Arizona Car Sales Tax Calculator
Arizona charges 5.6% transaction privilege tax (TPT), retail classification; use tax on vehicles bought out of state on a used car purchase, verified September 15, 2026. Local taxes add 0% to 5.5% depending on where you register the car. A trade-in is deducted before tax. Private-party sales are not taxed.
Figures verified September 15, 2026; sources linked per row. Re-checked quarterly, next due December 15, 2026.
On a $20,000 used car, Arizona's tax, doc fee, title and registration come to $1,698 (up to $2,798 at the highest local rate): number 26 of 50 states, cheapest first. Every state compared
Taxable amount: $25,000. Tax only; dealer doc fees, title and registration are separate, and some states tax the doc fee as part of the price. The local figure is an estimate from the state's published range unless you entered your own rate.
The Arizona numbers, with sources
Each figure below was checked on September 15, 2026 against the page linked in the source column, and the wording the state uses is quoted so you can confirm it yourself.
| Item | Arizona | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State rate (Transaction privilege tax (TPT), retail classification; use tax on vehicles bought out of state) | 5.6% | azleg.gov(state source)As published: “The additional tax rate increment is levied at the rate of six-tenths of one percent of the tax base of every person engaging or continuing in this state in a business classification listed in section 42-5010, subsection A, paragraph 1.” |
| Local tax range | 0% to 5.5% | azleg.gov(state source)As published: “The additional tax rate increment is levied at the rate of six-tenths of one percent of the tax base of every person engaging or continuing in this state in a business classification listed in section 42-5010, subsection A, paragraph 1.” |
| Trade-in credit | Yes, full credit | azleg.gov(state source)As published: “or the value of merchandise traded in on the purchase of new merchandise when the trade-in allowance is deducted from the sales price of the new merchandise before completion of the sale.” |
| Dealer doc fee | No cap (typically $566) | caredge.com(secondary, cites the statute)As published: “Arizona: $566. This report is based on 93,200 verified out-the-door (OTD) price quotes collected between July 2025 and September 2026.” |
| Title fee | $4 | azleg.gov(state source)As published: “For each certificate of title, salvage certificate of title, restored salvage certificate of title or nonrepairable vehicle certificate of title, $4.” |
| Registration (flat plus value or weight) | $8+ | azleg.gov(state source)As published: “For the registration of a motor vehicle, $8, except that the fee for motorcycles is $9.” |
| Private-party sale taxed | No | azleg.gov(state source)As published: “There is levied and imposed an excise tax on the storage, use or consumption in this state of tangible personal property purchased from a retailer or utility business, as a percentage of the sales price.” |
- Local tax: Set by the dealer's location. County excise runs from 0% (Mohave) to 1.3% (Coconino) and city retail rates from 1.5% (Chandler) to 5.0% (South Tucson, which also carries Pima County's 0.5%), so the local add-on runs from 0% to 5.5%. About 25 cities charge a lower rate on the part of a single item above a threshold (Phoenix: 2.0% instead of 2.8%), so a car can pay less than the city's headline rate. Rates effective October 1, 2026.
- Doc fee: CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in Arizona at $566.
- Registration: $8 flat registration fee plus the annual vehicle license tax (VLT): value is 60 percent of the manufacturer's base retail price, reduced 16.25 percent each year; $2.80 per $100 of value in the first year and $2.89 per $100 thereafter (ARS 28-5801, https://www.azleg.gov/ars/28/05801.htm). Air quality fee not verified (ADOT pages 403).
Next steps
- Out-the-door price calculator: adds the Arizona doc fee, title and registration to the tax for the full figure.
- Dealer doc fees by state and registration and title fees by state: see how Arizona compares.
- All states: the full sales tax table.
- Cheapest vehicle history reports: Carfax, AutoCheck and the NMVTIS-approved alternatives compared, prices checked.
Tax is fixed. The price is not.
Buying a specific car in Arizona? Run its VIN free for the specification and open recalls. From $2.99, see what it is worth at its mileage against cars for sale near your ZIP code. The $9.99 Negotiation Bundle adds an opening offer, a walk-away figure and the drive-away cost with Arizona tax and fees.
Arizona car tax questions
Does Arizona charge sales tax on a private-party car sale?
No. Not taxed: the use tax reaches only property purchased from a retailer, so a purchase from a private individual in Arizona carries no state TPT or use tax; the buyer pays title, registration and VLT at MVD.
Does Arizona give a trade-in credit on car sales tax?
Yes. The value of your trade-in is deducted from the price before Arizona tax is calculated.
What is the dealer doc fee cap in Arizona?
Arizona sets no legal cap on dealer doc fees. Dealers typically charge $566. CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in Arizona at $566. If the dealer will not drop the fee, ask for the same amount off the price.
Do local sales taxes apply to car purchases in Arizona?
Yes. Set by the dealer's location. County excise runs from 0% (Mohave) to 1.3% (Coconino) and city retail rates from 1.5% (Chandler) to 5.0% (South Tucson, which also carries Pima County's 0.5%), so the local add-on runs from 0% to 5.5%. About 25 cities charge a lower rate on the part of a single item above a threshold (Phoenix: 2.0% instead of 2.8%), so a car can pay less than the city's headline rate. Rates effective October 1, 2026.
How much does a car title cost in Arizona?
$4 (flat).
How much is annual car registration in Arizona?
$8+ a year for a passenger car, flat plus value or weight. $8 flat registration fee plus the annual vehicle license tax (VLT): value is 60 percent of the manufacturer's base retail price, reduced 16.25 percent each year; $2.80 per $100 of value in the first year and $2.89 per $100 thereafter (ARS 28-5801, https://www.azleg.gov/ars/28/05801.htm). Air quality fee not verified (ADOT pages 403).
Checking a specific car?