How is tax calculated?

Four states charge tax on the full sale price plus the documentation fee, while the rest give credit for trade-in values or factory rebates.

Sixteen states charge tax on extended warranties, maintenance plans, or gap insurance while the others do not.

Select your state to view your method.

Car Prices for Payment Goals

Why do car payments change by state?

The precise fee differences stem from tax, tags, title, rebate, trade-in value, and doc fees.

Car payments vary by state on equally priced vehicles because the elements that make up the amount financed in additional to the sale price vary by state.

Not only does the cost of tax and tags differ by state, but also the method for calculating the taxable amount.

What amounts are taxed?

Here's the list of taxable fees that may be written into a car loan depending on state policies:

dealer documentation fee
trade-in value
rebates
service plans
gap insurance

Select your state to preload our calculator with accurate tax handling, dealer doc fees, and the estimated DMV cost for your location.

Is my trade-in payoff calculated?

Yes!

Obtain your bank payoff here, and include the amount as a trade-in payoff in your state's calculator.

How are DMV fees calculated?

Some states calculate registration fees with a fluctuating flat fee based on vehicle type, weight, model year, or usage. Other states use a percentage of the sale price or MSRP that decreases by a percentage each year.

You heard that right!

Many states use a percentage of a percentage. The calculator will preload the accurate method for your state.

Why does registration cost more than listed on the fee schedule?

All transfer fees must be combined to calculate the total.

Conclusion

Vehicle tax and tags are never one simple DMV fee and full registration can add up quickly including charges for: lien filing, ownership transfer, title certificate, temporary tag, vin verification, emissions check, weight fee, horsepower surcharge, tire recycling, highway usage, rush fee, street beautification, and wheel tax in addition to ad valorem property tax.

Don't worry!

We already checked it out for your state and preloaded the calculator with a close estimate to what you will pay. We also provided source links on each state page in case you want to dive deeper into research.

Car Payment Calculators