State motor vehicle registration and license fees inflation, 1997–2026

Prices are 108.64% higher than in 1997, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This index measures price changes; it does not report an average dollar price.

State Motor Vehicle Registration And License Fees Inflation Calculator

Enter a starting cost to estimate an equivalent purchase using the category CPI. This is a hypothetical calculation, not an observed retail price.

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Prices for State Motor Vehicle Registration And License Fees, 1997-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for state motor vehicle registration and license fees are 108.64% higher in 2026 versus 1997 (a $21.73 difference in value).

The dollar amounts in this section illustrate the category CPI calculation; they are not a series of observed prices.

Between 1997 and 2026:State motor vehicle registration and license fees experienced an average inflation rate of 2.57% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, state motor vehicle registration and license fees costing $20 in the year 1997 would cost $41.73 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.53% during this same period, inflation for state motor vehicle registration and license fees was higher.

Price Inflation for State motor vehicle registration and license fees since 1997

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2004 (16.51%), 2010 (8.44%), and 2009 (7.16%).
View price changes for other categories
St Louis, Missouri · College tuition and fees · Gasoline (all types) · Financial services · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 1997

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for State motor vehicle registration and license fees, over time, for $20 beginning in 1997. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1997$20.00-
1998$20.221.08%
1999$20.360.70%
2000$21.013.22%
2001$21.120.52%
2002$21.692.68%
2003$22.553.94%
2004$26.2716.51%
2005$26.641.41%
2006$27.473.11%
2007$27.761.06%
2008$28.392.27%
2009$30.427.16%
2010$32.998.44%
2011$33.170.56%
2012$33.340.50%
2013$33.560.68%
2014$33.660.28%
2015$33.910.74%
2016$34.602.05%
2017$35.171.65%
2018$35.681.44%
2019$36.161.36%
2020$37.012.35%
2021$37.250.65%
2022$37.801.47%
2023$38.812.68%
2024$39.531.85%
2025$40.151.56%
2026$41.733.93%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for State motor vehicle registration and license fees:

Year199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
CPI100.000101.083101.792105.067105.617108.450112.725131.333133.183137.325138.785141.931152.088164.926165.856166.691167.819168.285169.527173.000175.848178.376180.804185.058186.268189.011194.071197.652200.739208.636

Adjust state motor vehicle registration and license fees prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1997* 1997 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for State motor vehicle registration and license fees was 100.000 in the year 1997 and 208.636 in 2026:

208.636 / 100.000* $20 = $41.73

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1997 has the same "purchasing power" as $41.73 in 2026 (in the CPI category of State motor vehicle registration and license fees).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for State motor vehicle registration and license fees in 1997. In addition to state motor vehicle registration and license fees, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.