Massachusetts Car Sales Tax Calculator
Massachusetts charges 6.25% sales and use tax on motor vehicles 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.
On a $20,000 used car, Massachusetts's tax, doc fee, title and registration come to $1,896: number 41 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 Massachusetts 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 | Massachusetts | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State rate (Sales and use tax on motor vehicles) | 6.25% | malegislature.gov(state source)As published: “at the rate of 6.25 per cent of the gross receipts of the vendor from all such sales of such property or services” |
| Local tax range | None | malegislature.gov(state source)As published: “at the rate of 6.25 per cent of the gross receipts of the vendor from all such sales of such property or services” |
| Trade-in credit | Yes, full credit | malegislature.gov(state source)As published: “the tax shall be imposed only on the difference between the sales price of the motor vehicle or trailer purchased and the amount allowed on the motor vehicle or trailer traded in on such purchase.” |
| Dealer doc fee | No cap (typically $541) | caredge.com(secondary, cites the statute)As published: “Massachusetts: $541. This report is based on 93,200 verified out-the-door (OTD) price quotes collected between July 2025 and September 2026.” |
| Title fee | $75 | mass.gov(state source)As published: “Certificate of Title Fee $75 each” |
| Registration (flat fee) | $30 | mass.gov(state source)As published: “PAN Passenger Normal $60 $0 $60 $60 Biannually” |
| Private-party sale taxed | Yes, paid when you title the car | malegislature.gov(state source)As published: “The excise imposed by section two upon the storage, use or other consumption of motor vehicles or trailers shall be paid by the purchaser to the registrar of motor vehicles in the manner prescribed by the commissioner.” |
- Local tax: No local sales tax in Massachusetts (Tax Foundation midyear 2026 table, fetched, lists a 0.00% max local rate).
- Doc fee: CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in Massachusetts at $541.
- Registration: A standard passenger plate is $60 per two-year registration; min and max here are the per-year halves. (checked October 4, 2026)
Next steps
- Out-the-door price calculator: adds the Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts? 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 Massachusetts tax and fees.
Massachusetts car tax questions
Does Massachusetts charge sales tax on a private-party car sale?
Yes. Paid by the buyer to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles with the title and registration application (form RMV-1) within ten days of the purchase. Tax is on the greater of the actual price paid or the vehicle's average (clean) trade-in book value, per 830 CMR 64H.25.1.
Does Massachusetts give a trade-in credit on car sales tax?
Yes. The value of your trade-in is deducted from the price before Massachusetts tax is calculated.
What is the dealer doc fee cap in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts sets no legal cap on dealer doc fees. Dealers typically charge $541. CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in Massachusetts at $541. 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 Massachusetts?
No. No local sales tax in Massachusetts (Tax Foundation midyear 2026 table, fetched, lists a 0.00% max local rate).
How much does a car title cost in Massachusetts?
$75 (flat). The RMV fee schedule also lists 'Certificate of Title ... $75.00'. (checked October 4, 2026)
How much is annual car registration in Massachusetts?
$30 a year for a passenger car, flat fee. A standard passenger plate is $60 per two-year registration; min and max here are the per-year halves. (checked October 4, 2026)
Checking a specific car?