Illinois car sales tax and fees

Illinois charges 6.25% state sales tax on a vehicle purchase. County, city and district tax adds between 0% and 2.5% depending on where you live (0% is typical).

State vehicle tax: 6.25%
Local tax: Up to 2.5%
Trade-in lowers tax: Yes
Doc fee cap: $378
Title fee: $165.00
EV fee: $100

How Illinois taxes a car purchase

State rate: 6.25% of the price.
County, city and district tax adds between 0% and 2.5% depending on where you live (0% is typical).
Illinois taxes the price minus your trade-in, so a trade-in lowers the tax.

Fees

Title: $165.00.
Registration: Standard passenger registration $151/yr (IL SOS); electric vehicles $251, the extra $100 carried in ev_surcharge_cents.
Dealer documentation fees are capped at $378. The doc fee is taxed.
Electric vehicles pay an extra $100.

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 Chicago, ZIP 60601, no trade-in

Vehicle price$40,000.00

Documentation fee (typical here)$377.63

Title$165.00

Registration$151.00

Sales tax (6.25% state + 2.5% local)$3,533.04

Total$44,226.67

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 IL dealer figure of $377.63 is used (the state caps it at $377.63). Enter the fee on your quote to replace it.
Unchecked
Fee rules for IL 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 Illinois

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Common questions

What is the sales tax on a car in Illinois?