Vermont Car Sales Tax Calculator
Vermont charges 6% motor vehicle purchase and use 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 Vermont 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 | Vermont | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State rate (Motor Vehicle Purchase and Use Tax) | 6% | dmv.vermont.gov(state source)As published: “Purchase and Use Tax is due at the time of registration and/or title at the rate of 6% of the purchase price or the J. D. Power clean trade-in value, whichever is greater” |
| Local tax range | None | dmv.vermont.gov(state source)As published: “Purchase and Use Tax is due at the time of registration and/or title at the rate of 6% of the purchase price or the J. D. Power clean trade-in value, whichever is greater” |
| Trade-in credit | Yes, full credit | dmv.vermont.gov(state source)As published: “Purchase and Use Tax is due at the time of registration and/or title at 6% of the purchase price or the JD Power value, whichever is higher, minus the value of any trade-in vehicle or any other allowable credit.” |
| Dealer doc fee | No cap (typically $554) | caredge.com(secondary, cites the statute)As published: “Vermont: $554. This report is based on 93,200 verified out-the-door (OTD) price quotes collected between July 2025 and September 2026.” |
| Title fee | $42 | dmv.vermont.gov(state source)As published: “All Titles (except ATV) = $42.00, ATV Titles = $27.00. Lien fee = $14.00.” |
| Registration (flat fee) | $91 | dmv.vermont.gov(state source)As published: “Auto (Car) 1 Year $91.00 $135.50 $178.00 $159.25 2 Years $167.00 $256.00 $341.00 $288.75” |
| Private-party sale taxed | Yes, paid when you title the car | dmv.vermont.gov(state source)As published: “You may submit a Vermont Dealer Appraisal form if the vehicle's value is less than the J. D. Power value.” |
- Local tax: 32 V.S.A. 8903 sets a single 6% state rate collected by the DMV at registration or title; neither the DMV page nor the statute chapter mentions any local add-on.
- Doc fee: No cap; Cars.com: 'Vermont has no cap, according to the state's DMV.' The DMV FAQ treats the documentation fee as part of the taxable purchase price. CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in Vermont at $554.
- Registration: Auto (car) with internal combustion engine $91.00 for 1 year or $167.00 for 2 years; PHEV $135.50 and BEV $178.00 per year including the infrastructure fee effective January 1, 2025; $8.00 motor vehicle warranty fee on new vehicles.
Next steps
- Out-the-door price calculator: adds the Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont taxes is the right one.
Vermont car tax questions
Does Vermont charge sales tax on a private-party car sale?
Yes. Paid to the DMV at the time of registration and/or title. Tax is 6% of the purchase price or the J.D. Power clean trade-in value, whichever is greater; a Vermont Dealer Appraisal form may be submitted if the vehicle is worth less than the J.D. Power value.
Does Vermont give a trade-in credit on car sales tax?
Yes. The value of your trade-in is deducted from the price before Vermont tax is calculated.
What is the dealer doc fee cap in Vermont?
Vermont sets no legal cap on dealer doc fees. Dealers typically charge $554. No cap; Cars.com: 'Vermont has no cap, according to the state's DMV.' The DMV FAQ treats the documentation fee as part of the taxable purchase price. CarEdge's report of 93,200 verified quotes (July 2025 to September 2026) puts the average doc fee in Vermont at $554. 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 Vermont?
No. 32 V.S.A. 8903 sets a single 6% state rate collected by the DMV at registration or title; neither the DMV page nor the statute chapter mentions any local add-on.
How much does a car title cost in Vermont?
$42 (flat). VD-119i revised 09/2025. Secondary calculators still quote $35; the current DMV form says $42.
How much is annual car registration in Vermont?
$91 a year for a passenger car, flat fee. Auto (car) with internal combustion engine $91.00 for 1 year or $167.00 for 2 years; PHEV $135.50 and BEV $178.00 per year including the infrastructure fee effective January 1, 2025; $8.00 motor vehicle warranty fee on new vehicles.
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