Senate BillChaptered/SignedVehicle
SB 922: Vehicles: local agency charges: use of streets or highways.
What SB 922 does, verified September 14, 2026
The bill aims to clarify the use of local agency charges for vehicles. Existing law prohibits local agencies from imposing fees for using their streets or highways, except for permit fees for certain loads. This bill would limit this prohibition to charges based on weight, allowing local agencies to impose fees based on vehicle weight. Additionally, the bill would permit local agencies to charge for the cost of street maintenance, repair, and other related costs, such as providing public services or public works.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 148, Statutes of 2026. (2026-08-06)Alert me
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| Aug. 27, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 148, Statutes of 2026. |
| Aug. 27, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Aug. 18, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m. |
| Aug. 10, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 30. Noes 1.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 06, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 51. Noes 12. Page 6081.) Ordered to the Senate. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, August 27, 2026 · 774 words
Senate Bill No. 922
CHAPTER 148
An act to amend Section 9400.8 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.
[ Approved by Governor August 27, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State August 27, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 922, Laird. Vehicles: local agency charges: use of streets or highways.
Existing law prohibits a local agency from imposing a tax, permit fee, or other charge for the privilege of using its streets or highways, other than a permit fee for an extralegal load unless the local agency had imposed the fee prior to June 1, 1989.
This bill would explicitly state that a fee, charge, surcharge, or component thereof imposed upon the provider of, or ratepayer for, public services by or for a local agency to recover the cost of street maintenance and repair and other costs associated with the use of its streets, roads, or highways to provide those public services is not a tax, permit fee, or other charge that is prohibited by the provision described above. The bill would provide that nothing in the Vehicle Code prohibits a local agency from imposing or collecting this fee, charge, or surcharge. The bill would delete obsolete references and make other technical changes. The bill would make various findings and declarations.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following:(1) Weight fees are collected on commercial vehicles by the State of California, deposited into the State Highway Account, and used for the purposes specified in Section 9400.4 of the Vehicle Code. Weight fees for vehicles operated under 10,001 pounds gross vehicle weight (GVW) and for pickups are determined by the number of axles and unladen weight. Weight fees for vehicles operated over 10,001 pounds GVW are determined by the declared GVW or combined GVW.
(2) In June 1990, the California electorate adopted Proposition 111, which increased weight fees on commercial vehicles by 40 percent on August 1, 1990, and by an additional 10 percent on January 1, 1995. Section 9400.8 of the Vehicle Code, which is amended by this act, provides that if the voters approved Senate Constitutional Amendment 1, then no local agency may impose a tax, permit fee, or other charge for the privilege of using its streets or highways other than a permit fee for extralegal loads.
(3) Local governments have broad authority to provide and operate public services, including refuse collection, water, power, heat, transportation, means of communication, and other services and works, and to impose and collect rates, fees, and other charges that defray the cost of providing those services and works, under existing laws, including, without limitation, Sections 7 and 9 of Article XI of the California Constitution.
(b) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to respect the existing authority of local governments to impose rates, fees, and other charges for public services pursuant to the aforementioned laws, which includes recovery of street repair and other costs associated with the use of public roads to provide those services.
(2) It is the further intent of the Legislature to state clearly that a local government’s charge imposed upon the provider of, or ratepayer for, public services by, or for, a local agency to recover the cost of street maintenance and repair or other costs associated with the use of streets, roads, or highways to provide those public services is not a charge for the privilege of using its streets within the meaning of Section 9400.8 of the Vehicle Code and to reject the interpretation given to the law in Rogers v. City of Redlands (2025) 112 Cal.App.5th 667.
SEC. 2.
Section 9400.8 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:9400.8.
(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a local agency shall not impose a tax, permit fee, or other charge for the privilege of using its streets or highways, other than a permit fee for extralegal loads unless the local agency had imposed the fee prior to June 1, 1989.(b) (1) A fee, charge, surcharge, or a component thereof, imposed upon the provider of, or ratepayer for, public services by, or for, a local agency to recover the cost of street maintenance and repair and other costs associated with the use of its streets, roads, or highways to provide public services is not a tax, permit fee, or other charge for the privilege of using streets or highways that is prohibited under subdivision (a).
(2) Nothing in this code prohibits a local agency from imposing or collecting a fee, charge, or surcharge described in paragraph (1).
Text of SB 922 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions