1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to motor vehicles; exempting veterans from certain motor vehicle
1.3 registration taxes and fees, including certain registration taxes, license plate fees,
1.4 title fees, driver's license and identification card fees, and motor vehicle sales taxes;
1.5 amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 168.012, subdivision 13; 171.06,
1.6 subdivision 2c; 297B.03.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 168.012, subdivision 13, is amended to read:
1.9 Subd. 13.Vehicles registered by certain veterans.(a) A passenger automobile, one-ton
1.10pickup truck, motorcycle, or recreational vehicle registered by a veteran with a total
1.11service-connected disability, as defined in section 171.01, subdivision 51 197.447, is not
1.12subject to:
1.13 (1) registration taxes under this chapter;
1.14 (2) administrative fees imposed under subdivision 1c;
1.15 (3) filing fees and surcharges imposed under section 168.33, subdivision 7; or
1.16 (4) plate and validation sticker fees imposed under this chapter, including but not limited
1.17to:
1.18 (i) fees under section 168.12, subdivision 5;
1.19 (ii) fees identified in any section authorizing special plates; and
1.20 (iii) transfer fees.
1.21 (b) The exemptions under this subdivision apply to a motor vehicle that is jointly
1.22registered by a qualifying veteran and a spouse or domestic partner.
1Section 1.
25-02839 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR KRB/NS
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 2716NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: SEEBERGER, Lang, Duckworth, Hauschild and Gustafson)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading03/20/2025
Referred to Transportation 2.1 (c) The fees identified under paragraph (a), clause (4), do not include:
2.2 (1) a fee for personalized plates under section 168.12, subdivision 2a; or
2.3 (2) a required contribution or donation for a special plate, including but not limited to
2.4a contribution under sections 168.1255, subdivision 1, clause (6); 168.1258, subdivision 1,
2.5clause (4); 168.1259, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (5); 168.1287, subdivision 1,
2.6clause (5); 168.129, subdivision 1, clause (5); 168.1295, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause
2.7(5); 168.1296, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (5); and 168.1299, subdivision 1, clause
2.8(3).
2.9 (d) A qualifying veteran may register no more than two motor vehicles at the same time
2.10with the exemptions under this subdivision. Nothing in this paragraph prevents registration
2.11of additional motor vehicles as otherwise provided in this chapter.
2.12 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment and
2.13applies to taxes payable for a registration period starting on or after January 1, 2026.
2.14 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 171.06, subdivision 2c, is amended to read:
2.15 Subd. 2c.Exemption; certain veterans.For an applicant who is a veteran with a total
2.16service-connected disability, as defined in section 197.447, the commissioner must not
2.17impose:
2.18 (1) a license or endorsement fee, including fees and surcharges specified under:
2.19 (i) subdivisions 2 and 2a; and
2.20 (ii) section 171.02, subdivision 3;
2.21 (2) a filing fee under subdivision 2 or section 171.061, subdivision 4; or
2.22 (3) a fee for an identification card under section 171.07, subdivision 3 or 3a.
2.23 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2026.
2.24 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 297B.03, is amended to read:
2.25 297B.03 EXEMPTIONS.
2.26 There is specifically exempted from the provisions of this chapter and from computation
2.27of the amount of tax imposed by it the following:
2.28 (1) purchase or use, including use under a lease purchase agreement or installment sales
2.29contract made pursuant to section 465.71, of any motor vehicle by the United States and its
2Sec. 3.
25-02839 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR KRB/NS 3.1agencies and instrumentalities and by any person described in and subject to the conditions
3.2provided in section 297A.67, subdivision 11;
3.3 (2) purchase or use of any motor vehicle by any person who was a resident of another
3.4state or country at the time of the purchase and who subsequently becomes a resident of
3.5Minnesota, provided the purchase occurred more than 60 days prior to the date such person
3.6began residing in the state of Minnesota and the motor vehicle was registered in the person's
3.7name in the other state or country;
3.8 (3) purchase or use of any motor vehicle by any person making a valid election to be
3.9taxed under the provisions of section 297A.90;
3.10 (4) purchase or use of any motor vehicle previously registered in the state of Minnesota
3.11when such transfer constitutes a transfer within the meaning of section 118, 331, 332, 336,
3.12337, 338, 351, 355, 368, 721, 731, 1031, 1033, or 1563(a) of the Internal Revenue Code,
3.13as amended through December 16, 2016;
3.14 (5) purchase or use of any vehicle owned by a resident of another state and leased to a
3.15Minnesota-based private or for-hire carrier for regular use in the transportation of persons
3.16or property in interstate commerce provided the vehicle is titled in the state of the owner or
3.17secured party, and that state does not impose a sales tax or sales tax on motor vehicles used
3.18in interstate commerce;
3.19 (6) purchase or use of a motor vehicle by a private nonprofit or public educational
3.20institution for use as an instructional aid in automotive training programs operated by the
3.21institution. "Automotive training programs" includes motor vehicle body and mechanical
3.22repair courses but does not include driver education programs;
3.23 (7) purchase of a motor vehicle by an ambulance service licensed under section 144E.10
3.24when that vehicle is equipped and specifically intended for emergency response or for
3.25providing ambulance service;
3.26 (8) purchase of a motor vehicle by or for a public library, as defined in section 134.001,
3.27subdivision 2, as a bookmobile or library delivery vehicle;
3.28 (9) purchase of a ready-mixed concrete truck;
3.29 (10) purchase or use of a motor vehicle by a town for use exclusively for road
3.30maintenance, including snowplows and dump trucks, but not including automobiles, vans,
3.31or pickup trucks;
3Sec. 3.
25-02839 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR KRB/NS 4.1 (11) purchase or use of a motor vehicle by a corporation, society, association, foundation,
4.2or institution organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, or educational
4.3purposes, except a public school, university, or library, but only if the vehicle is:
4.4 (i) a truck, as defined in section 168.002, a bus, as defined in section 168.002, or a
4.5passenger automobile, as defined in section 168.002, if the automobile is designed and used
4.6for carrying more than nine persons including the driver; and
4.7 (ii) intended to be used primarily to transport tangible personal property or individuals,
4.8other than employees, to whom the organization provides service in performing its charitable,
4.9religious, or educational purpose;
4.10 (12) purchase of a motor vehicle for use by a transit provider exclusively to provide
4.11transit service is exempt if the transit provider is either (i) receiving financial assistance or
4.12reimbursement under section 174.24 or 473.384, or (ii) operating under section 174.29,
4.13473.388, or 473.405;
4.14 (13) purchase or use of a motor vehicle by a qualified business, as defined in section
4.15469.310, located in a job opportunity building zone, if the motor vehicle is principally
4.16garaged in the job opportunity building zone and is primarily used as part of or in direct
4.17support of the person's operations carried on in the job opportunity building zone. The
4.18exemption under this clause applies to sales, if the purchase was made and delivery received
4.19during the duration of the job opportunity building zone. The exemption under this clause
4.20also applies to any local sales and use tax;
4.21 (14) purchase of a leased vehicle by the lessee who was a participant in a lease-to-own
4.22program from a charitable organization that is:
4.23 (i) described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; and
4.24 (ii) licensed as a motor vehicle lessor under section 168.27, subdivision 4;
4.25 (15) purchase of a motor vehicle used exclusively as a mobile medical unit for the
4.26provision of medical or dental services by a federally qualified health center, as defined
4.27under title 19 of the Social Security Act, as amended by Section 4161 of the Omnibus Budget
4.28Reconciliation Act of 1990; and
4.29 (16) purchase of a motor vehicle by a veteran having a total service-connected disability,
4.30as defined in section 171.01, subdivision 51 197.447.
4.31 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for sales and purchases made after June
4.3230, 2026.
4Sec. 3.
25-02839 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR KRB/NS