Use our DMV Registration Fees Calculator to estimate vehicle registration costs. Includes all fees, taxes, and county charges. Free and accurate.
What Is a DMV Registration Fee?
A DMV registration fee is the cost you pay to legally register your vehicle with your state’s motor vehicle authority. Fees vary widely because states use different formulas — some charge a flat rate, others base it on your vehicle’s value, weight, age, or a combination of all three. Every state also charges separate title fees and plate fees on top of the base registration fee.
DMV Registration Fees Calculator — All 50 States + D.C.
| State / Calculators | Reg. Fee Range | Primary Fee Basis & Determinants | Title Fee | Plate Fee | EV Surcharge | Renewal Cycle | Official Department Source |
| Alabama · Sales Tax · Ad Valorem | $23 – $105 | Value / Weight + local county taxes | $15 – $18 | $50 – $100 | Yes (+$200/yr) | Annual | Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR) |
| Alaska · Sales Tax | $100 base | Flat fee + municipal add-on | $15 | $10 | No | Biennial / Annual | Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| Arizona · Sales Tax | $8 base + VLT | Flat + Vehicle License Tax (VLT) | $4 | $25 | Yes (+$32/yr) | Annual | Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) |
| Arkansas · Sales Tax | $17 – $30 | Vehicle unladen weight | $10 | $7 | No | Annual | Arkansas Dept. of Finance and Admin (DFA) |
| California · Sales Tax | $46 – $700+ | Value-based (0.65% VLF) + Weight/TIF | $21 | $29 | Yes (+$100/yr) | Annual | California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| Colorado · Sales Tax | $45 – $595 | Weight + Age + Value | $7.20 | $10 | Yes (+$51/yr) | Annual | Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| Connecticut · Sales Tax | $80 – $250 | Flat fee / Weight | $25 | $5 | No | 3 Years | Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| Delaware · Sales Tax | $40 – $70 | Weight-based | $35 | $20 | No | Annual | Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| Florida · Sales Tax | $27 – $225 | Weight-based ($225 initial fee applies) | $75.25 | $28 | Yes (+$135/yr) | Annual | Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) |
| Georgia · Sales Tax · Ad Valorem | $20 | Flat + Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) | $18 | $20 | Yes (+$211/yr) | Annual | Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) |
| Hawaii · Sales Tax | $45 – $78 | Weight-based state and county taxes | $5 | $20 | No | Annual / Biennial | Hawaii State Transportation Portal |
| Idaho | $45 – $126 | Vehicle age / Weight | $14 | $25 | No | Annual | Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) |
| Illinois | $151 | Flat fee | $155 | $99 | Yes (+$251/yr) | Annual | Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) |
| Indiana | $21 – $197 | Value + Weight + Municipal excise taxes | $15 | $9.50 | No | Annual | Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) |
| Iowa | $50 – $333 | Value + Weight + Age (1% MSRP scale) | $25 | $10 | Yes (+$130/yr) | Annual | Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) |
| Kansas | $28 – $80 | Weight-based + county property tax | $10 | $8 | No | Annual | Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) |
| Kentucky | $26 | Flat + property usage tax | $9 | $21 | No | Annual | Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) |
| Louisiana | $20 – $64 | Value-based (0.1% MSRP) / Horsepower | $18.50 | $12 | No | 2 Years | Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) |
| Maine | $35 – $40 | Weight-based + municipal excise tax | $33 | $15 | No | Annual | Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) |
| Maryland | $135 – $187 | Vehicle weight | $100 | $20 | No | 2 Years | Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) |
| Massachusetts | $60 | Flat fee | $75 | $60 | No | 2 Years | Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) |
| Michigan · Plate Fee | $30 – $128 | Base MSRP (depreciates with age) | $15 | $30 | No | Annual | Michigan Secretary of State (SOS) |
| Minnesota | $35 – $69 | Value-based (1.25% MSRP/age scale) | $8.25 | $10.50 | No | Annual | Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) |
| Mississippi | $14 – $719 | Value + Weight + Local ad valorem | $9 | $10 | Yes (+$150/yr) | Annual | Mississippi Department of Revenue (DOR) |
| Missouri · Sales Tax | $18 – $57 | Horsepower-based | $11 | $14.50 | No | Annual / 2 Years | Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) |
| Montana | $22 – $237 | Age + Weight + 3% admin fee | $10 | $28 | No | Annual | Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) |
| Nebraska | $15 – $83 | Value + Age (flat depreciation table) | $10 | $3.30 | No | Annual | Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| Nevada | $33 – $49 | Value-based (Governmental Services Tax) | $28.25 | $8 | No | Annual | Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| New Hampshire | $31 – $51 | Weight (State fee) + MSRP (Town fee) | $25 | $8 | No | Annual | New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| New Jersey | $35 – $271 | Vehicle weight + Age | $60 | $13.50 | No | Annual | New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) |
| New Mexico | $27 – $60 | Weight / Vehicle age | $5 | $16 | No | Annual / 2 Years | New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) |
| New York | $26 – $146 | Vehicle weight | $50 | $32.50 | No | 2 Years | New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| North Carolina | $38 – $370 | Flat + Highway Use Tax + Property Tax | $56 | $20 | Yes (+$140/yr) | Annual | North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) |
| North Dakota | $49 – $123 | Vehicle weight + Age | $5 | $10 | No | Annual | North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) |
| Ohio | $31 – $81 | Flat base + Local permissive taxes | $15 | $12 | No | Annual | Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) |
| Oklahoma | $26 – $100 | Vehicle age scale | $11 | $21 | No | Annual | Oklahoma Service Oklahoma (SOT) |
| Oregon | $45 – $169 | Flat + Fuel efficiency (MPG rating) | $101 – $192 | $24 | Yes (+$110/yr) | 2 Years | Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV) |
| Pennsylvania | $39 – $45 | Flat fee | $55 | $11 | No | Annual | Pennsylvania Driver and Vehicle Services (PennDOT) |
| Rhode Island | $30 – $58 | Vehicle weight | $51.50 | $12 | No | 2 Years | Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| South Carolina | $40 | Flat base + County property tax | $15 | $30 | Yes (+$120/yr) | 2 Years | South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) |
| South Dakota | $30 – $122 | Weight + Age + 4% Excise Tax | $10 | $10 | No | Annual | South Dakota Motor Vehicles Division (DOR) |
| Tennessee | $29 | Flat base + Local wheel taxes | $11 | $21 | No | Annual | Tennessee Department of Revenue (DOR) |
| Texas | $50 – $74 | Flat base + Local county fees | $28 – $33 | $19 | No | Annual | Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) |
| Utah | $10 – $57 | Age / Uniform fee | $6 | $20 | No | Annual | Utah Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| Vermont | $74 – $78 | Flat fee | $35 | $10 | No | Annual / 2 Years | Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| Virginia | $30 – $116 | Vehicle weight | $15 | $10 | Yes (+$64/yr) | Annual | Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| Washington | $43 – $73 | Flat base + Weight + RTA Tax | $15.25 | $10 | No | Annual | Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) |
| West Virginia | $30 – $52 | Flat fee + Local property taxes | $15 | $10 | No | Annual | West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) |
| Wisconsin | $75 – $85 | Flat fee + Municipal wheel taxes | $69.50 | $5 | No | Annual | Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) |
| Wyoming | $30 – $616 | Value (Factory MSRP) + Vehicle age | $15 | $10 | Yes (+$50/yr) | Annual | Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) |
| Washington D.C. | $72 – $155 | Vehicle unladen weight | $26 | $10 | Yes (+$36/yr) | Annual | District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV) |
Frequently Asked Questions
How are DMV vehicle registration fees calculated?
DMV fees vary heavily depending on the state where the vehicle is registered. Some states charge a simple flat rate (like Alaska and Pennsylvania), while others use dynamic formulas based on the vehicle’s unladen weight, factory MSRP, age, horsepower, or fuel efficiency.
What is the difference between a base registration fee and a vehicle tax?
The base registration fee is the administrative cost charged by the state to issue your license plates and registration card. However, many states also levy a vehicle excise tax, property tax, or value-based tax (such as California’s Vehicle License Fee) at the time of registration. Our state-specific calculators factor in both the base fee and the local taxes to provide a complete estimate.
Are registration fees different for new versus used cars?
Yes. In states that base their fees on a vehicle’s MSRP or current market value (such as Michigan, Iowa, and Nevada), newer cars carry significantly higher registration fees. As the vehicle ages, the state applies a depreciation schedule, gradually lowering your annual registration cost. When you select your state in the calculator, you can indicate the vehicle year to account for this depreciation.
How often do state DMV rates and tax tiers update?
State legislatures and local counties adjust highway safety fees, transportation improvement fees, and local wheel taxes annually or bi-annually. Our DMV fee calculators are actively updated to reflect the most current 2026 tax codes, depreciation schedules, and state-mandated pricing tiers to ensure your estimate is as accurate as possible.