Centerville set for April 20 hearing on a proposed $5 vehicle tax for Greene County residents
Centerville OH – City Council will hold an April 20 hearing on Ordinance 06-26, a proposed $5 vehicle tax tied to registration and transportation funding.
Centerville will hear a proposed $5 vehicle tax Monday
Centerville City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on Monday, April 20, 2026, on Ordinance 06-26, which would add a $5 municipal motor vehicle license tax for Centerville residents in Greene County.
The proposed charge would be tied to vehicle registration, not to income or property taxes. For residents who own vehicles, that means a small added cost at registration time if the measure is approved.
The timing matters because the hearing is the first formal chance for residents to weigh in before council can act. If council moves ahead after the hearing, the tax could become part of the local vehicle-registration bill for affected Centerville drivers.
What the money would be used for
Under Ohio’s permissive motor vehicle tax framework, local governments can levy vehicle taxes in $5 increments and direct the revenue to transportation-related needs. Greene County’s guidance says those uses can include roads, bridges, signs, signals, and similar public infrastructure work.
That is the practical takeaway for residents: the proposal is not framed as general operating money. It is tied to transportation upkeep and related local needs that affect daily driving, commuting, and road safety.
For homeowners, renters, workers, and commuters, the benefit question is straightforward. A $5 charge is small on its own, but over time these local vehicle taxes can help pay for the upkeep that keeps road networks usable and traffic moving.
How Ohio’s local vehicle-tax rules work
Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4504 gives cities and counties the legal framework for permissive motor vehicle license taxes. Greene County’s tax guidance explains that these local taxes are set in fixed $5 increments, which is why Centerville’s proposal is being discussed at that amount.
That structure is important because it shows the city is working within a state-authorized local funding tool, not creating a new type of tax. The hearing is about whether Centerville should use that option and, if so, how residents would help fund transportation needs through registration-related revenue.
For people who drive regularly, the issue is less about the size of the charge and more about the precedent and purpose. A vehicle tax can be a targeted way to support street and bridge work, but it still adds to the cost of owning and registering a car in the city’s area of application.
Residents who want to comment should pay attention to the April 20 hearing date. That is the immediate decision point, and council could act after hearing public testimony.
Sources
- City of Centerville public hearing notice
- Ordinance 06-26 public hearing PDF
- Greene County permissive motor vehicle license tax
- Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4504
- Centervilleohio
- Centervilleohio
- Dayton Daily News report on Washington Township registration tax discussion
- Dayton Daily News report on Centerville code enforcement changes
