Missouri Car Sales Tax Calculator Tax, title & license fees (2026)
State + local sales tax based on buyer's address · 4.225% state rate
Calculate Missouri car tax & fees
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How much is car sales tax in Missouri?
Missouri charges a 4.225% state sales tax on vehicles, plus local taxes. The local rate is set by where you live, not where the dealer is. You pay at the license office when you title the vehicle.
Take the price, subtract your trade-in and any rebate, then multiply by 4.225% plus the local rate for your home address.
The title costs $8.50 plus a $9 processing fee. Registration is based on taxable horsepower and ranges from $18.25 (under 12 horsepower, including electric vehicles) to $51.25 (72 horsepower and up), plus a $9 processing fee.
Alternative-fuel vehicles also buy an annual fuel decal from 2026: $150 for electric vehicles and $75 for plug-in hybrids from model year 2018 on, each plus a $9 processing fee.
- Taxable base = price - trade-in - rebate
- Tax = taxable base x (4.225% + buyer local rate)
- Title = $8.50 + $9 processing (+ $9 lien notice)
- Registration = horsepower fee (x2 for 2-year) + processing, or plate transfer + processing
- Total = tax + title + registration + EV/PHEV decal + inspection + doc fee
Missouri car tax example with real numbers
Dealer purchase with a trade-in
You buy a car for $28,000, trade in your old one for $6,000 and receive a $1,000 rebate. Local taxes at your home address total 3.5%.
- Taxable amount: $28,000 − $6,000 − $1,000 = $21,000.
- State tax at 4.225%: $887.25. Local tax at 3.5%: $735.
- Title and registration (top horsepower band) add $77.75.
- Estimated total: $1,700.
| Taxes | |
|---|---|
| State sales tax4.225% of $21,000.00 | $887.25 |
| Local sales tax3.5% of $21,000.00 | $735 |
| Title & registration | |
| Title + processing | $17.50 |
| Registration + processing | $60.25 |
| Estimated total | $1,700 |
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 Missouri tax bill
Gifts and inheritance
No sales tax is due when the donor or decedent already paid tax on the vehicle.
New residents
If you owned, titled and registered the vehicle in another state for at least 90 days, no additional Missouri tax is due.
Replacing a car you sold
If you sold a vehicle privately within 180 days, the tax on the replacement can be reduced or eliminated with documentation.
Adding or removing a spouse
Adding or dropping a spouse or name on the title owes no sales tax.
Owned out of state less than 90 days
Missouri tax is due, minus tax paid to the other state. There's no automatic exemption for military members.
Missouri vehicle sales tax rates
| State rate | 4.225% |
|---|---|
| Local rate | Varies by buyer's address (not dealer location) |
Missouri title & registration fees
| Title | $8.50 |
|---|---|
| Title processing | $9 |
| Plate transfer | $2 |
| Registration processing 1-year | $9 |
| Registration processing 2-year | $18 |
| Lien notice | $9 |
| Registration by taxable horsepower |
|
| EV fuel decal 2,026 | $150 |
| Plug-in hybrid fuel decal 2,026 | $75 |
| Plug-in hybrid decal note | Model year 2018 and newer |
| Fuel decal processing | $9 |
| Dealer doc fee cap | $620.79 |
Missouri car tax exemptions & special cases
| Gift (donor paid tax) | Tax $0 with proof |
|---|---|
| Inheritance | Tax $0 |
| New resident, owned/titled/registered out of state 90+ days | No additional Missouri tax |
| Adding/dropping spouse or name | Tax $0 |
| Private sale replacing a vehicle sold within 180 days | Tax reduced/eliminated if documented (RSMo 144.025) |
| Owned out of state under 90 days | Missouri tax minus tax paid to another state |
| Military | No automatic exemption |
Missouri car tax FAQ
Which local rate applies to a Missouri car purchase?
The rate for your home address, not the dealer's city.
How is Missouri registration calculated?
By taxable horsepower, from $18.25 to $51.25 a year, plus a $9 processing fee.
Do EVs pay extra in Missouri?
Yes. An annual fuel decal costs $150 plus a $9 processing fee.
Do rebates lower Missouri sales tax?
Yes. Trade-ins and rebates both reduce the taxable amount.
Sources & verification
We checked these figures against the following official pages on October 7, 2026:
- dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/titling-registration/fees.html
- dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/fuel-decals.html
- dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/titling-registration/buying-vehicle.html
Not yet confirmed on an official page: plate transfer 2; lien 9; doc fee cap. Treat these figures as estimates.
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll recheck it.