Is the DMV stealing from Nevada drivers? That's what one Action News viewer thinks. So she emailed us, furious about a state policy. Contact 13's Tricia Kean went straight to the source for some answers.

"I think it's really, really wrong," said Rita Kaye.

Rita is angry.

"I had a Ford 2007 pickup that we gave back to ford and we had to turn the plates in," said Rita.

Rita says the DMV told her she had a credit of about $140 for the unused portion of her registration.

"I said ok, do you mail that to me and she said oh no, we don't give refunds," said Rita.

That's when Rita shot a firey email to the DMV and Contact 13.

"This is nothing short of extortion," said Rita.

At that point, Rita had only one question on her mind.

"How do you have the nerve to keep people's money," said Rita.

Contact 13 went to Kevin Malone of the Nevada DMV.

"So the question is, this woman is obviously very upset because she needs her money right now and she can't get a refund. Why," asked Contact 13's Tricia Kean.

"Historically, the state never gave refunds of any type on registrations," said Kevin.

A law that was in place from 2001 to 2003 actually allowed refunds to be given but Malone says that system just didn't work.

"We were essentially giving away the store. It was actually pretty absurd. It cost the state $15 each to cut a check for $0.50 cents, or $1 or $50 . It was a very ill-conceived bill to begin with," said Kevin.

In 2003, the state legislature debated and the law was reversed, leaving people like Rita with only one option.

"She could come in and re-register her other car early and use the credit," said Kevin.

Rita says that solution just won't fly because her other car is registered through July of next year.

"No, that's not working for me. I don't understand that. I'm going to register that car next July. I don't want to register it today just to use up that money. So I want my money," said Rita.

The Contact 13 bottom line is if you're like Rita and don't like this policy, take your complaint to your state legislator.

The DMV doesn't have the power to change current state laws and in fairness it's not as if the DMV is pocketing refund money. They tell us your registration fees have already been spent on things like road construction, taxes and school improvement.

Finally, refunds are available to certain people but you must meet certain requirements:

The Department shall issue a refund pursuant to subsection 8 only if the request for a refund is made at the time the registration is canceled and the license plates are surrendered, the person requesting the refund is a resident of Nevada, the amount eligible for refund exceeds $100, and evidence satisfactory to the Department is submitted that reasonably proves the existence of extenuating circumstances. For the purposes of this subsection, the term “extenuating circumstances” means circumstances wherein:

(a) The person has recently relinquished his driver’s license and has sold or otherwise disposed of his vehicle.

(b) The vehicle has been determined to be inoperable and the person does not transfer the registration to a different vehicle.

(c) The owner of the vehicle is seriously ill or has died and the guardians or survivors have sold or otherwise disposed of the vehicle.

(d) Any other event occurs which the Department, by regulation, has defined to constitute an “extenuating circumstance” for the purposes of this subsection.