An ordinance went into effect on Jan. 1 that allows Ketchikan borough residents to apply for permanent registration for their vehicles and trailers.
State Representative Jeremy Bynum (R-Ketchikan) sponsored the ordinance in 2024 when he was on the Ketchikan Borough Assembly.
“Ultimately, if you’re going to keep your vehicles long term, it would provide a savings,” he said.
The permanent registration is eligible for vehicles over eight years old. Bynum says that in addition to eventually saving residents money, it would also provide a convenience.
“We wanted to provide an alternative that first of all, it’s available to people,” Bynum said. “And we all know that there’s times when trying to make sure your vehicle registration is up to date, people forget you’ve got to make an appointment to go to the DMV, or you’ve got to go online and do it.”
The state legislature passed a law in 2014 that allowed municipalities to opt into the permanent registration program. Ketchikan did not opt in at the time because of the registration taxes that were being used for the borough’s Junk Vehicle Program, which disposes of derelict vehicles at no cost to the resident.
There is an additional $90 fee for permanent vehicle registration that goes to the borough to fund the program. The fee for non-commercial trailers is $20. Bynum says that fee was decided by analyzing data on how long people on the island typically own their vehicles, so residents could still get permanent registration without underfunding the Junk Vehicle Program.
Ketchikan is the latest borough to opt in, joining Sitka, Mat-Su, Fairbanks, and the Northwest Arctic, among others. Vehicle registration must expire on or after Jan. 1, or be registered in Alaska for the first time, in order to be eligible.
Residents can apply for a permanent registration tag online.
