Eric Dryden recently moved across the state line from Salisbury, Md., to Laurel, Del., and visited the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicle offices in Georgetown on Tuesday to obtain a driver’s license. Unaware of a fee increase that took effect Monday, an agitated Dryden had to leave the office in the middle of his trip to visit an ATM so that he could cover the added costs.
“I think it was a little ridiculous,” Dryden said of the increased fees. “How much does that little plastic cost?”
The first fees in a “sweeping” revenue package approved recently to help cover a $1.5 billion transportation shortfall took effect Monday, with fees for driver’s licenses and ID cards jumping for the first time in years.
The cost to obtain a driver’s license, which is good for five years, jumped from $12.50 to $25, with the cost of four-year ID cards up to $20 from $5. Those two fee increases alone will bring the Delaware Department of Transportation more than $13 million in new revenues in the next six years, to help keep anticipated roadway projects afloat.
Most of the fee increases in the package, including ones affecting documentation and registration fees and tolls, will take effect on Oct. 1. The package will generate about $562 million in the next six years and is the biggest new funding boost the state transportation department has ever received, according to DelDOT spokesman Darrel Cole.
That, however, did not stop county residents from complaining about the fee increases this week.
“That was news to me,” Peter Cox of Millsboro said of the increases. “I didn’t know the fees went up. I think the old prices were too high, so you know what I will think about the increase.”
Like Cox, who picked up a driver’s license for a friend Tuesday, many were not aware of the increases and were taken by surprise when they reached the counter at the Georgetown office to purchase their license or ID card this week, according to officials. DMV officials in Georgetown have not posted information about the increases throughout the office but have a sheet at each counter, detailing prices for each service.
Will Rohlfing, a teller in the Georgetown office who deals with driver’s licenses and ID cards, said most customers were not upset about Monday’s increase.
“The reaction of the people has not been as bad as we anticipated,” Rohlfing said, adding that with the increases, ID’s and licenses only cost residents $5 per year. “Everybody seems to be taking it well. Believe it or not, they weren’t upset.”
Pam Smith, manager of the Georgetown DMV office, agreed and said the fee increases were long overdue. With the 100 percent licensing fee increase, Delaware’s cost is still cheaper than the $30 renewal fee in Maryland and the $26 it costs to renew a license in Pennsylvania. The $20 cost of a photo ID in Delaware is now more expensive than in either of those states, however.
The fee increases set to take effect in October will bring Delaware closer in price with neighboring states, as well.
“We haven’t really had any people that have gotten angry,” Smith said Tuesday. “They have been more or less accepting of it.”
Delisa Jones, who renewed her photo ID Tuesday, was initially upset about the increases.
“It’s not right,” Jones said. “That’s crazy.” But, Jones added calmly, “you’re only really paying $5 a year.”