Car-buying rules by state
Doc-fee rules and sales-tax treatment for every state and DC, from the data behind the Before the Lot planner. Each state page shows its sources and dates. This describes the rules; it is not legal or tax advice. Download the table as CSV (facts with sources).
| State | Doc-fee cap or rule | State rate | Local add-on | Rebate lowers taxed price | Trade-in credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No cap; no disclosure rule | 2% | Varies | No | Yes |
| Alaska | No cap; disclosure rules | 0% | Up to 7.85% | Not confirmed | No |
| Arizona | No cap; disclosure rules | 5.6% | Up to 5.3% | No | Yes |
| Arkansas | $129 | 6.5% | Varies | No | Yes |
| California | $85 | 7.25% | Up to 5.25% | No | No |
| Colorado | No cap; disclosure rules | 2.9% | Up to 9.1% | No | Yes |
| Connecticut | No cap; disclosure rules | 6.35% | None | No | Yes |
| Delaware | No cap; disclosure rules | 5.25% | None | Yes | Yes |
| District of Columbia | No cap; disclosure rules | 6% | None | No | No |
| Florida | No cap; disclosure rules | 6% | Varies | No | Yes |
| Georgia | No cap; disclosure rules | 7% | None | Yes | Yes |
| Hawaii | No cap; disclosure rules | 4% | Up to 0.5% | No | Yes |
| Idaho | No cap; disclosure rules | 6% | None | Yes | Yes |
| Illinois | $377.63 (dealer-financed) | 6.25% | Up to 4.75% | No | Yes |
| Indiana | $261.72 | 7% | None | No | Yes |
| Iowa | $180 | 5% | None | Yes | Yes |
| Kansas | No cap; no disclosure rule | 6.5% | Up to 4.25% | Yes | Yes |
| Kentucky | No cap; disclosure rules | 6% | None | Yes | Yes |
| Louisiana | $436 | 5% | Up to 7% | Yes | Yes |
| Maine | No cap; disclosure rules | 5.5% | None | No | Yes |
| Maryland | $800 | 6.5% | None | No | Yes |
| Massachusetts | No cap; disclosure rules | 6.25% | None | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Michigan | $280 or 5%, lesser (dealer-financed) | 6% | None | No | Yes |
| Minnesota | $350 or 10%, lesser | 6.875% | Varies | Yes | Yes |
| Mississippi | $425 (franchised) | 5% | None | No | Yes |
| Missouri | $620.79 | 4.225% | Up to 6.25% | Yes | Yes |
| Montana | No cap; disclosure rules | 0% | None | Not confirmed | No |
| Nebraska | No cap; disclosure rules | 5.5% | Up to 2% | Yes | Yes |
| Nevada | No cap; disclosure rules | 6.85% | Up to 1.53% | No | Yes |
| New Hampshire | No cap; disclosure rules | 0% | None | Not confirmed | No |
| New Jersey | No cap; disclosure rules | 6.625% | None | No | Yes |
| New Mexico | No cap; disclosure rules | 4% | None | Yes | Yes |
| New York | $175 | 4% | Up to 4.88% | No | Yes |
| North Carolina | No cap; disclosure rules | 3% | None | No | Yes |
| North Dakota | No cap; no disclosure rule | 5% | None | Yes | Yes |
| Ohio | $398 or 10%, lesser | 5.75% | Up to 2.25% | No | Yes |
| Oklahoma | No cap; disclosure rules | 4.5% | None | Yes | No |
| Oregon | $250 | 0.5% | None | Yes | No |
| Pennsylvania | $490 | 6% | Up to 2% | Yes | Yes |
| Rhode Island | $400 | 7% | None | Yes | Yes |
| South Carolina | No cap; disclosure rules | 5% | None | Not confirmed | Yes |
| South Dakota | No cap; no disclosure rule | 4% | None | No | Yes |
| Tennessee | No cap; disclosure rules | 7% | Varies | No | Yes |
| Texas | No cap; disclosure rules | 6.25% | None | Yes | Yes |
| Utah | No cap; disclosure rules | 4.85% | Varies | Yes | Yes |
| Vermont | No cap; disclosure rules | 6% | None | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Virginia | No cap; disclosure rules | 4.15% | None | Yes | No |
| Washington | $200 | 7% | Up to 4.2% | No | Yes |
| West Virginia | No cap; disclosure rules | 6% | None | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Wisconsin | No cap; disclosure rules | 5% | Up to 2.9% | No | Yes |
| Wyoming | No cap; no disclosure rule | 4% | Up to 3% | Yes | Yes |
See also: set your numbers, let dealers compete and reading an out-the-door quote.