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What a vehicle purchase costs in Washington, itemized and sourced.

Sales tax, title and registration for a vehicle registered in Washington. Every line cites the page it came from and the day we opened it.

On a $30,000.00 gas vehicle with no trade-in, the Washington estimate is $2,196.50 in taxes and fees (washington sales tax (7%) $2,100.00, certificate of title application $15.00, filing fee (title with registration) $12.50, service fee (title with registration) $29.00, license tab fee $30.00, additional vehicle weight fee $10.00).

Your purchase

Washington
Price
Where you live
Choose your county first. If it lists cities or areas, a second menu appears so you can pick yours. The local rate then fills in below.
Pick your location to fill the local rate. The rate includes the regional transit authority share where it applies.
Vehicle
Fuel

Estimate only. Not tax or legal advice. Confirm with your Washington state agency before you pay.

Estimate / Washington

Reviewed Oct 24, 2026

  • Washington sales tax (7%)[1] source[2] sourceCheck source6.5% state sales tax plus the 0.5% motor vehicle sales tax in effect since Jan 1, 2026. The state page says the 0.5% is on the selling price; applying a trade-in to it follows the selling-price rule on the trade-in page.$2,100.00
  • Certificate of title application[3] source$15.00
  • Filing fee (title with registration)[3] source$12.50
  • Service fee (title with registration)[3] source$29.00
  • License tab fee[3] source$30.00
  • Additional vehicle weight fee[3] sourceCheck sourceApplies to vehicles subject to weight fees, including passenger vehicles. The separate weight-based fee is not included.$10.00
Total taxes and fees$2,196.50

Not the full cost. This total leaves out 1 item, listed below.

Price plus these items: $32,196.50.

Costs not in this total

  • Regional transit excise tax and local district fees. The amount varies by location. Use the state's RTA excise tax estimator.

Estimate for a $30,000 vehicle.See all sources

Sources

4 official pages, all opened Oct 24, 2026

  1. [1]
    Car Dealers and Leasing Companies Local Sales & Use Tax Rates, Oct 1 to Dec 31 2026Supports: State sales tax rate, Local tax, Local sales and use tax rate for motor vehicles, by county and city
    Washington DOROpen page
  2. [2]
    Motor vehicle sales/use taxSupports: State sales tax rate, Tax paid to another state
    Washington DOROpen page
  3. [3]
    Calculate vehicle tab feesSupports: Certificate of title application, Filing fee (title with registration), Service fee (title with registration), License tab fee, Additional vehicle weight fee, Electric vehicle fees, Regional transit excise tax and local district fees
    Washington DOLOpen page
  4. [4]
    Auto Dealer Guide: Trade-insSupports: Trade-in rule
    Washington DOROpen page

What changed

1 change to Washington's numbers or rules

  1. Oct 24, 2026Added state with the 7% combined state rate, local rates for 403 locations from the October 2026 table, and title and registration fees. Electric vehicle fees and the regional transit excise tax are not included.

How Washington works out this bill

Washington charges a combined 7% state rate on a vehicle price, plus a local rate that depends on where you are, a title fee and registration fees.

The state sales tax is added to a separate motor vehicle sales tax charged on the selling price. A trade-in comes off the selling price before tax.

Source: Washington DOR - Motor vehicle sales/use taxWashington DOR - Auto Dealer Guide: Trade-ins

The local rate comes from a table the state publishes every quarter for car dealers, with a rate for each county, city and some special areas.

Source: Washington DOR - Car Dealers and Leasing Companies Local Sales & Use Tax Rates, Oct 1 to Dec 31 2026

Title and registration involve several small fees from the licensing department. Regional transit excise tax and some district fees are extra and depend on where you live and the vehicle's value.

Source: Washington DOL - Calculate vehicle tab fees

All figures this calculator uses (10)

Common questions

Does a trade-in lower the sales tax in Washington?

Yes. The selling price used for sales tax excludes a trade-in of like kind.

Source: Washington DOR - Auto Dealer Guide: Trade-ins

Where does the local rate come from?

The state revenue department publishes a quarterly table of local rates for car sales by location. The calculator fills the rate when you pick your place.

Source: Washington DOR - Car Dealers and Leasing Companies Local Sales & Use Tax Rates, Oct 1 to Dec 31 2026

Why are electric vehicle fees not in the total?

The fee page lists more than one electric vehicle fee without saying which applies to which vehicle, so they are shown as not included.

Source: Washington DOL - Calculate vehicle tab fees

How often is this page updated?

The data on this page was last reviewed on Oct 24, 2026. Pages get a changed-page check each month and a full re-verification each January and July.

How we check numbers

Worked examples

Gas vehicle, no trade-in

$20,000 vehicle

$1,496.50

Washington sales tax (7%) $1,400.00, Certificate of title application $15.00, Filing fee (title with registration) $12.50, Service fee (title with registration) $29.00, License tab fee $30.00, Additional vehicle weight fee $10.00.

Not included yet: Regional transit excise tax and local district fees.

Gas vehicle with a trade-in

$30,000 vehicle, $8,000 trade-in

$1,636.50

Tax is charged on $22,000, so the trade-in saves $560.00 in sales tax.

Not included yet: Regional transit excise tax and local district fees.

Electric vehicle

$45,000 vehicle

$3,246.50

Washington sales tax (7%) $3,150.00, Certificate of title application $15.00, Filing fee (title with registration) $12.50, Service fee (title with registration) $29.00, License tab fee $30.00, Additional vehicle weight fee $10.00.

Not included yet: Electric vehicle fees; Regional transit excise tax and local district fees.

Each example runs the same calculation as the calculator above. Local tax and county fees are left out unless the example says otherwise, because they depend on where you live. Estimates only.

What this calculator does not cover

  • The weight-based gross weight fee, regional transit excise tax and transportation benefit district fees vary and are not included.
  • The fee page also lists plates ($50 each) and an optional parks donation, which are not included.