Skip to main content
DMVCosts

Minnesota Registration Renewal: What It Costs

Your Minnesota renewal notice shows up about a month before the expiration month printed on your plate - tabs run out on the last day of that month every year, and you have until the 10th of the following month to display the new sticker before it becomes a citation risk. Minnesota dropped emissions and safety inspections statewide back in 1999, so renewal is purely a payment transaction: the same value-based registration tax you paid last year, recalculated one year further down the depreciation schedule, plus the flat filing fee, technology surcharge, and any county wheelage tax.

100% free · no signupverified July 2026

Your numbers

$

Minnesota depreciates the vehicle's original base value each registration year, down to a $20 statutory minimum from year 10 on.

Counties may adopt a wheelage tax of up to $20/year under state law; it's added to your registration, not billed separately.

Official fees

Minnesota renewal fee chart

Registration tax

$10 + base value × 1.575%

recalculated each renewal, one year further depreciated

Statutory minimum (year 10+)

$20

Filing fee

$8.00

Technology surcharge

$2.25

Administrative fee

$1.00

County wheelage tax

$0–$20/yr

BEV registration surcharge

greater of $150 or 0.5% × depreciated value

PHEV registration surcharge

greater of $75 or 0.25% × depreciated value

Figures verified July 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with your local deputy registrar office (MN Driver and Vehicle Services) - counties can add small local fees.

Step by step

How to renew your Minnesota tabs

  1. 1

    Locate the expiration month on your current plate or renewal notice.

  2. 2

    Confirm your vehicle's information at mndriveinfo.org, by mail, or at any deputy registrar - no inspection is required.

  3. 3

    Pay the calculated registration tax, filing fee, technology surcharge, and any wheelage or EV/PHEV surcharge.

  4. 4

    New tabs arrive by mail for online/mail renewals, or on the spot in person.

  5. 5

    Affix the new sticker before the 10th of the month after your old tabs expire.

Inspections
None (ended 1999)
Renewal window
Opens ~60 days early
Display deadline
10th of next month
Eventual floor
$20/yr (year 10+)
Renew at
mndriveinfo.org

Overview

Because the tax depreciates, most renewals get slightly cheaper each year until they hit Minnesota's $20 statutory minimum around the tenth year - one of the only DVS bills that trends down instead of up over time. EV and plug-in hybrid owners are the exception: their dedicated surcharge was raised sharply for registration periods starting in 2026. Renew online through mndriveinfo.org, by mail, or at any deputy registrar - the total is identical no matter the channel.

Same state, other costs

More Minnesota vehicle costs

Common questions

Minnesota renewal cost FAQ

When exactly do Minnesota tabs expire?
On the last day of the month printed on your current plate or renewal notice - not your birthday. You can renew up to 60 days early and must display the new tab by the 10th of the month after expiration.
Does Minnesota require an emissions or safety inspection to renew?
No - Minnesota ended its vehicle emissions inspection program in December 1999 and has no periodic safety inspection requirement. Renewal is strictly a fee transaction.
Will my tabs cost less this year than last year?
Usually yes, since the registration tax is a depreciating percentage of your vehicle's original value - until you hit the 10-year mark, where it flattens out at the $20 statutory minimum and stays there.
I drive an EV - why did my renewal jump so much in 2026?
The Legislature raised the EV surcharge minimum to $150 (from $75) and the PHEV minimum to $75, effective for registration periods starting January 1, 2026; both are calculated against your vehicle's depreciating value, so newer EVs can owe well above the minimum.
Can I renew online, and is it cheaper?
Yes, through mndriveinfo.org, by mail, or in person at any deputy registrar - the total is the same regardless of channel; Minnesota doesn't offer a separate online discount the way some states do.
What if my tabs are already expired?
Minnesota's DVS fee schedule doesn't add a separate late-renewal penalty, but driving on expired tabs risks a traffic citation, and an unresolved parking or toll hold on the vehicle can block renewal until it's cleared.

Receipts

Official sources

Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.

Everywhere else

Registration Renewal Cost by state

Fees and rules are different in every state. Pick yours for exact numbers.

each state hand-verified against its DMV before it goes live

Disclaimer

DMVCosts provides fee estimates for general informational purposes only - it is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and no calculator can account for every county surcharge, exemption, or mid-year rate change. Figures are verified against official sources on the date shown, but fees change over time.

The final, binding amount is always the one quoted by your local deputy registrar office (MN Driver and Vehicle Services). Confirm with them before making payment decisions. To the fullest extent permitted by law, DMVCosts disclaims all liability for decisions made based on these estimates.