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California car sales tax and fees

California charges 7.25% state sales tax on a vehicle purchase. County, city and district tax adds between 0% and 4% depending on where you live (1.375% is typical).

State vehicle tax
7.25%
Local tax
Up to 4%
Trade-in lowers tax
No
Doc fee cap
$85
Title fee
$15.00

How California taxes a car purchase

  • State rate: 7.25% of the price.
  • County, city and district tax adds between 0% and 4% depending on where you live (1.375% is typical).
  • California taxes the full price of the car. A trade-in does not reduce the tax.

Fees

  • Title: $15.00.
  • Registration: Registration $76 (incl. $3 alt-fuel fee) + CHP $34 = $110 flat; Vehicle License Fee 0.65% of value; Transportation Improvement Fee stepped by value ($33 to $231). County/district fees vary and are not modelled.
  • Dealer documentation fees are capped at $85. The doc fee is taxed.
  • No extra fee for electric vehicles at purchase.

Drafted from the state's tax table and its fee schedule. Not every figure has been checked by hand yet, so confirm with the dealer or the DMV before you sign.

Worked example

Out-the-door

Estimate

A $40,000 gas car (destination included, 3,500 lb) bought in Los Angeles, ZIP 90001, no trade-in

Vehicle price$40,000.00
Documentation fee (typical here)$85.00
Title$15.00
Registration$568.55
Sales tax (7.25% state + 2.5% local)$3,908.29
Total$44,576.84

What this estimate rests on

1 item is missing or approximate, so the real figure will differ.

  • Approximate

    No documentation fee was entered, so the typical CA dealer figure of $85 is used (the state caps it at $85). Enter the fee on your quote to replace it.

  • Unchecked

    Fee rules for CA have not been checked against the state's own notice.

  • Unchecked

    This rate has not been checked against the taxing authority’s published table.

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Buying in California

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Common questions

What is the sales tax on a car in California?

California charges 7.25% state sales tax on a vehicle purchase. County, city and district tax adds between 0% and 4% depending on where you live (1.375% is typical).

Does California tax the trade-in?

California taxes the full price of the car. A trade-in does not reduce the tax.

What is the out-the-door price of a $40,000 car in California?

About $44,577 in Los Angeles, including $3,908 of sales tax and state title and registration fees.

Other states