WY 2026 HB 30 - Vehicle Registration Fees - Amendments

1. Enduring Local Prosperity

Will this policy encourage families to set down roots, leading to long-term economic development through better local opportunities for the next generation?

Result: ⚠️ Caution

HB 30 reduces registration fees on older vehicles, which could lower costs for Wyoming families and make transportation more affordable. So long as the Public School Foundation Program is legally required to fund public schools, there is a risk of new increases in taxes and fees elsewhere. Because reliable personal transportation is one of the highest priorities for Wyoming households across all income levels, an offsetting tax or fee is more likely to be in an area that is not a true necessity. As such, we believe HB 30 will most likely be a net positive contributor to prosperity.

2. Flexible Self-Reliance
Does this policy give individuals, communities and/or the state the flexibility to adapt to changing political and economic circumstances? Will this help individuals and communities move away from ongoing reliance on government programs,subsidies and mandates, and toward independence and resilience?

Result: N/A

3. Private Property Rights

Does this policy remove institutional barriers, so that individuals or businesses may more easily use their land, property and labor in ways that do not violate the rights of others?

Result: ✅ Passes

By decreasing fees tied to older vehicles' depreciated value, the bill reduces a state-imposed cost on property (vehicles) and enhances owners' ability to retain and use their property with lower residual fees.

4. Transparent Constitutional Government

Is this policy limited to carrying out the functions of a small and transparent government as described in the U.S. and Wyoming constitutions, while dividing power appropriately between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of Wyoming's government?

Result: N/A

5. Responsible Taxation & Spending

Will this policy reduce government spending, broaden the tax base, simplify tax policy or lower tax/fee intake?

Result: ⚠️ Caution

The bill demonstrably lowers vehicle registration fees by $62 million which means fewer taxes for counties, school districts, and the state's Public Education Fund, which is legally required to meet school funding thresholds. If legislators can find a responsible way to replace this revenue, this could become a positive Compass Point.

6. Local and State Control

Will this policy return power to Wyoming families or local governments from state government? Or will this policy transfer power to state government from the federal government?

Result: ⚠️ Caution

Counties and school districts retain responsibility for service delivery but lose flexibility over a major revenue source. This shifts control upward to the state and away from local decision-makers, reducing local autonomy in tax policy.

7. Voluntary Exchange & Individual Choice

Does this policy remove obstacles from business and consumers engaging in voluntary, mutually beneficial transactions, ultimately giving consumers more choices?

Result: ✅  Passes

Lower fees reduce costs for households who choose to keep older vehicles. $150 savings on an 8-year-old car is unlikely to be significant factor in whether or not a household will choose to keep their old car 1 more year, or purchase a new car, but it may help on the margin.

8. Profit Motive & Fair Competition

Does this policy encourage entrepreneurs and businesses to seek profits through calculated risks based on market prices rather than government signals, lowering prices for consumers?

Result: ✅ Passes

Used car dealers could benefit from this reduced fee because they may entice customers with a slightly lower price for 7+ year old cars. For a used car with a median price, this 0.3% savings on the typical price of a car of $51,000 is unlikely to meaningfully impact which cars sell.

9. Electoral Accountability

Does this policy assist Wyomingites in voting more securely and/or easily for eligible candidates in transparent elections for public office? Or provide mechanisms for holding elected or nonelected officials accountable for their actions to the people of Wyoming?

Result: N/A

10. Generational Resource Stewardship

Would this policy ensure Wyoming's natural resources can be shared across current and future generations of Wyomingites?

⚠️

Final Verdict: Caution on the WyLiberty Policy Compass 

Score: 3 Pass | 3 Caution | 0 Fail | 4 Not Applicable

Summary:

HB 30 (2026) scores positively on 3 of 6 considered Compass Points, leading Wyoming Liberty Group to urge caution on this legislation, while recognizing the positive aspects of the bill. This bill revises how Wyoming counties calculate vehicle registration fees for older vehicles by changing the valuation formula used after a vehicle's fifth year of service. It removes the existing provision that sets sixth-year vehicles at 3% of 15% of the factory price plus special equipment. In its place, the bill establishes new tiers: vehicles in their seventh year will be assessed at 3% of 10% of the factory price plus special equipment, while vehicles in their eighth year and beyond will be assessed at 3% of 5% of that value. By lowering the percentage applied as vehicles age, the bill is intended to reduce registration costs for owners of older vehicles. The changes would take effect on July 1, 2026.

Wyoming residents paid $193 million in county registration fees FY 2025. The Department of Transportation estimates HB 30's passage would mean a $62.3 million revenue loss (32% of total fees) in FY 2027, a loss that they forecast to grow by 4% in subsequent years. This $62.5 million loss would be split between $35.7 million loss of revenue to the Public School Foundation Program (SFP) account (a state run program for equitable public school funding) and a loss of $26.6 million to county governments.