Car sales tax in Lee County, Florida
Buying a car in Lee County, Florida, the combined state and local sales tax rate is 6.5%, but the local part applies only to the first $5,000 of the price, so on a $35,000 car it works out to 6.07%. On a $35,000 car that's about $2,151.99 in tax; with a $10,000 trade-in, about $1,544.94.
These are the figures the Before the Lot planner and its AI connector use for Lee County, with their sources. They describe the rates and the arithmetic; they are not tax advice, and the dealer's quote and the state's documents are what count.
How the rate is made up
Lee County: 6.5% combined state and local rate (Florida's rate file, rates as of 2026-01-01). The local part applies to the first $5,000 of the price only, so on $35,450 (the price and the fees taxed with it) the rate works out to 6.071%.
Lee County includes Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach and other places. Florida taxes a car at the rate of the county the buyer lives in, so a buyer anywhere in Lee County uses the 6.5% combined rate, with the cap described above.
Out-the-door examples in Lee County
Worked with the planner's own out-the-door math for a new car, the same numbers the connector gives an AI assistant.
| Line | $35,000 car, $10,000 trade-in | $50,000 car, no trade-in |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle price | $35,000 | $50,000 |
| Doc fee (see below) | $450 | $450 |
| Sales tax | $2,151.99 | $3,052.02 |
| Title and registration (a placeholder) | $250 | $250 |
| Out the door, as dealers quote it | $37,851.99 | $53,752.02 |
| Tax saved by the trade-in credit | $607.05 | — |
| Out the door after the trade-in credit | $37,244.94 | — |
The trade-in's value itself comes off what's financed or paid, not shown here. Title and registration differ by vehicle; $250 is the planner's placeholder, not a Florida figure.
Doc fee and trade-in in Florida
- Florida sets no cap on the dealer's doc fee; the examples use a typical $450.
- A trade-in lowers the taxed price in Florida: tax is on the price less the trade-in.
- A maker's rebate doesn't lower the taxed price.
Every rule for the state, with sources: Florida car-buying rules.
Other places in Florida
- Miami-Dade County: 7%
- Broward County: 7%
- Palm Beach County: 6.5%
- Hillsborough County: 7.5%
- Orange County: 6.5%
- Jacksonville: 7.5%
Work out your own deal
Open the planner with Lee County filled in
Change the price, trade-in and fees to your own. Nothing is sent to a server; the numbers ride in the link. In Claude or ChatGPT, add the connector and ask about Lee County by name.
Questions
What is the car sales tax rate in Lee County, Florida?
Buying a car in Lee County, Florida, the combined state and local sales tax rate is 6.5%, but the local part applies only to the first $5,000 of the price, so on a $35,000 car it works out to 6.07%. On a $35,000 car that's about $2,151.99 in tax; with a $10,000 trade-in, about $1,544.94.
What's the out-the-door price of a $50,000 car in Lee County?
About $53,752.02: the $50,000 price, a $450 doc fee, $3,052.02 in sales tax and a $250 placeholder for title and registration. A dealer's itemized quote is what counts.
Does a trade-in lower the sales tax in Lee County?
Yes. Florida taxes the price less the trade-in, so a $10,000 trade-in on a $35,000 car lowers the tax by about $607.05.
Is the Lee County rate charged on the dealer's address or mine?
Florida's local tax on a car goes by where the buyer lives (the address the car is registered to). Florida's own lookup by address: https://pointmatch.floridarevenue.com/Default.aspx
Which towns are in Lee County?
Lee County includes Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach and other places. Florida taxes a car at the rate of the county the buyer lives in, so a buyer anywhere in Lee County uses the 6.5% combined rate, with the cap described above.