If you buy a car in Florida, you pay 6% state sales tax on the purchase price, plus a county discretionary surtax that applies only to the first $5,000 of the price. Florida car sales tax is due at the point of title transfer, so a dealer collects it at closing and a private-party buyer pays it at the county tax collector’s office when transferring the title. There is no way to register a vehicle in Florida without settling the tax first.
How the Tax Is Calculated
The 6% state rate is set by Florida Statutes Chapter 212 and applies statewide.1Justia. Florida Code 212 – Sales, Storage, Use Tax On top of that, most counties add a discretionary sales surtax. For 2026, county rates range from 0% in counties like Collier and Citrus up to 2% in Hamilton County, with most counties between 0.5% and 1.5%.2Florida Department of Revenue. Discretionary Sales Surtax Information for Calendar Year 2026
The important detail on the surtax: it applies only to the first $5,000 of the purchase price, not the full amount.3Florida Department of Revenue. Discretionary Sales Surtax Brochure So on a $30,000 car in a county with a 1% surtax, you owe $1,800 in state tax (6% of $30,000) plus $50 in county surtax (1% of $5,000), for $1,850 total.
Trade-In Credit
When you trade in a vehicle at a licensed dealer, the trade-in value is subtracted from the purchase price before tax is calculated. Buy a $25,000 car with a $10,000 trade-in and you pay tax on $15,000.4Florida Department of Revenue. Sales and Use Tax on Motor Vehicles This is one of the more meaningful ways to lower a Florida tax bill on a vehicle purchase.
Private-party sales can qualify for a trade-in deduction too, but the rules are narrower. The traded item must be a motor vehicle, boat, aircraft, or mobile home, and the trade has to happen as part of the same transaction.4Florida Department of Revenue. Sales and Use Tax on Motor Vehicles Unrelated personal property doesn’t count.
What Isn’t Taxed
Title fees, tag fees, and registration charges are separate line items and are not themselves subject to sales tax. Dealer documentation fees can sometimes be folded into the taxable price, so it’s worth reviewing your purchase agreement to see exactly what figure the dealer uses.
Buying From a Dealer vs. a Private Seller
The rate and math are the same either way. What changes is who collects the money and when.
A licensed dealer collects the full sales tax at closing, sends it to the state, and typically handles the title and registration paperwork for you. You walk out having already paid.
In a private sale, the tax comes due when you visit your county tax collector’s office to transfer the title into your name. Bring the signed title certificate, a completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form HSMV 82040), and proof of Florida insurance.5Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Application for Certificate of Motor Vehicle Title A bill of sale isn’t strictly required, but bringing one protects both sides by documenting the actual price. You have 30 days from the purchase date to transfer title. Miss that window and you owe a $20 late title fee.6Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
One warning on private sales: writing a lower purchase price on the bill of sale to reduce the tax is a bad idea. Florida’s Department of Revenue can challenge a reported price that looks unreasonably low and assess tax based on fair market value. Penalties start at 10% of the unpaid tax when you self-correct before an audit and rise to 20% if the department catches it first.7Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 212.07 – Sales, Storage, Use Tax
Cars Bought Out of State or Brought In From Another State
Florida imposes a use tax at the same 6% rate on vehicles bought elsewhere and then registered here.8Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 212.06 – Sales, Storage, Use Tax If you already paid sales tax in the state where you bought the car, Florida gives you a dollar-for-dollar credit. You only owe the difference if Florida’s rate is higher; if you paid the same or more, you owe nothing.
There’s a separate exemption for vehicles that were titled, registered, and used in another state for at least six months before being brought into Florida. In that situation no Florida use tax is due. This matters most for people relocating with a car they’ve owned for a while.
Exemptions
Out-of-State Buyers
If you live outside Florida and buy a vehicle here for immediate removal to your home state, the dealer collects tax at your home state’s rate, capped at 6%. You sign Form DR-123, an affidavit certifying that you’ll register the vehicle in your home state within 45 days.9Florida Department of Revenue. Partial Exemption for Motor Vehicle Sold to Resident of Another State DR-123 If your home state’s rate exceeds 6%, you’ll owe the difference to your own state at registration.
Gifts and Inheritances
A vehicle transferred as a genuine gift is exempt from sales tax. No money can change hands, and the recipient cannot assume an outstanding lien. The new owner claims the exemption on the title application and submits a sworn statement describing the vehicle, identifying the donor, and confirming no payment was made.10Florida Department of Revenue. Do I Have to Pay Sales Tax When I Transfer My Car Title if the Car Was Given to Me Inherited vehicles are generally exempt as well.
Nonprofits and Military
Qualifying nonprofit organizations that hold a Florida Consumer’s Certificate of Exemption (Form DR-14) can buy vehicles free of sales tax.11Florida Department of Revenue. Sales and Use Tax on Motor Vehicles Vehicles bought for export outside the United States may also qualify, with strict documentation. Active-duty servicemembers stationed in Florida but legally domiciled in another state may avoid Florida sales tax under the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, since their tax obligations follow their home of legal residence.
Leased Vehicles
Leasing works differently. Florida doesn’t tax the full vehicle price up front on a lease of 12 months or longer registered in the state. Instead, the 6% tax (and any county surtax) is charged on each monthly payment, and the dealer collects and remits it as part of the payment.12Florida Department of Revenue. Technical Assistance Advisement – Lease of Motor Vehicle For leases shorter than 12 months, tax is generally due on the full lease amount at signing.
What Else You’ll Owe at the Counter
Sales tax is the biggest number, but it’s not the only one. The state charges a fixed set of title and registration fees on top:
- Title fee: $77.25 for a new vehicle, $85.25 for a used vehicle, or $75.25 for a transfer of a vehicle previously titled in Florida.
- Initial registration fee: $225.00, charged the first time a vehicle is registered in Florida.
- Original license plate: $28.00.
- Annual registration, weight-based: $14.50 for cars under 2,500 pounds up to $32.50 for cars over 3,500 pounds.6Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Fees
Put it together with a real example. Say you buy a used car for $20,000 from a private seller in a county with a 1% surtax. At the tax collector’s office you’d owe roughly:
- State sales tax: $20,000 × 6% = $1,200
- County surtax: $5,000 × 1% = $50
- Title fee (used): $85.25
- Initial registration: $225.00
- License plate: $28.00
- Annual registration (3,500+ lbs): $32.50
That’s about $1,620.75 due at the counter, on top of what you paid the seller. Had you traded in an $8,000 vehicle at a dealer instead, the taxable amount would drop to $12,000, saving $480 in state tax and $30 in surtax. The title and registration fees stay the same.