Buying a car in Texas comes with three buckets of costs: tax, title, and license—often shortened to TTL. Knowing what’s fixed and what varies by county can save time, money, and surprises at the tax office.
At the state level, Texas charges a 6.25% motor-vehicle sales tax on the taxable price. For most buyers, there’s no additional local sales tax on vehicle purchases; instead, counties collect separate local road and bridge–type fees during registration. If you’re buying a used car from a private seller, your tax may be based on the Standard Presumptive Value (SPV) if the declared price is too low.
Your title fee is modest, but it’s not identical statewide. By statute, counties collect $28 or $33 for a Texas title application, depending on the county where you file. You’ll pay this with your Form 130-U at the county tax assessor-collector.
For the license piece—think registration and plates—Texas sets a base registration fee of $50.75 for passenger vehicles and light trucks 6,000 lbs. GVW or less, and counties add local fees up to $31.50. You’ll also see a $4.75 processing & handling line, a $1 insurance verification fee, and, starting in 2025, a $7.50 Inspection Program Replacement Fee (since non-commercial safety inspections were eliminated; emissions tests still apply in designated counties). EVs have an additional state fee.
Put together, TTL in Texas is predictable once you plug in your taxable price and your county’s local add-ons. Below, you’ll find clear answers to the most common questions people ask when calculating their out-the-door costs.
TT&L combines (a) the 6.25% motor-vehicle sales tax, (b) your title fee ($28 or $33), and (c) registration/plate fees (base $50.75 for most passenger vehicles) plus local and small state-mandated add-ons (processing & handling $4.75, insurance verification $1, county fees up to $31.50, and the $7.50 inspection replacement fee). EVs add a separate state EV fee.
Example: Buy a $30,000 car from a dealer with a title fee of $33, in a county with $20 in local fees. Your estimate: tax $1,875 (6.25%), title $33, base registration $50.75, processing $4.75, insurance $1, local $20, inspection replacement $7.50. Estimated TTL add-ons ≈ $1,992 before any extras (like specialty plates). Always check your county’s exact local fee and whether emissions testing applies.
Texas assesses motor-vehicle sales tax at 6.25% of the taxable value. For dealer purchases, that’s the sales price minus any trade-in. For private-party used sales, tax is based on the sales price or SPV (80% threshold), whichever is higher, unless you present a qualifying certified appraisal. Title fees are $28 or $33. Registration for a typical passenger car starts with the $50.75 base, then adds county and state line items (processing & handling, insurance verification, inspection replacement).
Because local sales tax generally doesn’t apply to motor-vehicle sales, county road/bridge costs get captured through local registration fees instead of sales tax. That’s why two buyers with the same car price can owe slightly different totals based on county.
The title application fee is set by statute and administered locally at either $28 or $33, depending on county. You’ll pay it when you submit Form 130-U to your county tax assessor-collector. If you’re also transferring an existing registration, some counties add small transfer charges. Always bring proof of insurance and required documents to avoid repeat trips.
If you have a lien to add or remove, expect the same title fee structure when you visit your county tax office. Processing timelines vary slightly by county, but the fee range stays the same.
For passenger vehicles/light trucks 6,000 lbs. GVW or less, the base registration fee is $50.75. Heavier classes step up to $54.00 (6,001–10,000 lbs.), and motorcycles/mopeds are $30.00. On top of the base, you’ll see county-set local fees up to $31.50, $4.75 processing & handling, $1 insurance verification, and—since 2025—the $7.50 inspection replacement fee at renewal.
If you’re in a county that requires emissions testing, there’s also a small state portion of the emissions fee collected with registration. New vehicles that come with two years of initial registration pay $16.75 for the two-year inspection replacement line instead of $7.50 the first year.
As of January 1, 2025, Texas eliminated annual safety inspections for non-commercial vehicles. Instead, you’ll pay a $7.50 Inspection Program Replacement Fee when you register; emissions testing remains required in 17 counties. New vehicles issued two years of registration pay $16.75 to cover that period. Commercial vehicles still require annual safety inspections.
You’ll see this line listed right on your renewal estimate alongside base and local fees. If you move into or out of an emissions county, your renewal will reflect whether an emissions test is due before registration.
The local fee line in your registration is set by your county’s commissioners court and commonly includes road/bridge and child safety components. The range is $0 to $31.50, which is why two neighbors in different counties can have slightly different totals for identical vehicles. You can confirm your county’s total on the official registration pages or fee chart.
Local fees are collected with registration at the county tax office (or online), not as part of the state’s motor-vehicle sales tax. That structural detail is unique compared with many states and is worth remembering when you estimate TTL.
Buying from a private seller? Texas uses SPV rules to prevent under-reporting. Tax is calculated on the greater of the actual sales price or 80% of SPV published for that day, unless you provide a qualifying certified appraisal. The county calculates it when you title/register the vehicle; you can preview SPV to avoid surprises.
Trade-ins reduce taxable value in dealer transactions, but SPV rules apply to private-party used sales. If your deal is legitimately below SPV—say, due to condition—you can use the appraisal path to align tax with the car’s true value.
Bring a vehicle into Texas? Texas collects 6.25% motor-vehicle use tax (credit for legally paid tax to another state may apply). You’ll also pay the title fee ($28 or $33), base registration ($50.75), local county fees (up to $31.50), processing & handling ($4.75), insurance verification ($1), and the inspection replacement fee (plus emissions, where required).
Make sure your paperwork matches Texas requirements before visiting the county office. If the vehicle requires emissions testing (based on the county where you register), plan that step before registration to avoid delays.
Texas assesses an EV fee of $200 annually at renewal for fully electric passenger vehicles up to 10,000 lbs. GVW. For new EVs receiving two years of initial registration, the fee is $400 at that time. These amounts are in addition to the standard base registration, county fees, processing, insurance verification, and the inspection replacement line.
The EV fee does not replace the 6.25% motor-vehicle sales tax—EV purchases are taxed like any other motor vehicle—and it doesn’t remove specialty plate surcharges if you choose those options.
General-issue metal plates are included with registration. If you want a specialty or personalized plate, expect an additional annual fee (commonly $30 or $40, plus any personalization surcharge) on top of registration. Replacing lost or damaged standard plates/stickers typically costs $6.50.
New for 2025: As of July 1, 2025, Texas has replaced most paper temporary tags with metal plates issued at the point of sale under HB 718. This affects dealer transactions and law-enforcement procedures; it doesn’t change your base registration math but helps combat tag fraud statewide.
Dog aggression can be a serious challenge for pet owners, affecting not only the dog’s…
For small businesses in the UK, managing accounting in-house can be time-consuming, costly, and prone…
Introduction Expanding your business into new countries is exciting, but let’s be honest — it…
Traditional plastic cards have dominated wallets for decades. Credit cards, membership passes, and ID badges…
Pimlico has always been a quiet pocket of elegance between the bustle of Victoria and…
I get asked this all the time—especially from folks considering leaving their 9-to-5 jobs for…