Dealer fees and taxes
What every state charges on a car purchase, and what the dealer adds: sales tax, the trade-in rule, title, registration, the doc-fee cap and the doc fee dealers typically charge. 17 states cap the doc fee; 5 charge no state sales tax on cars at all.
The five lines
Set by the state, with county and city add-ons in most. Charged on the vehicle price, after the trade-in in most states. Georgia charges a one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax instead, North Carolina a Highway Use Tax, Virginia a Sales and Use Tax; five states charge none. Not negotiable.
Set by the DMV for the certificate of title. A fixed amount, from a few dollars to over $100 depending on the state. Not negotiable, and a dealer may only pass it through at cost.
Set by the DMV. Flat in some states; by weight, value or age in others, so the figure in the table is a typical passenger car. Some states add an annual fee for electric vehicles. Not negotiable.
The dealer's own charge for paperwork. Capped by law in some states (from under $100 to several hundred) and uncapped in others, where $500 to $1,000 is common. Where there is no cap it is negotiable, and the price can be lowered to offset it where there is.
Nitrogen in the tires, VIN etching, paint and fabric protection, pre-delivery charges and dealer-installed accessories. None are required by any state. Decline them, or make removing them a condition of the deal.
All 50 states and DC
Typical doc fees run from $85 (California) to $899 (Florida). The rate shown is the statewide rate; counties and cities add to it in most states.
51 states and DC
| State | Tax rate | What it is called | Trade-in cuts tax? | Title fee | Registration | Doc fee cap | Typical doc fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2% | Sales tax | Yes | $18 | $23 | None found | $485 | Counties and cities add to the 2% automotive rate. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Alaska | None | No state sales tax | Yes | $15 | $100 | None found | $200 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Arizona | 5.6% | Sales tax | Yes | $4 | $8 | None found | $499 | Cities and counties add roughly 2% to 5%. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Arkansas | 6.5% | Sales tax | Yes | $10 | $17 | $129 | $129 | Counties and cities add roughly 1% to 5%. Capped by law. |
| California | 7.25% | Sales tax | No | $23 | $103 | $85 | $85 | Districts add roughly 0.15% to 3% on top. $74 base plus the $29 CHP fee; the value-based license fee and transportation improvement fee are extra. California taxes the full price; a trade-in does not reduce the tax. Capped by law — CA Vehicle Code 11713.1. |
| Colorado | 2.9% | Sales tax | Yes | $7 | $75 | None found | $599 | Cities, counties and districts add roughly 1% to 5%. Priced on weight and value; ownership tax is extra. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Connecticut | 6.35% | Sales tax | Yes | $25 | $120 | None found | $499 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Delaware | None | No state sales tax (DMV document fee applies) | Yes | $40 | $40 | None found | $300 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| District of Columbia | 6% | Vehicle excise tax | No | $26 | $72 | None found | $300 | District of Columbia taxes the full price; a trade-in does not reduce the tax. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Florida | 6% | Sales tax | Yes | $78 | $225 | None found | $899 | Counties add a discretionary surtax on the first $5,000 only. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Georgia | 7% | Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) | Yes | $18 | $20 | None found | $599 | None: the TAVT rate is statewide. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Hawaii | 4% | Sales tax | No | $5 | $45 | None found | $395 | Hawaii taxes the full price; a trade-in does not reduce the tax. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Idaho | 6% | Sales tax | Yes | $14 | $69 | None found | $399 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Illinois | 6.25% | Sales tax | Yes | $165 | $151 | $378 | $378 | Chicago and Cook County add roughly 1.75% to 4.75%. Capped by law — CPI-indexed each year. |
| Indiana | 7% | Sales tax | Yes | $15 | $21 | $251 | $251 | Capped by law — CPI-indexed each year. |
| Iowa | 5% | One-time registration fee (5%) | Yes | $25 | $50 | $180 | $180 | Priced on weight and value. Capped by law. |
| Kansas | 6.5% | Sales tax | Yes | $10 | $39 | None found | $499 | Counties and cities add roughly 1% to 4%. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Kentucky | 6% | Sales tax | No | $9 | $21 | None found | $450 | Kentucky taxes the full price; a trade-in does not reduce the tax. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Louisiana | 4.45% | Sales tax | Yes | $69 | $32 | $436 | $436 | Parishes add roughly 3% to 6%. Capped by law — CPI-indexed each year. |
| Maine | 5.5% | Sales tax | Yes | $33 | $35 | None found | $499 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Maryland | 6% | Sales tax | Partial | $100 | $135 | $800 | $800 | Maryland credits a trade-in only when it is part of the same transaction. Capped by law. |
| Massachusetts | 6.25% | Sales tax | Yes | $75 | $60 | None found | $459 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Michigan | 6% | Sales tax | Partial | $15 | $170 | $280 | $280 | Priced on the vehicle value, so this is a mid-range figure. Michigan caps the trade-in credit at $12,000 for 2026, rising $1,000 a year until the cap ends in 2029. Capped by law — or 5% of the price, whichever is less. |
| Minnesota | 6.875% | Sales tax | Yes | $8 | $35 | $350 | $350 | None on the 6.875% motor-vehicle rate. Capped by law. |
| Mississippi | 5% | Sales tax | Yes | $9 | $14 | None found | $425 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Missouri | 4.225% | Sales tax | Yes | $11 | $49 | $621 | $621 | Counties and cities add roughly 2% to 6%. Capped by law — CPI-indexed each year. |
| Montana | None | No state sales tax | Yes | $12 | $30 | None found | $299 | Priced on the vehicle age. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Nebraska | 5.5% | Sales tax | Yes | $10 | $15 | None found | $299 | Priced on value; the state portion only. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Nevada | 6.85% | Sales tax | Yes | $29 | $33 | None found | $499 | Counties add roughly 1.5% to 1.5%. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| New Hampshire | None | No state sales tax | Yes | $25 | $31 | None found | $375 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| New Jersey | 6.625% | Sales tax | Yes | $60 | $65 | None found | $695 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| New Mexico | 4% | Motor vehicle excise tax | Yes | $5 | $38 | None found | $339 | The 4% excise tax is statewide. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| New York | 4% | Sales tax | Yes | $50 | $140 | $175 | $175 | Counties add substantially; New York City is about 8.875% in total. Priced on weight, two-year registration. Capped by law. |
| North Carolina | 3% | Highway Use Tax | Yes | $56 | $38 | None found | $699 | None: the Highway Use Tax is statewide. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| North Dakota | 5% | Sales tax | Yes | $5 | $49 | None found | $299 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Ohio | 5.75% | Sales tax | Yes | $15 | $35 | $398 | $398 | Capped by law — or 10% of the price, whichever is less. |
| Oklahoma | 1.25% | Sales + excise tax | Yes | $11 | $98 | None found | $599 | The 1.25% sales tax is on top of the 3.25% excise tax. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Oregon | None | No state sales tax | Yes | $101 | $112 | $250 | $250 | Capped by law — $200 non-electronic, $250 electronic filing (ORS 822.043). |
| Pennsylvania | 6% | Sales tax | Yes | $67 | $48 | $490 | $449 | Allegheny County adds 1%; Philadelphia adds 2%. Capped by law — CPI-indexed each year. |
| Rhode Island | 7% | Sales tax | Yes | $53 | $30 | None found | $399 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| South Carolina | 5% | Sales tax | Yes | $15 | $40 | None found | $400 | Capped: the maximum vehicle sales tax is $500. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| South Dakota | 4% | Motor vehicle excise tax | Yes | $10 | $36 | None found | $200 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Tennessee | 7% | Sales tax | Yes | $11 | $29 | None found | $499 | Local tax applies to the first $1,600 plus a state single-article tax. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Texas | 6.25% | Sales tax | Yes | $33 | $51 | $225 safe harbor | $150 | No local add-on: 6.25% is the whole motor-vehicle rate. $50.75 state fee plus county road-and-bridge and inspection fees. Texas sets no hard cap: $225 is the OCCC safe harbor, above which a dealer must justify the fee. $150 is typical. |
| Utah | 4.85% | Sales tax | Yes | $6 | $44 | None found | $299 | Counties add roughly 1% to 2.5%. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Vermont | 6% | Sales tax | Yes | $35 | $76 | None found | $200 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Virginia | 4.15% | Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax | No | $15 | $41 | None found | $799 | The 4.15% SUT is statewide, minimum $75. Virginia taxes the full price; a trade-in does not reduce the tax. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Washington | 6.5% | Sales tax | Yes | $15 | $30 | $200 | $200 | Local rates add roughly 1.4% to 3.9%. Capped by law — RCW 46.70.180. |
| West Virginia | 6% | Sales tax | Yes | $15 | $52 | $575 | $575 | Capped by law. |
| Wisconsin | 5% | Sales tax | Yes | $165 | $85 | None found | $299 | No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
| Wyoming | 4% | Sales tax | Yes | $15 | $30 | None found | $500 | County fee is priced on value and is extra. No statutory cap found; the dealer sets it, so it is negotiable. |
Rates and fees checked September 2026 against state motor-vehicle and revenue sources; reviewed by Neel Mehta, lead negotiator at Car Concierge Pro. Registration is a representative passenger-car figure where the state prices it by weight, value or age. If your state has changed a figure, tell us.
Questions
Sales tax (or your state's equivalent), the title fee and registration. Those are set by the state and the DMV and every buyer pays them. Everything else on the sheet is the dealer's.
Where the state caps it, dealers usually charge the cap and rarely move on it; ask for a lower vehicle price instead. Where there is no cap, the fee is the dealer's number and it is negotiable like any other line.
In most states the tax is charged on the price after the trade-in is deducted, so a trade-in saves its value plus the tax on that value. A few states tax the full price. The table shows the rule for each state.
In most states, yes: the DMV collects it when you register the car, at the same rate a dealer would have charged. There is no doc fee on a private sale.
The vehicle price plus sales tax, title, registration and the doc fee, less any trade-in credit. It is the only number worth comparing between two dealers. The calculator below works it out for your state.
Send us the dealer's sheet. We negotiate the out-the-door price, doc fee and add-ons included, before you sign anything.
NextA complimentary discovery call on Google Meet or Zoom, where we walk you through exactly how we would approach your purchase.
Real handovers, not stock photography.1,100+ clients across the USA, Canada and the UAE.
You’re all set.
Our team will contact you within 60 minutes to book your discovery call.
Book a Call (opens in a new tab)Pick a time now, or we call you within 60 minutes.
