Kaua'i County yesterday announced it will begin charging a fee to people who pay their bills online.

Starting Jan. 1, anyone opting to pay their sewer bill, real property taxes or motor vehicle registration fee online will also have to pay user fees, as they do in all other counties in Hawai'i.

"Unfortunately, in these difficult economic times we aren't able to continue to subsidize this cost and feel it's appropriate to bring our policies in line with the rest of the state," county Finance Director Wallace Rezentes Jr. said.

When someone makes an e-payment with an electronic check, the user fee will be $1 plus an additional $2.50 transaction fee.

Those paying with a credit card will be charged 2.2 percent of the transaction amount and an additional $2.50 per transaction.

Sixteen percent of Kaua'i residents pay their county bills online, under the service that began in 2006.