2026 tax year · updated Oct 15, 2026

Car sales tax calculator

Sales tax on a car is the state's vehicle tax rate on the price, usually after subtracting your trade-in, plus local tax in states that charge it on vehicles. Texas, for example, charges 6.25% with no local tax. Pick your state, enter the price and the trade-in, and see the tax.

Sales tax on the car

$2,187.50

Price plus tax $37,187.50

Vehicle price: $35,000.00
Trade-in credit: −$0.00
Taxable price: $35,000.00
State tax (6.25%): $2,187.50
Local tax (0%): $0.00
Total sales tax: $2,187.50

Private-party sales are taxed on the greater of the price paid or 80% of the standard presumptive value (SPV).

Title, registration and dealer fees are not included.

Car sales tax rules by state

States whose vehicle tax rules we have checked against the state revenue department or DMV, last verified Oct 22, 2026.

Vehicle sales tax rate, trade-in and local tax rules by state
State	State vehicle rate	Trade-in deducted	Local tax	Source
Alabama	2%	Yes	Yes	Alabama DOR
Arizona	5.6%	Yes	Yes	Arizona DOR
California	7.25%	No	Yes, where the car is registered	CDTFA
Colorado	2.9%	Yes	Yes, where the car is registered	Colorado Department of Revenue
Connecticut	6.35%, 7.75% over $50,000	Yes	No	Connecticut DMV
Delaware (Document fee)	5.25%	Yes	No	Delaware DMV
Florida	6%	Yes	Yes, where you live (first $5,000)	Florida Department of Revenue
Georgia (Title ad valorem tax, TAVT)	7%	Yes	No	Georgia DOR
Idaho	6%	Yes	Yes	Idaho State Tax Commission
Indiana	7%	Yes	No	Indiana DOR
Iowa (Fee for new registration)	5%, + $10	Not confirmed	No	Iowa DOR
Kansas	6.5%	Yes	Yes, where you live	Kansas DOR
Kentucky (Motor vehicle usage tax)	6%	Yes	No	Kentucky DOR
Louisiana	5%	Yes	Yes, where you live	Louisiana OMV
Maine	5.5%	Yes	No	Maine Revenue Services
Maryland (Titling excise tax)	6.5%, min $41.60	Yes	No	Maryland MVA
Massachusetts	6.25%	Yes	No	Massachusetts DOR
Michigan	6%	Yes, up to $12,000	No	Michigan Treasury
Minnesota	6.875%	Yes	No	Minnesota Department of Revenue
Mississippi	5%	Yes	Yes	Mississippi DOR
Missouri	4.225%	Yes	Yes, where you live	Missouri Department of Revenue
Montana	0%	—	No	Montana DOR
Nebraska	5.5%	Yes	Yes, where the car is registered	Nebraska DMV
Nevada	6.85%	Yes	Yes, where you buy	Nevada Department of Taxation
New Jersey	6.625%	Yes	No	NJ Division of Taxation
New Mexico (Motor vehicle excise tax)	4%	Yes	No	NM Taxation and Revenue
New York	4%	Yes	Yes, where you live	NY Department of Taxation and Finance
North Carolina (Highway use tax)	3%	Yes	No	NCDOT
North Dakota (Motor vehicle excise tax)	5%	Yes	No	ND Tax Commissioner
Ohio	5.75%	Yes	Yes, where you live	Ohio Department of Taxation
Oregon	0%	—	No	Oregon DOR
Pennsylvania	6%	Yes	Yes, where you live	PennDOT fact sheet
Rhode Island	7%	Yes	No	Rhode Island DMV
South Carolina (Infrastructure maintenance fee)	5%, max $500	Not confirmed	No	SCDOR
South Dakota (Motor vehicle excise tax)	4%	Yes	No	South Dakota DOR
Tennessee	7%, + 2.75% on $1,600-$3,200	Yes	Yes (first $1,600)	Tennessee DOR
Texas	6.25%	Yes	No	Texas Comptroller
Utah	4.85%	Yes	Yes	Utah Tax Commission
Vermont (Purchase and use tax)	6%	Yes	No	Vermont DMV
Virginia (Motor vehicle sales and use tax)	4.15%, min $75	No	No	Virginia DMV
Washington	7%	Yes	Yes	Washington DOR
West Virginia	6%, min $30	Yes	No	West Virginia DMV
Wisconsin	5%	Yes	Yes, where you live	Wisconsin DOR

Not yet verified: Alaska, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Wyoming. We have not checked their vehicle tax rules against an official source yet, so the calculator shows no estimate for them; the links go to each state's revenue department. For general sales tax, use the sales tax calculator.

State rules worth knowing

Alabama: Alabama's state automotive rate is 2% of the price less the trade-in. Cities and counties add their own automotive rates, which differ from their general sales tax: enter yours for an exact figure.
Arizona: Arizona charges 5.6% plus county and city tax; the trade-in reduces the taxable price.
California: The rate is the sales tax rate at the address where the vehicle is registered, including any district taxes.
Colorado: Which city, county and district taxes apply depends on where the vehicle will be registered and where you live.
Connecticut: Connecticut charges 6.35%, or 7.75% when the price before trade-in is over $50,000. A dealer trade-in is deducted in full.
Delaware: Delaware has no sales tax but charges a 5.25% document fee (from October 1, 2025) when the vehicle is titled, on the price less one trade-in.
Florida: County discretionary sales surtax applies only to the first $5,000 of the price, at the rate of the county on the title or registration address.
Georgia: Georgia charges a one-time 7% title ad valorem tax (TAVT) instead of sales tax.
Georgia: TAVT is based on fair market value: for a new car the higher of the price or the state assessment value; for a used car the state's assessed value, which may differ from what you pay.
Georgia: The trade-in is deducted only on dealer sales.
Idaho: Idaho charges 6%. A dealer trade-in taken at the time of sale is deducted; private-party sales get no trade-in allowance.
Indiana: Indiana charges 7%. Only a like-kind trade-in titled in the buyer's name reduces the price.
Iowa: Iowa charges a one-time fee for new registration of $10 plus 5% of the price instead of sales tax.
Iowa: We could not confirm from a current source whether a trade-in lowers the fee, so this estimate ignores the trade-in.
Kansas: Kansas charges 6.5% plus local tax. A dealer charges its own location's rate; if you live where the rate is higher, the county treasurer collects the difference.
Kentucky: Kentucky charges a 6% motor vehicle usage tax instead of sales tax, after the trade-in credit.
Louisiana: Louisiana charges 5% (from January 1, 2025) plus parish and city tax where the vehicle is domiciled, on the price less a qualifying trade-in and rebates.
Maine: Maine charges its general sales tax rate; when a motor vehicle is traded toward another, tax applies only to the difference.
Maryland: Maryland charges a 6.5% excise tax (from July 1, 2025) on the price less the trade-in allowance, with a $41.60 minimum.
Massachusetts: Private (casual) sales are taxed on the higher of the price or the NADA clean trade-in value, with no trade-in reduction.
Massachusetts: The trade-in reduction applies to sales by dealers registered with the Department of Revenue.
Michigan: Michigan charges 6%. In 2026 the trade-in deduction is limited to $12,000 or the agreed value, whichever is less, and applies to one trade-in bought by a licensed dealer.
Minnesota: Local sales taxes do not apply to vehicles; some cities and counties charge a flat local vehicle excise tax instead.
Mississippi: Mississippi charges 5% on the net price after dealer discounts and trade-ins. In a private sale the county tax collector uses a set value for the car, not the price.
Missouri: Local sales tax is the rate of the city or county where you live, not where you bought the vehicle.
Montana: Montana has no general sales tax, so there is none on vehicles; registration and title fees still apply.
Nebraska: Nebraska charges 5.5% plus the local rate of the registration address; a vehicle taken in trade at the time of sale is deducted.
Nevada: Nevada charges the rate of the county where the sale takes place; the trade-in allowance is deducted.
New Jersey: New Jersey charges 6.625% of the purchase price of a new or used vehicle; a trade-in on the dealer's invoice is subtracted first.
New Mexico: New Mexico charges a 4% motor vehicle excise tax on the price less the trade-in. For a used vehicle the base is at least 80% of its NADA average trade-in value.
New York: Tax is charged at the combined state and local rate where the buyer lives, not where the dealer is.
North Carolina: North Carolina charges a 3% highway use tax when the vehicle is titled, instead of sales tax.
North Carolina: On dealer sales it is 3% of the price less the trade-in.
North Dakota: North Dakota charges a 5% motor vehicle excise tax on the price less the trade-in.
Ohio: The rate is the combined rate of the county where the buyer lives, not where the dealer is.
Ohio: A trade-in lowers the taxable price only when you buy a new vehicle; for a used vehicle, enter 0 as the trade-in.
Oregon: Oregon has no sales tax. New vehicles (7,500 miles or less) sold by Oregon dealers carry a 0.5% vehicle privilege tax, which the law imposes on the dealer.
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania charges 6%. Residents of Allegheny County pay 1% more and residents of the City of Philadelphia 2% more: enter 1 or 2 as the local rate.
Pennsylvania: Tax applies to the price less the trade-in.
Rhode Island: Rhode Island charges 7% on a dealer sale after the trade-in (a truck traded toward a car does not count). Private sales of vehicles 7 years old or newer are taxed on the higher of the price or NADA clean retail value.
South Carolina: South Carolina charges a 5% infrastructure maintenance fee, at most $500, instead of state and local sales tax.
South Carolina: We could not confirm whether a trade-in lowers the fee, so this estimate ignores the trade-in.
South Dakota: South Dakota charges a 4% motor vehicle excise tax instead of sales tax; a dealer's trade-in allowance is deducted.
Tennessee: Tennessee charges 7% on the whole price. Local tax applies only to the first $1,600, and a 2.75% state single article tax applies to the part between $1,600 and $3,200 (at most $44).
Texas: Private-party sales are taxed on the greater of the price paid or 80% of the standard presumptive value (SPV).
Utah: Utah charges 4.85% plus local tax (where a dealer is located, or where the vehicle is registered for a private sale); a trade-in titled to you is deducted.
Vermont: Vermont charges a 6% purchase and use tax on the greater of the price or the J.D. Power clean trade-in value, less a trade-in.
Virginia: Virginia charges 4.15% of the gross sales price when the vehicle is titled, with a $75 minimum.
Virginia: Trade-in credits are not deducted; rebates are, and the dealer processing fee is taxed.
Washington: Washington adds a 0.5% motor vehicle sales/use tax (from January 1, 2026) to the 6.5% state sales tax, plus local sales tax.
Washington: Tax applies to the price after a like-kind trade-in shown on the sales agreement.
West Virginia: West Virginia charges 6% at titling ($30 when the net price is under $500). The trade-in is deducted only if it is titled in West Virginia in your name; rebates are taxable.
Wisconsin: Wisconsin charges 5% plus the county (and Milwaukee city) tax where the vehicle is kept; a trade-in in the same transaction is excluded.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate sales tax on a car?

Subtract the trade-in from the price if your state allows it, then multiply by the state's vehicle tax rate and any local rate. In Texas, a $35,000 car with a $10,000 trade-in is taxed on $25,000 at 6.25%: $1,562.50.

Does a trade-in lower the sales tax on a car?

In most states it does: tax is charged on the price minus the trade-in allowance. California and Virginia are exceptions: the trade-in does not reduce the taxable price.

Do I pay local sales tax on a car?

It depends on the state. Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia charge only the state vehicle tax. Where local tax applies, the rate usually follows where you live or register the car, not where the dealer is. Local tax applies only to part of the price in Florida (the first $5,000) and Tennessee (the first $1,600).

Are title and registration fees included?

No. This calculator covers sales and use tax only. Title, registration, plate and dealer documentation fees are separate and set by each state and dealer.