How much is sales tax on a car in Florida?

6% of the purchase price after any trade-in, plus your county's discretionary surtax on the first $5,000. The surtax is set by the county on your title or registration address. In 2026 it ranges from none in Citrus and Collier to 2% in Hamilton, so it adds at most $100.

What is Florida's $225 initial registration fee?

A one-time fee charged when you register a private car, a truck of 5,000 lbs or less, or a motor home and don't have a Florida plate to transfer from a vehicle you owned. It doesn't apply to renewals, plate transfers, transfers to immediate family members, or certain military members.

How much does it cost to renew a car registration in Florida?

For a private automobile, the annual tax and other fees are $27.60 up to 2,499 lbs, $35.60 from 2,500 to 3,499 lbs and $45.60 at 3,500 lbs and up. Online renewals add a $2 processing fee.

Florida Car Sales Tax Calculator 2026: Tax, Tag & Title Fees

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 7, 2026

Florida car sales tax: 6% plus a capped county surtax

Florida vehicle tax = 6% × (price − trade-in) + county surtax × the first $5,000. A $35,000 car with a $10,000 trade-in in Orange County (0.5%) owes $1,525.

FLHSMV's rate chart instructions put it simply: Florida law requires sales tax on the purchase price of a motor vehicle. In a straight sale (no trade-in), the 6% is charged on the whole price. With a trade-in, the tax is on the difference between the trade-in's value and the price of the car you're buying, as long as both are part of one transaction. The trade-in doesn't have to be titled in the buyer's name, and it can come from a third party.

Many counties add a discretionary sales surtax. For a vehicle, the surtax that applies is set by the purchaser's home address on the title or registration, not where the dealer is. It applies only to the first $5,000 of the price.

2026 county surtax rates

Florida 2026 discretionary sales surtax by county, and the most it adds to a car purchase
Surtax	Counties (2026)	Most it adds
None	Citrus, Collier	$0
0.5%	Hernando, Lee, Martin, Orange, Palm Beach, St. Johns, Volusia	$25
1%	Broward, Miami-Dade, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Lake, Seminole, Sarasota, Manatee, Brevard and 25 more	$50
1.5%	Hillsborough, Duval, Osceola, Leon, Marion, Alachua, Escambia, Clay and 14 more	$75
2%	Hamilton	$100

Palm Beach's 0.5% surtax is new for 2026. Surtaxes in Brevard, Charlotte, Liberty and Santa Rosa are listed as expiring December 31, 2026. The calculator's county list has the exact 2026 rate for all 67 counties.

Florida tag fees

Florida private automobile annual registration tax and fees, HSMV 83140
Private automobile, net weight	Annual tax and other fees
Up to 2,499 lbs	$27.60
2,500 – 3,499 lbs	$35.60
3,500 lbs and up	$45.60

These amounts combine the base vehicle tax ($14.50, $22.50 or $32.50) with the standard fees listed on the chart, such as the $2.80 advanced plate replacement fee and the $2.50 service charge. Pickups and other trucks up to 5,000 lbs pay the same three amounts, but by different weight bands: through 1,999 lbs, 2,000–3,000 lbs and 3,001–5,000 lbs. Add $28 when a new metal plate is issued. Registrations run 12 months from the first day of the owner's birth month, and you can renew for one or two years, up to three months early. Online renewal through MyDMV Portal adds a $2 processing fee, and the MyFlorida app adds $4.

The $225 initial registration fee

Florida charges $225 the first time you register a private automobile, a truck of 5,000 lbs or less, or a motor home, if you don't have a Florida plate from a vehicle you previously owned to transfer. It's the fee most new residents notice. It does not apply to:

renewals
transferring a plate from a vehicle you sold or traded to the new one
transfers between co-owners or by operation of law, or to an immediate family member (parent, spouse, child, sibling or a relative living in the same household)
certain military members and their spouses or dependents
government-owned vehicles, and antique cars 30 years or older
a newly acquired vehicle, if you file an affidavit that your previous vehicle (not disposed of) is not operational, is in storage, or won't be driven

Title fees

Florida motor vehicle title fees (electronic title)
Title	Fee
Original, new vehicle	$77.25
Original, used vehicle (e.g. from another state)	$85.25
Transfer or duplicate	$75.25
Lien recording	+$2
Paper title printed	+$2.50
Fast title	+$10
Late title fee	$20

Worked examples

New $35,000 SUV in Orange County, $10,000 trade-in, first Florida plate, financed

Sales tax: $25,000 × 6% = $1,500.00
Surtax: $5,000 × 0.5% = $25.00
Title $77.25 + lien $2 + registration $45.60 + plate $28 + initial fee $225
Total: $1,902.85

$12,000 used sedan (2,900 lbs) in Hillsborough, moving your old plate to it

Sales tax: $12,000 × 6% = $720 + surtax $5,000 × 1.5% = $75
Title transfer $75.25 + registration $35.60, with no initial fee and no new plate
Total: $905.85

Frequently asked questions

How soon do I have to register after moving to Florida?

Vehicles with out-of-state registrations must be registered within 10 days of the owner becoming employed, placing children in public school, or establishing residency in Florida.

Is a leased car taxed and registered differently?

Leased cars cost more to register. Florida's statute treats them as "for hire" passenger vehicles: a $17 flat fee plus $1.50 per 100 lbs, plus service and other fees.

What if I renew late?

A delinquent registration fee applies starting on the 11th day of the month after the renewal was due (section 320.07(4), Florida Statutes).

Sources

This calculator gives an estimate. Your county tax collector calculates the final amount. How we calculate

Florida Car Sales Tax Calculator

Florida tax, tag and title calculator