Car sales tax in Knoxville, Tennessee
Buying a car in Knoxville, Tennessee (Knox County), the combined state and local sales tax rate is 9.25%, but the local part applies only to the first $1,600 of the price, so on a $35,000 car it works out to 7.23%. On a $35,000 car that's about $2,561.51 in tax; with a $10,000 trade-in, about $1,838.94.
These are the figures the Before the Lot planner and its AI connector use for Knoxville, 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
Knoxville, Knox County: 9.25% combined state and local rate (Tennessee's rate file, rates as of 2026-10-01). The local part applies to the first $1,600 of the price only, so on $35,450 (the price and the fees taxed with it) the rate works out to 7.226%. Tennessee's local tax goes by the dealer's location, so this is the rate where the dealer is.
Out-the-door examples in Knoxville
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 | $2,561.51 | $3,611.51 |
| Title and registration (a placeholder) | $250 | $250 |
| Out the door, as dealers quote it | $38,261.51 | $54,311.51 |
| Tax saved by the trade-in credit | $722.57 | — |
| Out the door after the trade-in credit | $37,538.94 | — |
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 Tennessee figure.
Doc fee and trade-in in Tennessee
- Tennessee sets no cap on the dealer's doc fee; the examples use a typical $450.
- A trade-in lowers the taxed price in Tennessee: 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: Tennessee car-buying rules.
Other places in Tennessee
- Nashville: 9.75%
- Memphis: 9.75%
- Chattanooga: 9.25%
- Clarksville: 9.5%
- Murfreesboro: 9.75%
- Franklin: 9.75%
Work out your own deal
Open the planner with Knoxville 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 Knoxville by name.
Questions
What is the car sales tax rate in Knoxville, Tennessee?
Buying a car in Knoxville, Tennessee (Knox County), the combined state and local sales tax rate is 9.25%, but the local part applies only to the first $1,600 of the price, so on a $35,000 car it works out to 7.23%. On a $35,000 car that's about $2,561.51 in tax; with a $10,000 trade-in, about $1,838.94.
What's the out-the-door price of a $50,000 car in Knoxville?
About $54,311.51: the $50,000 price, a $450 doc fee, $3,611.51 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 Knoxville?
Yes. Tennessee taxes the price less the trade-in, so a $10,000 trade-in on a $35,000 car lowers the tax by about $722.57.
Is the Knoxville rate charged on the dealer's address or mine?
Tennessee's local tax on a car goes by where the dealer is, not where the buyer lives. Tennessee's own lookup by address: https://tnmap.tn.gov/sst/sst.html