How Much Is Tax, Tag, and Title in Georgia?

Tax, tag, and title in Georgia comes down to three core charges: a one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) of 7.0% of the vehicle’s fair market value, an $18 title fee, and a $20 annual registration fee.¹²³ On a $20,000 vehicle, that works out to $1,400 in TAVT plus $38 in fees the first year. Several situations lower the TAVT rate significantly, and electric and alternative fuel vehicles carry an extra annual charge on top of the standard $20 tag fee.

How TAVT Is Calculated

TAVT is the single largest cost in most Georgia vehicle transactions. It replaced the old annual vehicle property tax for most transactions starting in March 2013, so you pay it once, when the vehicle is titled, rather than every year.¹ It applies each time ownership changes and when a new resident registers a vehicle in Georgia for the first time.

The current rate is 7.0% of fair market value. Fair market value is not the price on your bill of sale; it comes from the Georgia Department of Revenue’s motor vehicle assessment manual, which assigns a standardized value to every make, model, and year.⁴ Two buyers of identical vehicles pay the same TAVT no matter what they negotiated.

Two adjustments matter at the counter. For dealer purchases, the value of a trade-in is typically subtracted from fair market value before TAVT is calculated. For private-party sales, the state uses whichever is higher, the actual purchase price or the assessed value from the manual, so underreporting the sale price does not lower the bill.

When You Pay Less Than 7.0%

Georgia law drops the TAVT rate well below 7.0% in a handful of common situations. Confirming eligibility before your visit can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

New residents. Moving to Georgia and registering a vehicle you already own puts you at 3% of fair market value instead of 7.0%.³
Immediate family transfers. Transferring a titled vehicle to an immediate family member costs 0.5% of fair market value, provided TAVT was previously paid on the vehicle. You complete Form MV-16 (Affidavit to Certify Immediate Family Relationship) at the County Tag Office.¹
Inherited vehicles. Inheriting a vehicle already in the TAVT system is also 0.5% of fair market value, filed on Form T-20 (Affidavit of Inheritance).¹
Salvage titles. Vehicles with salvage titles are taxed at 1% of fair market value.

Title Fee, Tag Fee, and Other Fixed Charges

Alongside TAVT, Georgia charges flat fees that do not vary with the vehicle’s value.

The title fee is $18, paid once when you apply for a new title or when ownership changes.² The standard passenger tag and validation decal cost $20 a year, paid every time you renew registration.³

Specialty and Prestige Plates

Personalized (prestige) plates carry a one-time $35 manufacturing fee plus a $35 annual renewal fee on top of the standard $20 registration.⁵ Specialty plates supporting organizations or causes have their own fee structures, so check the plate you want before ordering.

Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicle Surcharge

Vehicles powered by electricity, natural gas, propane, or plug-in hybrid systems owe an additional annual registration fee. For non-commercial alternative fuel vehicles, the supplemental fee is approximately $235 per year, indexed annually for inflation. Commercial alternative fuel vehicles pay roughly $353. Both amounts apply on top of the standard $20 tag fee and offset the road-use taxes that gasoline vehicles pay through fuel taxes.

Dealer Documentation Fees

When you buy from a dealership, expect to see a documentation fee on your bill of sale. Georgia does not cap dealer doc fees, so the amount varies by dealer. It covers the dealer’s paperwork costs and is often negotiable, so ask about it before you sign.

Estimating Your Total Before You Go

You can price out your specific vehicle with the official TAVT Estimator in Georgia’s DRIVES e-Services portal.⁶ You will need the seventeen-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which appears on the driver-side dashboard or inside the door jamb. The tool pulls the assessed value and returns an estimated TAVT and fee total. The final figure is confirmed by the clerk at the County Tag Office once your paperwork is verified.

If you renew a tag online rather than in person, credit card transactions add a 2.31% convenience fee, with a $1 minimum.⁶

Deadlines and Late Penalties

How long you have to register depends on how you acquired the vehicle:

Private-party (casual) sales: register within 7 business days of purchase.
Dealer purchases: 30 days from the purchase date if the dealer does not submit the paperwork for you.
New residents: 30 days from the date you move to Georgia.⁷

Missing the deadline is expensive. More than 30 days late adds a 10% penalty on the unpaid TAVT. After 60 days, interest of 1% per month accrues on top of that penalty.⁸ On a $20,000 vehicle where the base TAVT is $1,400, the 10% penalty is $140 and each additional month of interest adds another $14.

Disabled Veteran Exemption

Georgia waives TAVT entirely on one vehicle for veterans rated 100% totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected condition by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans rated as unemployable and receiving VA awards for specific disabilities, such as loss of use of hands or feet or loss of sight, also qualify. Recent changes to state law let qualifying veterans choose a veteran plate other than the Disabled Veteran plate and still receive the exemption. Purple Heart and Medal of Honor plate holders are also exempt from vehicle ad valorem taxes.⁹ The exemption covers only one vehicle owned by the veteran.

1
Department of Revenue. Vehicle Taxes – Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) and Annual Ad Valorem Tax
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Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicles Fees, Fines, and Penalties
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Department of Revenue. New to Georgia?
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Department of Revenue. Georgia Motor Vehicle Assessment Manual for Title Ad Valorem Tax
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Department of Revenue. Order Prestige and Specialty License Plates
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Department of Revenue. Georgia DRIVES | DRIVES e-Services
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Department of Revenue. When and Where to Register Your Vehicle
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Department of Revenue. Policy Bulletin MVD-2025-01 TAVT Double Penalty
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Georgia Department of Veterans Service. Tax Exemptions