Road User Charge for Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles

In 2024, Act 85 (later amended by Act 149) was passed by the Pennsylvania General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Josh Shapiro, setting the Commonwealth on a path to modernize how electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) owners support road and bridge maintenance. On April 1, 2025, Pennsylvania began to charge EV and PHEV owners a yearly Road User Charge (RUC). 

If you drive a gas-powered car, you already help pay to maintain Pennsylvania’s road and bridge network through gas taxes. The new law creates a fair way for all drivers to help maintain Pennsylvania’s transportation network, ensuring that EV and PHEV owners who pay no or very little gas tax are also contributing to Pennsylvania’s Motor License Fund for highway and bridge maintenance. 

If you own an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, here’s what you need to know:

• If your registration expires after May 2025, you’ll need to pay the new fee.
• PennDOT will send you a form with the payment details.

Definitions

Electric Vehicle (EV) - A motor vehicle that delivers power to its drive wheel or wheels solely by use of a battery-powered electric motor.

Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) - A motor vehicle that can deliver power to the drive wheels solely by a battery-powered electric motor, but which also incorporates the use of another fuel to power a combustion engine. The battery of the vehicle must be capable of receiving energy from an external source, such as an outlet or charging station.

If opting for a two-year registration, you will pay the two-year fee amount.

You must enroll in RUC and choose to make a flat (one-time per registration period) payment,  or enroll in a payment plan. After enrolling in and paying the RUC, you can renew your vehicle registration.

For both payment options, the length of your RUC enrollment period and the length of your vehicle’s next registration must match. 

• If you choose to make a flat (one-time per registration period) payment, the total payment will be due upon enrollment. 
• If you enroll in a one-year payment plan, the initial payment is due upon enrollment. You will have five remaining payments.
• If you enroll in a two-year payment plan, the initial payment is due upon enrollment. You will have 11 remaining payments. 

You can pay online, by mail, with the help of a business partner, or in person at the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg.

Starting in 2027, PennDOT will adjust the fee each year based on the previous year’s charge and the change in the consumer price index.

Yes, for EV and PHEV owners of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000 or below. Prior to Act 85, the law required all EV and PHEV owners to pay the Alternative Fuels Tax.

Act 85 significantly reduces the burden on EV and PHEV owners and eliminates the need for detailed tracking of electricity use, manual calculation of the alternative fuels tax based on fluctuating rates, and a complex reporting system.

Pennsylvania's roads and bridges are mostly paid for by federal and state gas taxes. Electric vehicles don’t use gas, which means they don’t contribute to the gas tax.  PHEV vehicles use very little gas and therefore are not contributing as much as vehicles operating on gas to the maintenance of roads and bridges. 

This fee makes sure every driver pays their fair share to help maintain roads and bridges no matter what kind of car they drive.

This change was made by Acts 85 and 149 of 2024 to help fund Pennsylvania’s highways, bridges, and transportation systems, ensuring they stay safe and reliable for all drivers.

While most electric and plug-in hybrid cars will need to pay the RUC when registering, some electric vehicles are exempt: 

• Golf carts. 
• Electric motorcycles. 
• Vehicles from 1990 or older. 
• Certain government vehicles. 
• Vehicles over 14,000 pound gross vehicle weight rating.

You can read our list of frequently asked questions here.

For more details, contact PennDOT.