https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/Pages/Registration-Tax.aspx says there are different fees for registering trucks ~ but an automobile looks like it can be anywhere from about $35 to $50 bucks depending on age. Not saying you didn’t pay $500 but not for a car.
Uh, the $35 is for a vehicle 10 years or older!
Here is a link to the MN chart. The license fee is basically about 1.3 of the vehicles value PLUS other miscellaneous fees.
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/forms-documents/Documents/TaxManual.pdf
I am looking at my purchase documents right now. The 2010 Chevrolet Crew Cab was $445 plus some misc other fees in 2010 when we bought it new. The renewal in 2011 was $360.
The 2011 Cruze we just bought was $379 plus misc other fees.
Our “famed” former Governor, Jesse Ventura, years back went after MN car license fees with a passion and got them cut about in half. As soon as he was out, the Democrats raised them again.
I know a well off guy who just bought a $160,000 Ford GT. He is a Florida resident living in MN for 5 months out of the year. For fun he called MN and ask them how much to license that $150,000 car for a year in MN - the answer was $2,700. It cost him $500 to license it in Florida for a year.....