4 ms·

> vehicle licensing fee from 2% of a car's worth to 0.65% In Denmark the fee is 180% of the car's worth... (sorry for OT)

cpeterso 13y ago
How can poor people afford to buy a car? Public transportation isn't available in all places and at all times of day.
- the_rosentotter 13y ago
  Note that we hardly have poor people (by American standards) because of the welfare state, which is partly funded by these extremely high taxes, but it is difficult for low income people to afford a car (gasoline is heavily taxed too). If they really need it they will buy an old beater and drive it a couple of years until it dies, then repeat (which somewhat nullifies the rationale of car registration fees helping the environment).
  - ams6110 13y ago
    "old beaters" also differ from American standards. I doubt the typical American "beater" car would be considered roadworthy in Denmark.
- bhickey 13y ago
  It depends on where you are. Public transit in London, for example, is amazing. The longest wait for a train at my local station (Zone 2) was around 12 minutes off peak. Night buses take over for the tube late at night. They'll take you where you need to go, albeit a little slowly. A yearly pass costs £1216 (Zone 1-2). Good luck getting insurance and petrol for much less than that. There's an argument to be made that public transportation isn't available because poor and middle class people can afford cars.
dfc 13y ago
The fee for me to license a car I bring to denmark is 1/3rd the figure you cited.[1] Do you know why there is such a disparity? Would you mind explaining the rationale for such a high fee? (I realize its not your personal policy, I am just curious about what the government says about the fee. As an American it sounds strange but I imagine such a low % here in the states is equally as strange to you. Thanks for indulging my curiosity.) [1] https://www.workindenmark.dk/en/Find_information/Information_for_job_seekers/Life_in_Denmark/Transport/Car_in_Denmark https://www.workindenmark.dk/en/Find_information/Information...
- the_rosentotter 13y ago
  The 180% is for private cars. They give breaks for vehicles with special registration (commercial, foreigners etc.), I guess to not stifle business / foreign workers too much. I think the rationale for the high fee is (a) Denmark likes taxes (around 50% income tax on average) to run our comprehensive welfare state, and progressive taxation that taxes wealthier people more is seen as the best approach (new car buyers sort of fit into this), and (b) "the environment", we have very good public transportation (and, famously, bicycle facilities) which the government wants to encourage. I don't agree 100% on those points but there it is.
  - oijaf888 13y ago
    How does anyone afford 180% the value per year? It seems like it would make buying any car more than a few thousand DKK only possible for a very small rich few.
btilly 13y ago
I don't think you know what a licensing fee is. That's the fee that you need to pay each year to update the license on the car. I'm quite sure that in Denmark you don't pay 180% of the car's worth every year.
- maxerickson 13y ago
  Yeah, searching a bit suggests that the huge tax is on the purchase, not an annual thing.

cpeterso 13y ago

How can poor people afford to buy a car? Public transportation isn't available in all places and at all times of day.

the_rosentotter 13y ago
Note that we hardly have poor people (by American standards) because of the welfare state, which is partly funded by these extremely high taxes, but it is difficult for low income people to afford a car (gasoline is heavily taxed too). If they really need it they will buy an old beater and drive it a couple of years until it dies, then repeat (which somewhat nullifies the rationale of car registration fees helping the environment).
- ams6110 13y ago
  "old beaters" also differ from American standards. I doubt the typical American "beater" car would be considered roadworthy in Denmark.
bhickey 13y ago
It depends on where you are. Public transit in London, for example, is amazing. The longest wait for a train at my local station (Zone 2) was around 12 minutes off peak. Night buses take over for the tube late at night. They'll take you where you need to go, albeit a little slowly. A yearly pass costs £1216 (Zone 1-2). Good luck getting insurance and petrol for much less than that. There's an argument to be made that public transportation isn't available because poor and middle class people can afford cars.

dfc 13y ago

The fee for me to license a car I bring to denmark is 1/3rd the figure you cited.[1] Do you know why there is such a disparity? Would you mind explaining the rationale for such a high fee? (I realize its not your personal policy, I am just curious about what the government says about the fee. As an American it sounds strange but I imagine such a low % here in the states is equally as strange to you. Thanks for indulging my curiosity.) [1] https://www.workindenmark.dk/en/Find_information/Information_for_job_seekers/Life_in_Denmark/Transport/Car_in_Denmark https://www.workindenmark.dk/en/Find_information/Information...

the_rosentotter 13y ago
The 180% is for private cars. They give breaks for vehicles with special registration (commercial, foreigners etc.), I guess to not stifle business / foreign workers too much. I think the rationale for the high fee is (a) Denmark likes taxes (around 50% income tax on average) to run our comprehensive welfare state, and progressive taxation that taxes wealthier people more is seen as the best approach (new car buyers sort of fit into this), and (b) "the environment", we have very good public transportation (and, famously, bicycle facilities) which the government wants to encourage. I don't agree 100% on those points but there it is.
- oijaf888 13y ago
  How does anyone afford 180% the value per year? It seems like it would make buying any car more than a few thousand DKK only possible for a very small rich few.

btilly 13y ago

I don't think you know what a licensing fee is. That's the fee that you need to pay each year to update the license on the car. I'm quite sure that in Denmark you don't pay 180% of the car's worth every year.

maxerickson 13y ago
Yeah, searching a bit suggests that the huge tax is on the purchase, not an annual thing.