Maine Car Sales Tax Calculator Tax, title & license fees (2026)
Statewide sales/use tax (no local overlay) · 5.5% state rate
Calculate Maine car tax & fees
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How much is car sales tax in Maine?
Maine charges a statewide 5.5% sales or use tax on vehicles, with no local sales tax. The cost many buyers don't expect is the municipal excise tax you pay to your town before you get plates, based on the vehicle's MSRP and age.
For a dealer sale, the documentation or processing fee is part of the sale price. A like-kind trade-in reduces it, but manufacturer rebates don't. Private and out-of-state purchases pay 5.5% use tax on the purchase price at registration.
The excise tax is MSRP times a mill rate that falls each year: 24 mills in year one, 17.5 in year two, 13.5, 10, 6.5 and then 4 mills from year six. The minimum is $5. It uses the maker's list price, not the price you negotiated.
The title fee is $33, required for models 25 years old and newer. Passenger registration is $35.
- Dealer: taxable = price + doc fee - like-kind trade-in
- Private / out-of-state: taxable = price - trade-in
- Tax = taxable x 5.5%, minus tax paid elsewhere (credit capped at Maine tax)
- Total = tax + title + late fee + registration + vanity plate + excise + agent fee
Maine car tax example with real numbers
New car from a Maine dealer
You buy a new car for $30,000 (MSRP $31,000), pay a $450 doc fee and trade in your old car for $6,000.
- Taxable amount: $30,000 + $450 − $6,000 = $24,450.
- Sales tax: $24,450 × 5.5% = $1,344.75.
- Town excise in year one: $31,000 × 0.024 = $744.
- With the $33 title and $35 registration, the estimated first-year total is $2,156.75.
| Taxes | |
|---|---|
| Sales/use tax5.5% of $24,450.00 | $1,344.75 |
| Title & registration | |
| Title | $33 |
| Registration | $35 |
| Municipal excise tax24 mills × MSRP | $744 |
| Estimated total | $2,156.75 |
Computed with the calculator on this page using the figures in our data. Local add-ons not mentioned in the example are left out.
Exceptions that change your Maine tax bill
True gifts
A gift with nothing paid owes no sales or use tax. Taking over a loan counts as payment and is taxable.
Inheritance
Passing a vehicle to a will beneficiary isn't a sale and owes no tax. Sales by an estate's personal representative are generally taxable.
Court-ordered divorce transfers
These aren't treated as sales.
New Mainers
A vehicle you bought and used in another state while you were a genuine resident there is exempt from use tax.
Tax paid elsewhere
Credit is given for tax paid to another jurisdiction, but never more than the Maine use tax.
Maine vehicle sales tax rates
| State rate | 5.5% |
|---|---|
| Local rate | 0% |
| Municipal excise |
|
Maine title & registration fees
| Title | $33 |
|---|---|
| Title note | Required for models 25 years old and newer |
| Late title | $50 |
| Late title note | Documents not delivered within 30 days |
| Registration passenger | $35 |
| Registration pickup 6,001 10,000 lb | $37 |
| Vanity plate | $25 |
| Town agent fee | Varies |
Maine car tax exemptions & special cases
| Manufacturer rebate | Does not reduce the base |
|---|---|
| True gift with no consideration | Tax $0; assumed loan is taxable |
| Inheritance by will beneficiary | Tax $0; sales by a personal representative are generally taxable |
| Court-ordered divorce transfer | Not a sale; tax $0 |
| New resident who bought and used vehicle out of state as a resident there | Use tax $0 |
| Military | No general exemption |
| Renewal | No sales/use tax; excise and registration still due |
Maine car tax FAQ
What is Maine's excise tax?
A municipal tax paid to your town before you register. It's MSRP times a mill rate that drops each year, from 24 mills down to 4 mills from year six.
Does a rebate lower Maine sales tax?
No. Manufacturer rebates don't reduce the taxable price.
Is the dealer doc fee taxable in Maine?
Yes. Documentation and processing fees are part of the sale price.
Do old cars need a title in Maine?
Titles are required for models 25 years old and newer.
Sources & verification
We checked these figures against the following official pages on October 7, 2026:
- www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/registration/regfees.html
- www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/titles/titlefees.html
- www.maine.gov/revenue/taxes/property-tax/excise-tax
Not yet confirmed on an official page: pickup 6,001-10,000 37; vanity 25; late title 50; excise min 5. Treat these figures as estimates.
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll recheck it.