Maryland Car Sales Tax Calculator
Maryland charges 6.5% vehicle excise tax (titling 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 Maryland 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 | Maryland | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State rate (Vehicle excise tax (titling tax)) | 6.5% | mgaleg.maryland.gov(state source)As published: “Except as provided in item (ii) of this paragraph, 6.5% of the fair market value of the vehicle” |
| Local tax range | None | mgaleg.maryland.gov(state source)As published: “Except as provided in item (ii) of this paragraph, 6.5% of the fair market value of the vehicle” |
| Trade-in credit | Yes, full credit | mgaleg.maryland.gov(state source)As published: “the price of a vehicle agreed on by the buyer and the seller, including any dealer processing charge, less an allowance for trade-in but with no allowance for other nonmonetary consideration.” |
| Dealer doc fee | $800 cap | mgaleg.maryland.gov(state source)As published: “$200 for the period from July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2014; $300 for the period from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2020; $500 for the period from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2024; and $800 on and after July 1, 2024.” |
| Title fee | $200 | mgaleg.maryland.gov(state source)As published: “the fee for each certificate of title issued under this title is $200” |
| Registration (by weight) | $80.50 to $151.50 | mgaleg.maryland.gov(state source)As published: “On or after July 1, 2024, but before July 1, 2025, $70.50 ... On or after July 1, 2025, $80.50 ... On or after July 1, 2025, $151.50” |
| Private-party sale taxed | Yes, paid when you title the car | mgaleg.maryland.gov(state source)As published: “The greater of: The total purchase price; or $640 ... If the total purchase price is $500 or more below the retail value of the vehicle as shown in a national publication of used car values” |
- Local tax: No local tax; Maryland has no local sales taxes (Tax Foundation midyear 2026 table, fetched, lists a 0.00% max local rate).
- Doc fee: Dealer processing charge cap stepped up from $500 to $800 on July 1, 2024; no indexing clause appears in the statute text fetched.
- Registration: Class A passenger annual fees from July 1, 2025: $80.50 (3,500 lb or less), $85.50 (3,501 to 3,700 lb), $151.50 (over 3,700 lb), plus a $40.00 per year surcharge under Transp. 13-954 (fetched: the owner of any motor vehicle registered under this title shall pay a surcharge of $40.00 per year for each motor vehicle registered). MVA issues two-year registrations, so the amount paid at once is double.
Next steps
- Out-the-door price calculator: adds the Maryland 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 Maryland 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 Maryland taxes is the right one.
Maryland car tax questions
Does Maryland charge sales tax on a private-party car sale?
Yes. Paid to the MVA when the buyer applies for title. For a vehicle 7 years old or older the tax is on the greater of the purchase price or $640; for newer vehicles, if the price is $500 or more below the retail book value the MVA taxes the book value unless the price is verified by a notarized bill of sale.
Does Maryland give a trade-in credit on car sales tax?
Yes. The value of your trade-in is deducted from the price before Maryland tax is calculated.
What is the dealer doc fee cap in Maryland?
Maryland caps the dealer documentation fee at $800 (Md. Code, Transp. 15-311.1(b)(1)). Dealer processing charge cap stepped up from $500 to $800 on July 1, 2024; no indexing clause appears in the statute text fetched.
Do local sales taxes apply to car purchases in Maryland?
No. No local tax; Maryland has no local sales taxes (Tax Foundation midyear 2026 table, fetched, lists a 0.00% max local rate).
How much does a car title cost in Maryland?
$200 (flat). Doubled from $100; the statute page shows no effective date (search results say July 1, 2025; MVA site not fetchable). Rental vehicles $100, mopeds $40.
How much is annual car registration in Maryland?
$80.50 to $151.50 a year for a passenger car, by weight. Class A passenger annual fees from July 1, 2025: $80.50 (3,500 lb or less), $85.50 (3,501 to 3,700 lb), $151.50 (over 3,700 lb), plus a $40.00 per year surcharge under Transp. 13-954 (fetched: the owner of any motor vehicle registered under this title shall pay a surcharge of $40.00 per year for each motor vehicle registered). MVA issues two-year registrations, so the amount paid at once is double.
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