Ohio Car Sales Tax Calculator
Ohio charges 5.75% sales and use tax on a used car purchase, verified September 15, 2026. Local taxes add 0.75% to 2.25% depending on where you register the car. A trade-in is not deducted: tax is charged on the full price. 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, Ohio's tax, doc fee, title and registration come to $1,718 (up to $2,018 at the highest local rate): number 29 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 Ohio 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 | Ohio | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State rate (Sales and use tax) | 5.75% | codes.findlaw.com(secondary, cites the statute)As published: “The rate of the tax shall be five and three-fourths per cent.” |
| Local tax range | 0.75% to 2.25% | codes.findlaw.com(secondary, cites the statute)As published: “The rate of the tax shall be five and three-fourths per cent.” |
| Trade-in credit | No credit | codes.findlaw.com(secondary, cites the statute)As published: “'price' has the same meaning as in division (H)(1) of this section, reduced by the credit afforded the consumer by the dealer for the motor vehicle received in trade.” |
| Dealer doc fee | Capped by formula (typically $383) | caredge.com(secondary, cites the statute)As published: “Ohio: $383. This report is based on 93,200 verified out-the-door (OTD) price quotes collected between July 2025 and September 2026.” |
| Title fee | $15 to $18 | greenecountyohio.gov(secondary, cites the statute)As published: “Certificate of Title fee is $15.00, plus $5.00 inspection fee, $3.50 to inspection station and $1.50 fee paid to the Clerk of Courts upon title issuance.” |
| Registration (flat fee) | $20+ | codes.findlaw.com(secondary, cites the statute)As published: “For each passenger car, twenty dollars” |
| Private-party sale taxed | Yes, paid when you title the car | dam.assets.ohio.gov(state source)As published: “a motor vehicle purchased in a casual sale is subject to sales or use tax, and the tax must be paid to the clerk of courts at the time of title transfer.” |
- Local tax: County and transit permissive taxes are added at the rate for the buyer's county of residence: 6.50% in total in Butler, Lorain, Stark and Wayne, up to 8.00% in Cuyahoga and Franklin. A 1.00% COTA transit tax also covers parts of Delaware, Fairfield, Licking and Union counties; whether title clerks apply those part-county taxes to vehicles was not checked.
- Trade-in: Trade-in credit reduces the taxable price only on the sale of a new motor vehicle by a new motor vehicle dealer (ORC 5739.01(H)); used vehicle purchases from dealers and all private sales are taxed on the full price.
- Doc fee: Maximum documentary service charge is the lesser of 10% of the vehicle price or a dollar amount the Ohio BMV adjusts annually for CPI (ORC 1317.07 as amended in 2024). The current dollar figure could not be verified from a primary or acceptable secondary page. CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in Ohio at $383.
- Registration: ORC 4503.04(B) sets the annual license tax for a passenger car at $20; the BMV collects additional statutory fees on top and counties and municipalities add permissive taxes, so the amount actually paid is higher. The BMV fee page rejected the request so the total and the permissive-tax range could not be verified.
Next steps
- Out-the-door price calculator: adds the Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio? 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 Ohio tax and fees.
Ohio car tax questions
Does Ohio charge sales tax on a private-party car sale?
Yes. Paid to the county clerk of courts title office when the buyer applies for the title.
Does Ohio give a trade-in credit on car sales tax?
No. Ohio charges tax on the full purchase price; a trade-in lowers what you pay the dealer but not the tax. Trade-in credit reduces the taxable price only on the sale of a new motor vehicle by a new motor vehicle dealer (ORC 5739.01(H)); used vehicle purchases from dealers and all private sales are taxed on the full price.
What is the dealer doc fee cap in Ohio?
Ohio caps the fee by formula. Maximum documentary service charge is the lesser of 10% of the vehicle price or a dollar amount the Ohio BMV adjusts annually for CPI (ORC 1317.07 as amended in 2024). The current dollar figure could not be verified from a primary or acceptable secondary page. CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in Ohio at $383.
Do local sales taxes apply to car purchases in Ohio?
Yes. County and transit permissive taxes are added at the rate for the buyer's county of residence: 6.50% in total in Butler, Lorain, Stark and Wayne, up to 8.00% in Cuyahoga and Franklin. A 1.00% COTA transit tax also covers parts of Delaware, Fairfield, Licking and Union counties; whether title clerks apply those part-county taxes to vehicles was not checked.
How much does a car title cost in Ohio?
$15 to $18 (flat). Titles are issued by county clerks of courts, not the BMV. Defiance County Clerk lists 'Certificate of Title $18.00', so the fee varies by county. Ohio BMV title page (bmv.ohio.gov/titles-new.aspx) rejected the request.
How much is annual car registration in Ohio?
$20+ a year for a passenger car, flat fee. ORC 4503.04(B) sets the annual license tax for a passenger car at $20; the BMV collects additional statutory fees on top and counties and municipalities add permissive taxes, so the amount actually paid is higher. The BMV fee page rejected the request so the total and the permissive-tax range could not be verified.
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