The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has announced that customers who paid the DMV Technology Fee between July 1, 2020, and August 31, 2021, can start collecting their refunds beginning Monday, April 4, 2022. The refund process will be available on weekdays at any DMV office.
The Nevada DMV advises eligible customers to request their refund during their next visit for other DMV business to avoid making a special trip. "Our best advice to customers is to combine the refund with other DMV business that they were going to do anyway, so they don’t have to make a special trip," said Nevada DMV Director Julie Butler.
The $1 technology fee was applied to various transactions such as driver’s licenses, state ID cards, vehicle registrations and titles, and business licenses. This fee was halted on May 17, 2021, following a Nevada Supreme Court decision affirming a district court ruling that Senate Bill 542 from the 2019 Legislative Session was unconstitutional. The bill had extended the program through June 30, 2022, but was struck down due to not meeting the required two-thirds majority vote in the Nevada Legislature.
The DMV Technology Fee Refund Program was approved by the Nevada Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee last October as a cost-effective method of reimbursing customers. Approximately $6 million will be refunded by the Nevada DMV to individuals and businesses. The administrative cost is expected to be around $2.3 million, saving about $5.5 million compared to the original appropriation of $7.8 million for costs during the 2021 Legislative Session.
Customers do not need an appointment or proof of payment for their refund. A designated customer service counter will be available at large DMV branches from Monday through Friday for verification and fulfillment of refunds. Smaller offices can assist with requests at regular counters.
Refund checks for commercial fleet and business customers were mailed on February 22, 2022. The cash refund program is set to continue until June 30, 2023.
Refunds are only available for those who paid the fee within the specified dates and cannot be claimed at partner locations like county assessors or treasurers' offices or emissions stations. Refund processing is limited to weekdays.
Eligible customers are not obligated to claim their refund but can find more information about it at dmv.nv.gov/refund.