New Jersey Car Sales Tax Calculator Tax, title & license fees (2026)
Statewide sales/use tax (no local sales tax) · 6.625% state rate
Calculate New Jersey car tax & fees
Loading calculator…
How much is car sales tax in New Jersey?
New Jersey charges a single statewide 6.625% sales tax on vehicles, with no county or city tax on cars. Since July 1, 2025, zero-emission vehicles are taxed at the full rate too, and they also pay an annual ZEV fee.
Subtract your trade-in from the price and multiply by 6.625%. New Jersey dealers collect the tax; if you buy privately or out of state without paying it, you pay at the Motor Vehicle Commission when you title.
A title transfer is $60, or $85 when a lien is recorded. Passenger registration depends on weight and age: $59 for a car under 3,500 lb within two model years, $46.50 if older, and $84 or $71.50 for cars over 3,500 lb. Seniors 65 and older and people with a disability pay $7 less.
Zero-emission vehicles pay an extra annual fee that started at $250 on July 1, 2024 and rises $10 a year for four years: $270 in 2026. A new ZEV registered for four years pays all four years up front.
- Taxable = price - trade-in
- Tax = taxable x 6.625%
- Total = tax + title + registration + ZEV fees + doc fee
New Jersey car tax example with real numbers
New car with a trade-in
You buy a new $3,400-lb car for $32,000 and trade in your old one for $7,000.
- Taxable amount: $32,000 − $7,000 = $25,000.
- Sales tax: $25,000 × 6.625% = $1,656.25.
- Add the $60 title and $59 registration: $119.
- Estimated total: $1,775.25.
| Taxes | |
|---|---|
| Sales tax6.625% of $25,000.00 | $1,656.25 |
| Title & registration | |
| Title | $60 |
| Registration | $59 |
| Estimated total | $1,775.25 |
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 New Jersey tax bill
Gifts
A gift with the title marked 'GIFT' that's free of any loan (or goes to a previous co-owner) owes no tax. If the recipient takes over a loan, tax is due on the principal assumed.
Inheritance
Heirs, legatees and trust beneficiaries owe no tax.
Bought while living elsewhere
A vehicle bought out of state while you were a nonresident is exempt.
Military and disabled veterans
Service members with a Letter of Deferment can defer the tax. Purchases funded by the VA for a disabled veteran aren't taxed.
Undervalued private sales
If a private sale price looks too low, the Division of Taxation may assess tax on the NADA fair market value.
New Jersey vehicle sales tax rates
| State rate | 6.625% |
|---|---|
| Local rate | 0% |
| ZEV note | ZEVs fully taxable from 2025-07-01 |
New Jersey title & registration fees
| Title | $60 |
|---|---|
| Title with lien | $85 |
| Title search | $15 |
| Registration transfer | $4.50 |
| Registration |
|
| Senior discount | $7 |
| ZEV annual fee |
|
| ZEV fee note | New ZEVs on 4-year registration pay all years up front |
New Jersey car tax exemptions & special cases
| Gift (title marked GIFT, free and clear or prior co-owner) | Tax $0 |
|---|---|
| Gift with assumed lien | 6.625% of principal assumed |
| Inheritance / legatee / trust beneficiary | Tax $0 |
| Bought out of state while a nonresident | Tax $0 |
| Military with Letter of Deferment | Tax deferred |
| VA-funded purchase by disabled veteran | Tax $0 |
| Undervalued private sale | May be assessed at NADA value |
New Jersey car tax FAQ
Is there county sales tax on cars in New Jersey?
No. The 6.625% rate is the same statewide.
Are EVs exempt from New Jersey sales tax?
Not anymore. Zero-emission vehicles have been fully taxable at 6.625% since July 1, 2025.
How much is the New Jersey ZEV fee?
$270 for 2026, rising $10 a year to $290.
How much is a New Jersey title?
$60, or $85 when a lien is recorded.
Sources & verification
We checked these figures against the following official pages on October 7, 2026:
- www.nj.gov/mvc/vehicles/regfees.htm
- www.nj.gov/mvc/vehicles/titlenew.htm
- www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/su_10.shtml
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll recheck it.