Diesel vehicles operating on diesel fuel are a very different sort of engine from all other vehicles on the road. While people tout the gas efficiency of diesel, many consumers are reluctant to buy a diesel vehicle because it spits out a lot more air pollution. In addition to the concern regarding the burnt particles of fuel in diesel exhaust, most states charge an extra tax and fees on diesel registration. Understanding what the diesel registration process is, and why some states require it, is as follows. 

First Step: Registering a Vehicle With a Diesel Engine

Every vehicle in operation on the roads in the United States is required to have license plates and registration for operation through the DOT or DMV (Department of Transportation or Department of Motor Vehicles, which means the same thing but in different states). In the case of vehicles with a diesel engine, you have to check the box on the registration application for diesel engine, and then pay the corresponding fee just to put the vehicle on the road. However, you may have to file additional registration papers of a different sort in some states. 

For example, in California where smog is a huge environmental concern, you have to file for a diesel operator's permit, and if the vehicle is going to be a work-related vehicle, then you also have to apply for IRP apportion plates. These extra documents notify the DOT/DMV that you own and drive a vehicle that needs to be checked often for smog regulation purposes, and that you use this vehicle to cross county and state lines for work. The IRP plates are a way of paying for fuel permits ahead of time when you rarely cross state lines, but you may need frequent temporary travel permits. 

Why the Extra Registration and Fees

These states that require the extra registration documentation and fees are trying to regulate several things at once. They want to control the impact on the environment made by diesel engines and diesel exhaust. They want to regulate the extra taxes charged on diesel trucks that leave the state and have to pay additional or higher taxes on gas purchased outside the home state, too. Finally, they want to raise revenue, which is supposed to offset the costs of maintaining roads and support ecological efforts for conservation and preservation in those states, but the fees collected may be applied as the state government so chooses. 

Contact a company like Diesel Plates and Permits today to learn more.