AutoTaxCalculatorHow much to register a car in Michigan
Michigan registration = list-price tax (stepped down 10% a year for three years) + $8 in state fees + any EV surcharge. A car that listed at $35,000 pays $216 the first year, then $195, $176 and $159, and $159 a year after that.
Most of the Michigan vehicle registration fee is this tax. It comes from MCL 257.801(1)(p), which covers every motor vehicle of the 1984 or later model year in the passenger category. "List price" means the manufacturer's suggested base list price as published by the Secretary of State. If none is published, it's the MSRP on the window sticker. If that's unavailable too, it's the purchase price. The price you negotiated doesn't matter, and neither do options added later.
Michigan registration fee chart
| List price | Tax | List price | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 – $6,000 | $36 | $18,001 – $19,000 | $112 |
| $6,001 – $7,000 | $40 | $19,001 – $20,000 | $118 |
| $7,001 – $8,000 | $46 | $20,001 – $21,000 | $124 |
| $8,001 – $9,000 | $52 | $21,001 – $22,000 | $130 |
| $9,001 – $10,000 | $58 | $22,001 – $23,000 | $136 |
| $10,001 – $11,000 | $64 | $23,001 – $24,000 | $142 |
| $11,001 – $12,000 | $70 | $24,001 – $25,000 | $148 |
| $12,001 – $13,000 | $76 | $25,001 – $26,000 | $154 |
| $13,001 – $14,000 | $82 | $26,001 – $27,000 | $160 |
| $14,001 – $15,000 | $88 | $27,001 – $28,000 | $166 |
| $15,001 – $16,000 | $94 | $28,001 – $29,000 | $172 |
| $16,001 – $17,000 | $100 | $29,001 – $30,000 | $178 |
| $17,001 – $18,000 | $106 | Over $30,000 | $178 + $6 per $1,000 |
Above $30,000, the $178 goes up $6 for each $1,000 or fraction of $1,000, so a $40,500 list price counts as 11 steps: $178 + $66 = $244. Until October 1, 2027, every registration under this schedule also pays a $2.25 regulatory fee and a $5.75 transportation administration fee. That's the $8 in the calculator.
Michigan vehicle registration fees in later years
The second registration is 90% of the first, the third is 90% of the second, and the fourth and every one after that is 90% of the third. Then the tax stops falling. The state rounds each result to a whole dollar: 50 cents or less rounds down, 51 cents or more rounds up.
| List price | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th and later |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $148 | $133 | $120 | $108 |
| $35,000 | $208 | $187 | $168 | $151 |
| $50,000 | $298 | $268 | $241 | $217 |
Add $8 to each figure for the state fees. Buying used doesn't reset the clock. For a car previously registered by someone else, or registered in another state first, you subtract the model year from the registration year: 0 or less is a first registration, 1 is a second, 2 is a third, and 3 or more is the fourth-and-later rate. Vehicles with a permanently installed wheelchair lift or hand controls, registered under section 803d, pay 50% of the tax.
Michigan car registration cost by list price
Here's the yearly cost to register a car in Michigan, and the cost of vehicle registration in Michigan in later years, for a gas car at five list prices: the list-price tax plus the $8 in state fees. The fourth column applies to every year from the fourth registration on, because the tax stops falling after that.
| List price | 1st registration | 2nd | 4th and later |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20,000 | $126 | $114 | $93 |
| $30,000 | $186 | $168 | $138 |
| $40,000 | $246 | $222 | $182 |
| $50,000 | $306 | $276 | $225 |
| $60,000 | $366 | $330 | $269 |
So the cost to register a vehicle in Michigan is closer to a value tax than a flat fee. Michigan auto registration fees for a $60,000 truck are almost three times those for a $20,000 sedan, every year the two are on the road. When you compare the Michigan car registration cost of two cars you're shopping for, use the list prices, not the prices you negotiated.
Electric and plug-in hybrid surcharges
Since 2017, subsection (7) adds to the registration fee of any vehicle with 4 or more tires:
- Electric vehicle: $100 (8,000 lbs empty weight or less), $200 above that
- Plug-in hybrid: $30 (8,000 lbs or less), $100 above that
Subsection (8) raises those amounts whenever Michigan's gasoline tax is above 19 cents a gallon: $5 more for an EV, and $2.50 more for a plug-in hybrid, for each cent above 19. Enter the year's gas tax rate in the calculator to see the full surcharge. Regular hybrids that never plug in don't pay it.
Title transfer fee in Michigan
Transferring a title costs $15 (tick the title box and the calculator above becomes a Michigan title transfer fee calculator), plus $1 to record a loan and $5 for an expedited or instant title. Do it within 15 days of the sale, or there's a $15 late fee. Moving a plate you already own to the new car costs $10 to $15 instead of buying a new plate. Michigan's 6% sales tax is due at the same time. See the Michigan auto sales tax calculator for the $12,000 trade-in cap and the rebate rules.
Worked examples
New SUV with a $35,000 list price
- Over $30,000 by $5,000: $178 + 5 × $6 = $208
- Plus $2.25 + $5.75 = $216 for the first year
A 2023 sedan with a $24,500 list price, bought used and registered in 2026
- 2026 − 2023 = 3, so it pays the fourth-and-later rate
- First-year tax $148 → $133 → $120 → $108
- $108 + $8 = $116, plus the $15 title transfer: $131
Frequently asked questions
Is there a late fee for renewing my Michigan plate late?
Yes, $10 for each registration renewed after the plate expires. A renewal mailed and postmarked before the expiration date isn't charged. The fee is waived if you show storage insurance covering the lapse and ask for the waiver in person at a branch office.
How much do license plates cost in Michigan?
Michigan doesn't sell a standard plate separately, so how much a license plate costs in Michigan depends on the vehicle. The cost of a new plate is your registration tax plus the $8 in state fees, so it ranges from $44 for a car listed at $6,000 or less to several hundred dollars for an expensive new vehicle. Moving a plate you already own to another car costs $10 to $15 instead.
What about cars from 1983 or earlier?
The list-price schedule only covers 1984 and newer model years. Older cars are registered by weight under the other parts of MCL 257.801.
What is the Recreation Passport on my renewal?
An optional state park pass you can add when you register: $15 for a one-year registration, $29 for two years, $7 for a motorcycle.
Sources
- MCL 257.801: Registration taxes on vehicles; schedules
- Michigan Secretary of State: Title transfer and vehicle registration
- Michigan SOS Dealer Manual, Chapter 7: RD-108 title and registration
This calculator gives an estimate. The Michigan Secretary of State calculates the final amount. How we calculate