Vermont Car Sales Tax Calculator Tax, title & license fees (2026)
Purchase & Use Tax (no county overlay) · 6% state rate
Calculate Vermont car tax & fees
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How much is car sales tax in Vermont?
Vermont charges a 6% purchase and use tax on vehicles statewide, with no county tax added. The tax is based on the higher of the price you paid or the J.D. Power clean trade-in value, so a bargain price doesn't always mean a lower tax.
Take the higher of the purchase price (dealer documentation fees count as part of the price) or the J.D. Power clean trade-in value. Subtract a qualifying trade-in, then multiply by 6%.
Heavy trucks with a curb weight of 10,100 lb or more, and all other vehicle classes, have their tax capped at $2,486. Ordinary cars and light trucks have no cap.
Title is $42 and each lien $14. One-year auto registration is $91 for gas or diesel, $135.50 for plug-in hybrids and $178 for battery EVs ($167, $256 and $341 for two years).
- Taxable = max(price + doc fee, J.D. Power clean trade-in) - trade-in
- Tax = taxable x 6% (capped at $2,486 for heavy trucks / other classes)
- Total = tax + title + lien + warranty fee + registration + vanity plate
Vermont car tax example with real numbers
Dealer purchase with a trade-in
You buy a car for $30,000, pay a $300 documentation fee and trade in your old car for $6,000. The car's J.D. Power clean trade-in value is lower than the price.
- Price including the doc fee: $30,300. That's higher than the book value, so it's the starting point.
- Subtract the trade-in: $30,300 − $6,000 = $24,300.
- Purchase and use tax: $24,300 × 6% = $1,458.
- With the $42 title and one-year registration, the estimated total is $1,599.
| Taxes | |
|---|---|
| Purchase & use tax6% of $24,300.00 | $1,458 |
| Title & registration | |
| Title | $42 |
| Registration (1 year) | $91 |
| New vehicle warranty fee | $8 |
| Estimated total | $1,599 |
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 Vermont tax bill
Gifts
A gift certified on form VT-014 owes no purchase and use tax. You still pay the $42 title and get new registration and plates, since the plates stay with the donor.
Inheritance and adaptive equipment
Inherited vehicles, and vehicles with altered controls or a lifting device for a disability, can be exempt on form VT-014.
Tax paid in another state
Only a qualifying VT-014 exemption counts. Another state collecting a 'Vermont 6%' doesn't send that money to Vermont.
Already titled to you or your spouse out of state
Tax is 6% of the J.D. Power clean trade-in value unless an exemption applies.
Lease buyouts and rentals
A lease-end purchase is taxed on the residual value. Short-term rentals are taxed at 9%.
Vermont vehicle sales tax rates
| State rate | 6% |
|---|---|
| Rental rate | 9% |
| Base | Greater of purchase price (incl. dealer doc fees) or J.D. Power clean trade-in, minus qualifying trade-in |
| Heavy vehicle cap | $2,486 |
| Heavy vehicle cap applies | Trucks with curb weight 10,100 lb+ and all other vehicle classes |
| Local rate | 0% |
Vermont title & registration fees
| Title | $42 |
|---|---|
| Lien | $14 |
| New vehicle warranty | $8 |
| Warranty exclusions | Trailers, tractors, snowmobiles, motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, trucks over 12,000 lb GVW |
| Registration auto |
|
| Vanity plate per year | $58 |
| Heavy truck registration | Separate schedule; varies |
Vermont car tax exemptions & special cases
| Gift (VT-014) | Tax $0; title and new registration still due (plates stay with donor) |
|---|---|
| Inheritance (VT-014) | Tax $0 (confirm with DMV) |
| Vehicle with altered controls or lifting device (VT-014) | Tax $0 |
| Tax paid to another state | Exempt only with qualifying VT-014; another state's collected tax is not remitted to Vermont |
| Already titled to you/spouse out of state | 6% of J.D. Power clean trade-in |
| Lease buyout | Tax on residual / lease-end value |
| Short-term rental | 9%, no cap |
| EVs | Not exempt |
| Nominal ($1) sale | Taxed on greater of price or book value |
Vermont car tax FAQ
Why was I taxed on more than I paid in Vermont?
Vermont taxes the higher of the price or the J.D. Power clean trade-in value.
Are electric vehicles exempt from Vermont's tax?
No. EVs pay the 6% purchase and use tax, and their registration costs more.
Is there a cap on Vermont's purchase and use tax?
Only for heavy trucks and other vehicle classes: $2,486. Cars have no cap.
How much is a Vermont title?
$42, plus $14 for each lien.
Sources & verification
We checked these figures against the following official pages on October 7, 2026:
- dmv.vermont.gov/registrations/fees
- dmv.vermont.gov/tax-title/vehicle-taxation
- dmv.vermont.gov/tax-title/vehicle-title/fees
Not yet confirmed on an official page: rental 9%; warranty 8; vanity 58. Treat these figures as estimates.
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll recheck it.