. The petition gained nearly 200,000 supporters, which is why certain aspects of House Bill 3991 (2025) will be up for public voting in November 2026.
Other fees that drivers must be aware of
According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, there will be other vehicle registration fee increases that drivers must be aware of, such as:
- 40 MPG vehicles will face an annual registration increase of $30
- Higher passenger vehicles will face an annual registration increase of $30
- Two-year registrations will be $60
These new annual registration fees became official on December 31, 2025. Drivers can now expect to pay the following amounts, as indicated below:
Fees for two-year registration that started or expired before Dec. 31
- 0-19 MPG – $126
- 20-39 MPG – $136
- 40 MPG and higher – $156
- EVs – $316
- Motorcycles or mopeds – $88
Fees for two-year registration that started or expired after Dec. 31
- 0-19 MPG – $126
- 20-39 MPG – $136
- 40 MPG and higher – $216
- EVs – $376 (if not enrolled in OReGO)
- Motorcycles or mopeds – $88
The DMV has been sending out renewal notices for passenger vehicle registrations, so hopefully, if you are an Oregonian, you will be less surprised by these higher surcharges. Only time will tell what the outcome will be for the upcoming public voting this November, but it seems as if the majority of the state will be in favor of voting these potential tax hikes out. As we await to see what will happen in Oregon, drivers in NYC are facing the $9 consequences after suffering from traffic gridlock.