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North Carolina car sales tax and fees

North Carolina charges 3% state sales tax on a vehicle purchase. No county or city tax is added on a vehicle purchase.

State vehicle tax
3%
Local tax
None
Trade-in lowers tax
Yes
Doc fee cap
No cap
Title fee
$66.75
EV fee
$215

How North Carolina taxes a car purchase

  • State rate: 3% of the price.
  • No county or city tax is added on a vehicle purchase.
  • North Carolina taxes the price minus your trade-in, so a trade-in lowers the tax.

Fees

  • Title: $66.75.
  • Registration: Private passenger registration $46.25/yr (MVR-94, from 1 July 2024). Durham, Orange and Wake counties add $15 ($8 Regional Transit Authority + $7 county vehicle tax); Randolph $1; not modelled.
  • The state does not cap dealer documentation fees. Dealers typically charge about $699. The doc fee is taxed.
  • Electric vehicles pay an extra $215, plug-in hybrids $107.

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 Charlotte, ZIP 28202, no trade-in

Vehicle price$40,000.00
Documentation fee (typical here)$699.00
Title$66.75
Registration$46.25
Sales tax (3% state)$1,220.97
Total$42,032.97

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 NC dealer figure of $699 is used (the state sets no cap). Enter the fee on your quote to replace it.

  • Unchecked

    Fee rules for NC 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 North Carolina

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Common questions

What is the sales tax on a car in North Carolina?

North Carolina charges 3% state sales tax on a vehicle purchase. No county or city tax is added on a vehicle purchase.

Does North Carolina tax the trade-in?

North Carolina taxes the price minus your trade-in, so a trade-in lowers the tax.

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

About $42,033 in Charlotte, including $1,221 of sales tax and state title and registration fees.

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