A.R.S. § 28-2162: Delinquent Vehicle Registration Penalty
Delinquent registration; penalty; lien; failure to apply for certificate of title; waiver
Is there a grace period for expired vehicle tags in Arizona?
In Arizona, there is no grace period for an expired vehicle registration — the penalty starts accruing once the fee becomes overdue, at eight dollars for the first month and four dollars for each additional month, up to a maximum of one hundred dollars. The unpaid fee and penalty become a lien the state can collect by seizing and selling the vehicle, though the penalty is waived or refunded if the owner proves the vehicle was not driven on the highways before the application and registration.
Full statute text
Official text last checked against azleg.gov:
28-2162. Delinquent registration; penalty; lien; failure to apply for certificate of title; waiver
A. If a vehicle is operated on a highway without payment of the registration or certificate of title transfer fee, the fee is delinquent. If the fee is not paid before the date on which the vehicle is required to be registered for the current registration year, the department shall collect a penalty. The penalty is eight dollars for the first month of delinquency and four dollars for each additional month, not to exceed a total penalty of one hundred dollars. Registration of a vehicle in the name of the applicant for the year immediately preceding the year for which the application for registration is made is prima facie evidence that the vehicle has been operated on the highways during the year for which the application for registration is made.
B. Except as provided in section 28-5807, an applicant shall submit the total annual registration fee, the weight fee, any other required fee and the penalty prescribed in subsection A of this section with an application for registration of a vehicle that is submitted after the date the vehicle was required to be registered for the registration year in which registration of the vehicle for the next preceding year expired. If it is determined at the time of renewal, on proof satisfactory to the director, that the vehicle was not operated on the highways of this state before the filing of the application and the registration of the vehicle, the department shall refund or waive the penalty prescribed in subsection A of this section.
C. A registration fee and any penalty added to the fee are a lien on the vehicle on which they are due from the due date. The department may collect the fee and penalty by seizure of the vehicle from the person in possession of the vehicle, if any, and by sale as provided by law.
D. The director shall prescribe the method of readily identifying on the license plate the current registration date of the license plate.
E. A person who fails to apply for a certificate of title for any mobile home or other vehicle that is not registered under this title within thirty days after acquiring the mobile home or vehicle shall pay an additional fee equal to the penalty prescribed in subsection A of this section.
F. If a person who is licensed pursuant to chapter 10 of this title applies for a dismantle certificate of title for a vehicle pursuant to section 28-2094, the department shall waive any penalties that relate to the vehicle and that are imposed pursuant to this section.
AI-drafted summary, not attorney-reviewed. Statute text verified against azleg.gov. Legal information, not legal advice — consult a licensed attorney for your situation.