Car Sales Tax by State (2026)
The tax every state charges when you buy a car, whether local taxes are added, whether a trade-in lowers it, and what it comes to on a $30,000 new car from a dealer. Each figure comes from that state's calculator.
| State | Tax | Rate | Local tax | Trade-in credit | Tax on $30,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | automotive sales tax | 2%+ | Yes | Yes | $1,200.00 |
| Alaska | no state sales tax | 0% | Some towns | No sales tax | $0.00 |
| Arizona | transaction privilege tax | 5.6%+ | Yes | Yes | $2,580.00 |
| Arkansas | sales tax | 6.5%+ | On the first $2,500 only | Yes | $2,000.00 |
| California | sales and use tax | 7.25%+ | Yes | No | $3,075.00 |
| Colorado | sales tax | 2.9%+ | Yes | Yes | $2,070.00 |
| Connecticut | sales and use tax | 6.35% | No | Yes | $1,905.00 |
| Delaware | document fee | 5.25% fee | No | Yes | $1,575.00 |
| District of Columbia | excise tax | 1–11% excise | No | No (tax is on market value) | $1,230.00 |
| Florida | sales tax | 6% + surtax | County surtax on the first $5,000 | Yes | $1,850.00 |
| Georgia | title ad valorem tax (TAVT) | 7% TAVT | No | Yes, on dealer sales | $2,100.00 |
| Hawaii | general excise tax (passed on) | 4–4.712% GET | No | Not confirmed | $1,413.60 |
| Idaho | sales tax | 6% | No | Yes | $1,800.00 |
| Illinois | sales tax | 6.25%+ | Yes | Yes | $2,625.00 |
| Indiana | sales tax | 7% | No | Yes | $2,100.00 |
| Iowa | fee for new registration | 5% fee | No | Yes | $1,510.00 |
| Kansas | sales tax | 6.5%+ | Yes | Yes | $2,700.00 |
| Kentucky | motor vehicle usage tax | 6% | No | Yes | $1,800.00 |
| Louisiana | sales and use tax | 5%+ | Yes | Yes | $3,000.00 |
| Maine | sales tax | 5.5% | No | Yes | $1,650.00 |
| Maryland | vehicle excise tax | 6.5% | No | Yes | $1,950.00 |
| Massachusetts | sales and use tax | 6.25% | No | Yes | $1,875.00 |
| Michigan | sales tax | 6% | No | Yes, capped at $12,000 (2026) | $1,800.00 |
| Minnesota | motor vehicle sales tax | 6.875% | No | Yes | $2,062.50 |
| Mississippi | sales tax | 5% | No | Yes | $1,500.00 |
| Missouri | sales tax | 4.225%+ | Yes | Yes | $2,467.50 |
| Montana | no sales tax | 0% | No | No sales tax | $0.00 |
| Nebraska | sales tax | 5.5%+ | Yes | Yes | $2,100.00 |
| Nevada | sales tax | 6.85%+ | Yes | Yes | $2,512.50 |
| New Hampshire | no sales tax | 0% | No | No sales tax | $0.00 |
| New Jersey | sales tax | 6.625% | No | Yes | $1,987.50 |
| New Mexico | motor vehicle excise tax | 4% | No | Yes | $1,200.00 |
| New York | sales tax | 4% + local | Yes | Yes | $2,662.50 |
| North Carolina | highway use tax | 3% HUT | No | Yes | $900.00 |
| North Dakota | motor vehicle excise tax | 5% | No | Yes | $1,500.00 |
| Ohio | sales tax | 5.75%+ | Yes | New cars only | $2,400.00 |
| Oklahoma | excise tax + sales tax | 4.5% | No | Not confirmed | $1,350.00 |
| Oregon | vehicle privilege tax (new) | 0.5% new | No | No sales tax | $150.00 |
| Pennsylvania | sales tax | 6% – 8% | Philadelphia and Allegheny County only | Yes | $1,800.00 |
| Rhode Island | sales tax | 7% | No | Yes | $2,100.00 |
| South Carolina | infrastructure maintenance fee | 5%, max $500 | No | Moot above $10,000 (fee capped at $500) | $500.00 |
| South Dakota | motor vehicle excise tax | 4% | No | Yes | $1,200.00 |
| Tennessee | sales tax | 7%+ | On the first $1,600 only | Yes | $2,180.00 |
| Texas | motor vehicle sales tax | 6.25% | No | Yes | $1,875.00 |
| Utah | sales tax | 4.85%+ | Yes | Yes | $2,175.00 |
| Vermont | purchase and use tax | 6% | No | Yes, if sold within 3 months | $1,800.00 |
| Virginia | motor vehicle sales and use tax | 4.15% | No | No | $1,245.00 |
| Washington | sales and use tax | 6.8%+ | Yes | Yes | $3,090.00 |
| West Virginia | motor vehicle sales tax | 6% | No | Yes, if titled in WV | $1,800.00 |
| Wisconsin | sales and use tax | 5%+ | Yes | Yes | $1,650.00 |
| Wyoming | sales and use tax | 4%+ | Yes | Yes | $1,500.00 |
Tax on a $30,000 new gas car from a dealer with no trade-in, using each calculator's default local rate where local taxes apply. Your county or city rate can change the figure.
Reading the table
Many states don't call it sales tax. Georgia charges a title ad valorem tax, North Carolina a highway use tax, Kentucky a usage tax, Iowa a fee for new registration and South Carolina an infrastructure maintenance fee capped at $500. The rate column shows each one as the state does. Where the local column says yes, your county or city adds to the state rate, and the state page lets you enter or pick yours.
The tax is only part of the cost. Title and registration range from under $100 to several hundred dollars a year, and some states, such as Colorado, Arizona and Nevada, add a yearly ownership tax based on the car's value. Each state page itemizes those.
FAQ
Which state has the highest car sales tax?
It depends on the deal. On the headline rate, states with high local taxes such as California, Louisiana, Tennessee and Washington rank high, but rules like no trade-in credit change the ranking for a given deal.
Which states have no sales tax on cars?
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Delaware charges a 5.25% document fee and Oregon a 0.5% privilege tax on new cars.
Do I pay sales tax where I buy the car or where I live?
Generally where you register it, which is usually where you live. Our state pages explain each state's rule.
Every figure comes from the same engine as our state calculators. See how we calculate.