Quebec Driver's License Renewal & Registration Fees Have Gone Up — Here's What You'll Pay
A new registration tax is now in effect.
Montreal traffic on Highway 20 heading east.
Quebec drivers will be expected to dish out more on their driver's license fees after the provincial government announced an increase in the annual fee, mostly due to a new public transit tax.
As of January 1, 2024, Quebec has implemented a tax on the registration of all passenger vehicles in areas including Beloeil, Blainville, Boisbriand, Bois-des-Filion, Boucherville, Brossard, L'Assomption, Laval, Longueuil, Mascouche, Mirabel, Repentigny, Rosemère, Terrebonne, Varennes and Vaudreuil-Dorion.
"This measure aims to diversify the sources of funding for the public transport network in the Montreal metropolitan region to meet the population's needs in terms of sustainable mobility while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and road congestion," the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) and the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) said in a press release.
The regulation sets the amount of the registration tax at $59, which will be collected by the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), on behalf of the ARTM, when vehicles in the territory are registered or renewed.
Owners of vehicles registered in the Greater Montreal area, who have already been paying this tax since 2011, will see their contribution increase from $45 to $59. Indexed annually to the consumer price index, this tax will raise an additional $122 million by 2024 to fund public transport services.
Here are all the changes that apply to all Quebec drivers, particularly those who drive/own a passenger vehicle.
How much will it cost to renew a Quebec driver's licence in 2024?
Quebec driver's license holders will continue to benefit from the "insurance contribution vacation," which includes the cost of insurance taxes, too. The provincial government implemented the discount back in 2022 thanks to a $1.158 billion surplus generated by the SAAQ.
In 2023, the cost of a license for one or more from classic one to five in Quebec was $24.75. In 2024, the cost has increased by $0.75 to $25.50. Before the "vacation," the average cost for a Quebec driver's license was around $90.
Note that these prices apply to those who do not have a demerit point on their record.
How much will it cost to register a vehicle in Quebec in 2024?
The cost to register a passenger vehicle is set to increase from $232.74 to $240.32 for motorists outside of the city of Montreal. For vehicle owners on the Island of Montreal, an additional $59 is mandatory for public transit contribution. So, the total for registration of a vehicle in Montreal is $299.32.
As for motorcyclists, the fees have also gone up. For example, the cost of registering a high-risk motorcycle will now be $1,907.84, which is an increase of nearly $100.
For scooters and mopeds, the total cost for a plate will increase from $297.42 to $311.85.
How to renew your Quebec license at the SAAQ?
Each year, the SAAQ sends a notice for you to renew the registration of your vehicle, per the crown corp. The date of receipt of this notice is determined by the first letter of your surname, in the following order:
B: January
A - C - W: February
D - E - F: May
G - H - J: June
M - N - O - V: August
L: September
P - Q - R: October
I - K - S - T - U - X - Y - Z: November
Each year, motorbike registration is renewed in April. Registration is renewed annually for snowmobiles (December) and ATVs (March).
As for moped and motorized scooters, the registrations are renewed annually in April. As are farm tractors and farm vehicles.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
