Michigan·Updated for 2026·Figures in USD · 6% statewide, no local sales tax
Michigan Car Sales Tax Calculator (2026)
Michigan charges 6% sales tax on a vehicle, with no local add-on. Buying from a dealer, a trade-in lowers the taxed price by up to $12,000 in 2026. The title is $15. The registration fee depends on the MSRP, so check it with the Secretary of State.
Your purchase
$
What you pay for the vehicle
$
From a licensed dealer only. Up to $12,000 counts in 2026
Enter the purchase price. Your Michigan tax, title and license estimate appears here as you type — there is no button to press.
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This is a planning estimate, not the exact number a dealer or Secretary of State office will quote. The registration fee is not included, so check the Secretary of State calculator before you buy.
Figures last verified October 19, 2026. From Michigan Treasury Form 485 (Rev. 1-26) and the Department of State. The trade-in allowance changes every January 1, so check the current Form 485.
How much is sales tax on a car in Michigan?
6% of the price, statewide. On a $30,000 car bought from a dealer:
Trade-in
Counts for tax
Sales tax
With title and plate
None
$0
$1,800.00
$1,820.00
$8,000
$8,000
$1,320.00
$1,340.00
$15,000
$12,000 (the 2026 cap)
$1,080.00
$1,100.00
$15,000, private sale
$0
$1,800.00
$1,820.00
The registration fee is extra and depends on the vehicle's MSRP; see below.
The 2026 trade-in allowance
Michigan taxes the price less a capped trade-in allowance. For calendar year 2026, Treasury's Form 485 sets it at $12,000 or the agreed-upon value of the vehicle traded in, whichever is less, on a motor vehicle traded in toward a new or used vehicle bought from a licensed dealer. The allowance goes up each January 1, so a trade-in made in 2027 may count for more. It does not apply to a private sale.
6% of the price, statewide, with no county or city sales tax on top. On a $30,000 car with no trade-in that is $1,800.00.
How much does a trade-in lower Michigan car sales tax in 2026?
For 2026, Treasury lets the price be reduced by $12,000 or the agreed value of your trade-in, whichever is less. A $8,000 trade-in on a $30,000 car cuts the tax to $1,320.00; a $15,000 trade-in counts only as $12,000, for $1,080.00.
Does the trade-in allowance apply to a private sale?
No. Treasury's Form 485 says it applies to a vehicle traded in toward a purchase from a licensed dealer. On a private sale you pay 6% of the full price: $1,800.00 on $30,000.
Are rebates taxed in Michigan?
Manufacturer rebates are: the Secretary of State dealer manual says they cannot be subtracted from the price, even when the credit is given at the sale. Dealer rebates and discounts are taken off before tax.
How much is the Michigan title fee?
The title transfer fee is $15. If you do not transfer the title within 15 days of the sale, there is a $15 late fee.
How much is Michigan car registration?
It depends on the vehicle's MSRP and age: state law sets a fee from the base price, then reduces it over the next three years. We could not read the current fee table from an official source, so the calculator leaves it out. Use the Secretary of State registration fee calculator.
Are you covering other states?
Yes. Texas, California, Florida, New York, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington, Arizona and Illinois are live too, and more states are added once their rates and fees are verified from each state's own pages. Each state uses its own published rules. Pick your state on the vehicle tax, title and license calculator by state.
Sales tax: 6% (Treasury Form 485 and SOS Dealer Manual Chapter 8). Trade-in: for 2026, $12,000 or the agreed value of the trade-in, whichever is less, on a purchase from a licensed dealer (Form 485). Manufacturer rebates are taxed and dealer rebates are not (Dealer Manual 8-2.12). Title $15 and the $15 late fee (SOS title transfer page). Standard plate $5 the first time (SOS plates page).
