Delaware Car Sales Tax Calculator
Delaware charges 5.25% motor vehicle document fee (charged by the dmv on titling, in lieu of a sales tax) on a used car purchase, verified September 15, 2026. There is no local tax on top. A trade-in is deducted before tax. Private-party sales are taxed too, paid when you title the car.
Figures verified September 15, 2026; sources linked per row. Re-checked quarterly, next due December 15, 2026.
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 Delaware 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 | Delaware | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State rate (Motor vehicle document fee (charged by the DMV on titling, in lieu of a sales tax)) | 5.25% | delcode.delaware.gov(state source)As published: “The document fee payable thereafter shall increase in increments of $5.25 per each additional $100 of purchase price or any fraction thereof, rounded to the nearest dollar” |
| Local tax range | None | delcode.delaware.gov(state source)As published: “The document fee payable thereafter shall increase in increments of $5.25 per each additional $100 of purchase price or any fraction thereof, rounded to the nearest dollar” |
| Trade-in credit | Yes, full credit | delcode.delaware.gov(state source)As published: “Where trade-ins or allowances are given in conjunction with the purchase of any motor vehicle, the purchase price shall be the gross purchase price less any trade-in or allowance given by the seller” |
| Dealer doc fee | No cap (typically $631) | caredge.com(secondary, cites the statute)As published: “Delaware: $631. This report is based on 93,200 verified out-the-door (OTD) price quotes collected between July 2025 and September 2026.” |
| Title fee | $35 | delcode.delaware.gov(state source)As published: “The fee for issuing a certificate of title for a vehicle shall be $35.” |
| Registration (flat fee) | $40 | delcode.delaware.gov(state source)As published: “$40 per year” |
| Private-party sale taxed | Yes, paid when you title the car | dmv.de.gov(state source)As published: “of purchase price or NADA book value, whichever is greater” |
- Local tax: Delaware has no state or local sales tax; the document fee is collected by the DMV when the vehicle is titled and no local charge is added.
- Doc fee: CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in Delaware at $631.
- Registration: 21 Del. C. 2151(2): passenger vehicles (motor vehicles commonly used for pleasure or for carrying persons, including station wagons) $40 per year; no weight formula for passenger cars.
Next steps
- Out-the-door price calculator: adds the Delaware 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 Delaware compares.
- All states: the full sales tax table.
Tax is fixed. The price is not.
CarWorthIt prices a specific VIN at its mileage against cars actually for sale near your ZIP code from $2.99. The $9.99 Negotiation Bundle adds an opening offer and a walk-away figure, so the number Delaware taxes is the right one.
Delaware car tax questions
Does Delaware charge sales tax on a private-party car sale?
Yes. The document fee is paid to the DMV when the buyer titles the vehicle, whether bought from a dealer or a private seller. The DMV applies the fee to the purchase price or NADA book value, whichever is greater; for a vehicle bought and registered outside Delaware the statute uses fair market value at the date of Delaware titling.
Does Delaware give a trade-in credit on car sales tax?
Yes. The value of your trade-in is deducted from the price before Delaware tax is calculated.
What is the dealer doc fee cap in Delaware?
Delaware sets no legal cap on dealer doc fees. Dealers typically charge $631. CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in Delaware at $631. 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 Delaware?
No. Delaware has no state or local sales tax; the document fee is collected by the DMV when the vehicle is titled and no local charge is added.
How much does a car title cost in Delaware?
$35 (flat). The DMV fees page lists 'Title with Lien' and 'Title without Lien' as separate lines but the amounts did not render in the fetched HTML; the statute gives no separate lien surcharge in the fetched text. Duplicate title $50.
How much is annual car registration in Delaware?
$40 a year for a passenger car, flat fee. 21 Del. C. 2151(2): passenger vehicles (motor vehicles commonly used for pleasure or for carrying persons, including station wagons) $40 per year; no weight formula for passenger cars.
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