Title and registration fees by state (2026)
After tax, the finance office still adds title, plate, and registration. These line items are smaller than tax but they are not optional — and they vary more than most buyers expect.
One-sentence answer: Title fees are often a flat state charge, while annual registration is frequently a band driven by weight, value, age, or county.
Passenger-vehicle title fees, plate/registration structure, and typical annual registration cost bands by state. Registration figures are for a typical passenger car; weight-, value-, and age-based states are shown as bands with the basis labeled.
| State | Title fee (USD) | Typical annual registration (USD) | Registration basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $18 | $25–$110 | mixed | $23 state base + county fees; county issuance charges vary. |
| Alaska | $15 | $50 | flat | $100 biennial registration; municipal registration taxes in some areas. |
| Arizona | $4 | $340–$620 | value | $8 registration + air-quality fees are small; the annual VLT (value-based) is the dominant cost. |
| Arkansas | $10 | $17–$30 | weight | Passenger cars $17-$30 by weight class. |
| California | $15 | $290–$500 | mixed | Base registration + CHP fee + transportation improvement fee (value-tiered) + VLF at 0.65% of depreciated value. |
| Colorado | $7.2 | $450–$700 | value | Fee components plus specific ownership tax (2.1% of 85% of MSRP in year 1, declining with age). |
| Connecticut | $25 | $60–$75 | flat | Passenger registration billed on a multi-year cycle; municipal property tax on vehicles is separate. |
| Delaware | $35 | $40 | flat | $55 title with lien; 4.25% document fee at purchase is separate. |
| District of Columbia | $26 | $72–$155 | weight | Excise tax at titling is separate (weight & MPG based). |
| Florida | $75.25 | $28–$46 | weight | One-time $225 initial registration fee applies when the owner has no Florida plate to transfer; metal plate ~$28. |
| Georgia | $18 | $20 | flat | TAVT at titling is separate. |
| Hawaii | $5 | $150–$300 | weight | $45 state fee + county weight taxes; varies by island. |
| Idaho | $14 | $45–$69 | age | Newer vehicles pay more; county fees may add. |
| Illinois | $165 | $151 | flat | Standard passenger plate $151/yr. |
| Indiana | $15 | $21–$55 | mixed | $21.35 base; county wheel/surtaxes add in many counties. |
| Iowa | $25 | $180–$400 | value | 1% of list price + 40 cents per 100 lbs, declining as the vehicle ages. |
| Kansas | $10 | $30–$45 | weight | Annual county property tax on vehicles is separate and usually larger. |
| Kentucky | $9 | $21 | flat | Annual ad valorem property tax on vehicles is separate. |
| Louisiana | $68.5 | $20–$82 | value | Registration is 0.1% of vehicle value per year, $20 minimum. |
| Maine | $33 | $400–$750 | value | $35 state fee + municipal excise tax (24 mills of MSRP in year 1, declining to 4 mills in year 6+). |
| Maryland | $100 | $100–$165 | weight | Registration billed biennially; fees rose substantially in 2024-2025. |
| Massachusetts | $75 | $30 | flat | $60 biennial; annual municipal motor vehicle excise ($25/$1,000 of valuation) is separate. |
| Michigan | $15 | $120–$240 | value | Registration set from MSRP list-price categories, discounted over the first years. |
| Minnesota | $8.25 | $150–$420 | value | $10 + 1.285% of base value, percentage declining with vehicle age; filing fees add ~$12. |
| Mississippi | $9 | $150–$500 | value | Small state fee + county ad valorem tax on the vehicle collected with the tag. |
| Missouri | $14.5 | $18–$52 | mixed | Registration by horsepower ($18.25-$51.25); $8.50 title + $6 processing. |
| Montana | $10.3 | $28–$217 | age | $217 (0-4 yrs), $87 (5-10 yrs), $28 (11+ yrs) + county option taxes; luxury vehicle fee $825 for MSRP over $150k. |
| Nebraska | $10 | $300–$700 | value | $15 fee + motor vehicle tax from MSRP brackets, declining with age. |
| Nevada | $28.25 | $380–$500 | value | $33 base + governmental services tax (4 cents per $1 of 35% of MSRP, depreciating). |
| New Hampshire | $25 | $400–$600 | value | State fee + town permit fee ($18/$1,000 of list price in year 1, declining $3/yr). |
| New Jersey | $60 | $47–$98 | mixed | By weight and model year; $85 title with lien. |
| New Mexico | $5 | $27–$62 | mixed | By weight and model year. |
| New York | $50 | $16–$71 | weight | $26-$140 per 2 years by weight + $25 plate fee + county use tax + $50 MCTD fee in the NYC region. |
| North Carolina | $56 | $39 | flat | $38.75 state; county property tax on the vehicle collected with registration is separate. |
| North Dakota | $5 | $49–$274 | mixed | By weight and model year. |
| Ohio | $15 | $31–$70 | flat | $31 state + local permissive taxes up to ~$36. |
| Oklahoma | $11 | $45–$96 | age | Higher in the vehicle's first years, stepping down with age. |
| Oregon | $106 | $63–$158 | mpg | Title $101-$192 and registration tiered by MPG rating (EVs highest); registration billed biennially. |
| Pennsylvania | $67 | $48 | flat | Fees are inflation-indexed; local $5 fee in some counties. |
| Rhode Island | $52.5 | $30–$72 | weight | — |
| South Carolina | $15 | $20 | flat | $40 biennial; annual county property tax on the vehicle is separate and larger. |
| South Dakota | $10 | $36–$144 | weight | — |
| Tennessee | $14 | $29–$140 | flat | $29 standard plate + county wheel taxes ($0-$110). |
| Texas | $33 | $61–$73 | flat | $50.75 base + county fees $10-$21.50; title $28 or $33 by county. |
| Utah | $6 | $54–$200 | age | $44 registration + age-based uniform fee in lieu of property tax ($10-$150 for passenger cars). |
| Vermont | $35 | $89 | flat | — |
| Virginia | $15 | $31–$36 | weight | Annual local personal property tax on the vehicle is separate and often large. |
| Washington | $15 | $70–$145 | mixed | $30 base + weight fee + filing fees; RTA excise (1.1% of depreciated value) adds in the Sound Transit district. |
| West Virginia | $15 | $51.5 | flat | Annual county property tax on the vehicle is separate. |
| Wisconsin | $164.5 | $85–$125 | flat | $85 state + municipal/county wheel taxes in many jurisdictions. |
| Wyoming | $15 | $350–$600 | value | $30 state portion + county fee of 3% of the depreciated factory cost (60% of MSRP in year 1). |
Value-based and weight-based states produce the widest bands. A light older sedan and a heavy new SUV can sit at opposite ends of the same state range.
First-year out-the-door quotes sometimes bundle title + plate + registration into one DMV fees line. Ask for the breakdown; the tax table plus this fee table should approximately reconstruct that bundle before doc fees.
Dealer documentation fees are not included here — they are dealer charges, not state motor-vehicle fees.
Sources
- State motor vehicle agency fee schedules (DMV/MVD/BMV/RMV), e.g.:
- Oregon DMV fee schedule
- Florida HSMV motor vehicle fees
- Texas DMV registration fees
- California DMV registration fees
- New York DMV registration/title fees
- Illinois SOS fee chart
As of 2026-07-13. Bands are estimates for a typical passenger car.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a car title fee?
In this compilation, flat title fees commonly fall between roughly $15 and a few hundred dollars. Some states fold title into a larger first-registration package.
Why is registration shown as a range?
Many states price registration by weight, value, age, county, or plate class. A single statewide number would be misleading, so the table shows a typical passenger-car band and labels the basis.
Are plate fees included?
Where the source schedule itemizes plate or tag fees inside the registration package, they are reflected in the band. Specialty plates cost extra everywhere.
Do I pay these every year?
Title is usually a one-time transfer fee. Registration and plate renewals are annual or multi-year depending on the state.
Does this include inspection or emissions?
No. Safety and emissions inspections are separate local programs and are not in this fee table.