Idaho’s sales-tax story on a car is mostly statewide. What changes county by county is the title fee: a statutory title charge plus county-set title administration. Ada County is not Boundary County. This guide compares those live dollar fees, names the counties, and leaves registration administration as a sibling column in the appendix. Right now the highest total title fee is 32.75% in Blaine County, and the lowest is 14% in Bannock County / Boise County / Camas County / Caribou County / Clark County / Power County. Ada County is 21%; Canyon County is 21%. If you live in Ada County rather than Canyon County, the gap is $0.00 ($0.00 on the local fee). This guide compares 44 localities across 44 counties. Rates are sourced from the Idaho Transportation Department and county assessors and update in real time so a levy change cannot leave a stale percentage in the prose.
Why the locality on the title changes the bill
You title where you live. A cheaper neighboring county’s title office does not apply if your address is in Ada. The live number in this essay is the official total title fee — statutory title plus county title admin — because that is the line clerks quote as “title.”
Ada County sits at 21% while Kootenai County sits at 24%. If you live in Ada County instead of Kootenai County, that is $3.00. People move this gap around without meaning to: a dealer in a cheaper jurisdiction does not rewrite the sourcing rules. The live comparisons below use the same total title fee field the calculator uses.
- Idaho Transportation Department — title and registration fees
- Idaho Code Title 49 — motor vehicles; title fees
- Idaho Code Title 63 — sales tax on vehicles (statewide, not this county official rates)
- County assessor motor-vehicle offices (Ada, Canyon, Kootenai, Bonneville, Twin Falls, and others)
How this state taxes (or fees) a vehicle
Idaho Code Title 49 sets a statewide statutory title fee. Counties may add an administration fee for processing titles. Registration has its own county administration fee in the official tables (a separate field). Idaho also charges sales tax on vehicle purchases at the statewide rate under Title 63; that sales tax is not this county title-fee table. ITD and county assessors/clerks collect the title piece when you apply.
Apply for title at the county assessor or one-stop ITD location. Bring proof of insurance, ID, and the signed title. Out-of-state titles are a transfer, not a reason to shop a different county’s admin fee.
Highest and lowest rates right now
Among localities currently loaded for Idaho, the maximum total title fee is 32.75% (Blaine County) and the minimum is 14% (Bannock County / Boise County / Camas County / Caribou County / Clark County / Power County). Those names are live. If a district overtakes the leader next quarter, the sentence updates automatically. On a $40,000 transaction, the high row is $32.75 and the low row is $14.00.
Treat a raw maximum with care when official tables include special districts, CID parcels, or vehicle types other than a passenger car. The regional sections below prefer ordinary cities and counties you would actually put on a title. The appendix remains the complete searchable list.
Treasure Valley
This cluster is where many readers actually live. Ada County is 21% in the current official rates. The comparisons that follow keep names in the sentence and live amounts in the same sentence.
If you register or title in Ada County rather than Canyon County, the total title fee is 21% versus 21%. The gap is $0.00. The purchase price does not change that local fee.
The same passenger vehicle costs $25.50 in local fees in Gem County and $21.00 in Payette County. That is a flat $4.50 — it does not grow when you step from a beater to a new truck.
From one end of this cluster to the other — Ada County versus Elmore County — the total title fee runs 21% against 21%, a gap of $0.00 ($0.00).
Named in this section: Ada County, Canyon County, Elmore County, Gem County, Payette County. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: Ada County versus Canyon County
Scenario: Two residents register or title the same passenger vehicle, one in Ada County and one in Canyon County.
Canyon County total title fee: $21.00
Gap: $0.00
Raising the purchase price does not change these flat fees. Sales tax, if any, is a different statute.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: A $4,000 beater and a $40,000 truck in Ada County pay the same local fee: $21.00.
Truck in Ada County: $21.00
Same truck in Canyon County: $21.00
If you live in the high-fee locality, you feel it every title or every registration cycle, not as a percent of MSRP.
Eastern Idaho
This cluster is where many readers actually live. Bonneville County is 20% in the current official rates. The comparisons that follow keep names in the sentence and live amounts in the same sentence.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Bonneville County is 20% and Madison County is 20%. Living in Bonneville County instead of Madison County changes the local fee by $0.00.
Jefferson County charges 21% for the total title fee; Bannock County charges 14%. If you live in Jefferson County, you pay $7.00 more (or less) than in Bannock County on that local fee alone.
From one end of this cluster to the other — Bonneville County versus Bingham County — the total title fee runs 20% against 20%, a gap of $0.00 ($0.00).
Named in this section: Bannock County, Bingham County, Bonneville County, Jefferson County, Madison County. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: Bonneville County versus Madison County
Scenario: Two residents register or title the same passenger vehicle, one in Bonneville County and one in Madison County.
Madison County total title fee: $20.00
Gap: $0.00
Raising the purchase price does not change these flat fees. Sales tax, if any, is a different statute.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: A $4,000 beater and a $40,000 truck in Bonneville County pay the same local fee: $20.00.
Truck in Bonneville County: $20.00
Same truck in Madison County: $20.00
If you live in the high-fee locality, you feel it every title or every registration cycle, not as a percent of MSRP.
North Idaho
This cluster is where many readers actually live. Kootenai County is 24% in the current official rates. The comparisons that follow keep names in the sentence and live amounts in the same sentence.
The same passenger vehicle costs $24.00 in local fees in Kootenai County and $24.00 in Bonner County. That is a flat $0.00 — it does not grow when you step from a beater to a new truck.
If you register or title in Nez Perce County rather than Latah County, the total title fee is 25% versus 21%. The gap is $4.00. The purchase price does not change that local fee.
From one end of this cluster to the other — Kootenai County versus Latah County — the total title fee runs 24% against 21%, a gap of $3.00 ($3.00).
Named in this section: Bonner County, Kootenai County, Latah County, Nez Perce County. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: Kootenai County versus Bonner County
Scenario: Two residents register or title the same passenger vehicle, one in Kootenai County and one in Bonner County.
Bonner County total title fee: $24.00
Gap: $0.00
Raising the purchase price does not change these flat fees. Sales tax, if any, is a different statute.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: A $4,000 beater and a $40,000 truck in Kootenai County pay the same local fee: $24.00.
Truck in Kootenai County: $24.00
Same truck in Bonner County: $24.00
If you live in the high-fee locality, you feel it every title or every registration cycle, not as a percent of MSRP.
Magic Valley and the south-central counties
This cluster is where many readers actually live. Twin Falls County is 16% in the current official rates. The comparisons that follow keep names in the sentence and live amounts in the same sentence.
Twin Falls County charges 16% for the total title fee; Cassia County charges 20%. If you live in Twin Falls County, you pay $4.00 more (or less) than in Cassia County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Minidoka County is 20% and Blaine County is 32.75%. Living in Minidoka County instead of Blaine County changes the local fee by $12.75.
From one end of this cluster to the other — Twin Falls County versus Blaine County — the total title fee runs 16% against 32.75%, a gap of $16.75 ($16.75).
Named in this section: Blaine County, Cassia County, Minidoka County, Twin Falls County. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: Twin Falls County versus Cassia County
Scenario: Two residents register or title the same passenger vehicle, one in Twin Falls County and one in Cassia County.
Cassia County total title fee: $20.00
Gap: $4.00
Raising the purchase price does not change these flat fees. Sales tax, if any, is a different statute.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: A $4,000 beater and a $40,000 truck in Twin Falls County pay the same local fee: $16.00.
Truck in Twin Falls County: $16.00
Same truck in Cassia County: $20.00
If you live in the high-fee locality, you feel it every title or every registration cycle, not as a percent of MSRP.
Counties and localities covered here
Current official data covers 44 distinct county/parish labels and 44 total rows. Names, as printed:
Ada County, Adams County, Bannock County, Bear Lake County, Benewah County, Bingham County, Blaine County, Boise County, Bonner County, Bonneville County, Boundary County, Butte County, Camas County, Canyon County, Caribou County, Cassia County, Clark County, Clearwater County, Custer County, Elmore County, Franklin County, Fremont County, Gem County, Gooding County, Idaho County, Jefferson County, Jerome County, Kootenai County, Latah County, Lemhi County, Lewis County, Lincoln County, Madison County, Minidoka County, Nez Perce County, Oneida County, Owyhee County, Payette County, Power County, Shoshone County, Teton County, Twin Falls County, Valley County, Washington County.
If a name is long, truncated, or includes a district tag, that is how the official locality is labeled. Look it up in the appendix rather than shortening the official name.
More named comparisons
The regional sections cannot quote every locality. These additional pairs still use live rates and real place names, so you can see how neighbors diverge without scrolling the appendix yet.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Ada County is 21% and Canyon County is 21%. Living in Ada County instead of Canyon County changes the local fee by $0.00.
Kootenai County charges 24% for the total title fee; Bonneville County charges 20%. If you live in Kootenai County, you pay $4.00 more (or less) than in Bonneville County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Twin Falls County is 16% and Bannock County is 14%. Living in Twin Falls County instead of Bannock County changes the local fee by $2.00.
Bonner County charges 24% for the total title fee; Madison County charges 20%. If you live in Bonner County, you pay $4.00 more (or less) than in Madison County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Nez Perce County is 25% and Latah County is 21%. Living in Nez Perce County instead of Latah County changes the local fee by $4.00.
Blaine County charges 32.75% for the total title fee; Jefferson County charges 21%. If you live in Blaine County, you pay $11.75 more (or less) than in Jefferson County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Cassia County is 20% and Minidoka County is 20%. Living in Cassia County instead of Minidoka County changes the local fee by $0.00.
Payette County charges 21% for the total title fee; Gem County charges 25.5%. If you live in Payette County, you pay $4.50 more (or less) than in Gem County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Elmore County is 21% and Bingham County is 20%. Living in Elmore County instead of Bingham County changes the local fee by $1.00.
Adams County charges 20% for the total title fee; Bear Lake County charges 20%. If you live in Adams County, you pay $0.00 more (or less) than in Bear Lake County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Benewah County is 21% and Boise County is 14%. Living in Benewah County instead of Boise County changes the local fee by $7.00.
Boundary County charges 20% for the total title fee; Butte County charges 17%. If you live in Boundary County, you pay $3.00 more (or less) than in Butte County on that local fee alone.
A longer tour of named places
One more pass across named places, still in comparison sentences, still live:
Ada County charges 21% for the total title fee; Adams County charges 20%. If you live in Ada County, you pay $1.00 more (or less) than in Adams County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Bannock County is 14% and Bear Lake County is 20%. Living in Bannock County instead of Bear Lake County changes the local fee by $6.00.
Benewah County charges 21% for the total title fee; Bingham County charges 20%. If you live in Benewah County, you pay $1.00 more (or less) than in Bingham County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Blaine County is 32.75% and Boise County is 14%. Living in Blaine County instead of Boise County changes the local fee by $18.75.
Bonner County charges 24% for the total title fee; Bonneville County charges 20%. If you live in Bonner County, you pay $4.00 more (or less) than in Bonneville County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Boundary County is 20% and Butte County is 17%. Living in Boundary County instead of Butte County changes the local fee by $3.00.
Camas County charges 14% for the total title fee; Canyon County charges 21%. If you live in Camas County, you pay $7.00 more (or less) than in Canyon County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Caribou County is 14% and Cassia County is 20%. Living in Caribou County instead of Cassia County changes the local fee by $6.00.
Clark County charges 14% for the total title fee; Clearwater County charges 19.5%. If you live in Clark County, you pay $5.50 more (or less) than in Clearwater County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Custer County is 20% and Elmore County is 21%. Living in Custer County instead of Elmore County changes the local fee by $1.00.
Franklin County charges 20% for the total title fee; Fremont County charges 21%. If you live in Franklin County, you pay $1.00 more (or less) than in Fremont County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Gem County is 25.5% and Gooding County is 25%. Living in Gem County instead of Gooding County changes the local fee by $0.50.
Idaho County charges 19% for the total title fee; Jefferson County charges 21%. If you live in Idaho County, you pay $2.00 more (or less) than in Jefferson County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Jerome County is 18% and Kootenai County is 24%. Living in Jerome County instead of Kootenai County changes the local fee by $6.00.
Latah County charges 21% for the total title fee; Lemhi County charges 20%. If you live in Latah County, you pay $1.00 more (or less) than in Lemhi County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Lewis County is 19% and Lincoln County is 24%. Living in Lewis County instead of Lincoln County changes the local fee by $5.00.
Madison County charges 20% for the total title fee; Minidoka County charges 20%. If you live in Madison County, you pay $0.00 more (or less) than in Minidoka County on that local fee alone.
Shop the clerk, not the lot: Nez Perce County is 25% and Oneida County is 20%. Living in Nez Perce County instead of Oneida County changes the local fee by $5.00.
Further comparisons (set 2)
Same places, different pairings, still using live rates:
If you register or title in Adams County rather than Bannock County, the total title fee is 20% versus 14%. The gap is $6.00. The purchase price does not change that local fee.
The same passenger vehicle costs $20.00 in local fees in Bear Lake County and $21.00 in Benewah County. That is a flat $1.00 — it does not grow when you step from a beater to a new truck.
If you register or title in Bingham County rather than Blaine County, the total title fee is 20% versus 32.75%. The gap is $12.75. The purchase price does not change that local fee.
The same passenger vehicle costs $14.00 in local fees in Boise County and $24.00 in Bonner County. That is a flat $10.00 — it does not grow when you step from a beater to a new truck.
If you register or title in Bonneville County rather than Boundary County, the total title fee is 20% versus 20%. The gap is $0.00. The purchase price does not change that local fee.
The same passenger vehicle costs $17.00 in local fees in Butte County and $14.00 in Camas County. That is a flat $3.00 — it does not grow when you step from a beater to a new truck.
If you register or title in Canyon County rather than Caribou County, the total title fee is 21% versus 14%. The gap is $7.00. The purchase price does not change that local fee.
The same passenger vehicle costs $20.00 in local fees in Cassia County and $14.00 in Clark County. That is a flat $6.00 — it does not grow when you step from a beater to a new truck.
If you register or title in Clearwater County rather than Custer County, the total title fee is 19.5% versus 20%. The gap is $0.50. The purchase price does not change that local fee.
The same passenger vehicle costs $21.00 in local fees in Elmore County and $20.00 in Franklin County. That is a flat $1.00 — it does not grow when you step from a beater to a new truck.
If you register or title in Fremont County rather than Gem County, the total title fee is 21% versus 25.5%. The gap is $4.50. The purchase price does not change that local fee.
The same passenger vehicle costs $25.00 in local fees in Gooding County and $19.00 in Idaho County. That is a flat $6.00 — it does not grow when you step from a beater to a new truck.
Two complete examples
These two walk-throughs use the same live rate as the regional boxes. They are not a substitute for a clerk’s calculator, but they show the arithmetic behind the live dollar figures.
Complete example A: title/register in Ada County
Scenario: A family keeps a passenger vehicle in Ada County.
Compared with Canyon County: $21.00
Gap: $0.00
Add statewide sales tax and plate fees from the statutes cited below; they are separate from this local fee.
Complete example B: the same vehicle in Canyon County
Scenario: Identical vehicle, different locality.
Ada County: $21.00
If you live in Ada County, you are not entitled to Canyon County’s fee.
What these rates do not include
Idaho sales tax on the vehicle, registration (plates), and any county registration admin fee are not the title fees compared below. The appendix table may still show related fee columns when official data includes them.
- Idaho Transportation Department — title and registration fees
- Idaho Code Title 49 — motor vehicles; title fees
- Idaho Code Title 63 — sales tax on vehicles (statewide, not this county official rates)
- County assessor motor-vehicle offices (Ada, Canyon, Kootenai, Bonneville, Twin Falls, and others)
Common questions
Can I title in a cheaper county if I work there? Idaho titles to the owner’s residence county. Work ZIP is not a shopping cart.
Why do some counties show the same total? The statutory title piece is statewide; only the county admin varies. When admins match, totals match.
Can I trust a screenshot of this article in six months? Trust the live rates on this page, not a PDF. Highest and lowest names update when official rates change.
What if a rate shows as unavailable? The locality name may not match official spelling. Search the appendix and use the official city or county label.
Does a dealer in the cheap locality save me money? Almost never, if sourcing follows residence or first use. Ada County still pays 21% when that is where the vehicle belongs.
How these rates stay current
Every rate and dollar amount in this article is pulled live from current official data used by the Idaho Transportation Department and county assessors. When an official levy changes, the figures on this page update in real time. Highest and lowest locality names also update automatically.
This is an educational estimator, not a clerk’s receipt. Effective dates, exemptions, trade-in rules, and assessment fractions can be more precise than a single combined rate. When you title, the state’s collecting office is the authority.
Appendix: searchable rate table
Use this as a search box, not as a substitute for the comparisons above. Filter by city, county, or location name.
| County | Total title fee |
|---|---|
| Ada County | $21.00 |
| Adams County | $20.00 |
| Bannock County | $14.00 |
| Bear Lake County | $20.00 |
| Benewah County | $21.00 |
| Bingham County | $20.00 |
| Blaine County | $32.75 |
| Boise County | $14.00 |
| Bonner County | $24.00 |
| Bonneville County | $20.00 |
| Boundary County | $20.00 |
| Butte County | $17.00 |
| Camas County | $14.00 |
| Canyon County | $21.00 |
| Caribou County | $14.00 |
| Cassia County | $20.00 |
| Clark County | $14.00 |
| Clearwater County | $19.50 |
| Custer County | $20.00 |
| Elmore County | $21.00 |
| Franklin County | $20.00 |
| Fremont County | $21.00 |
| Gem County | $25.50 |
| Gooding County | $25.00 |
| Idaho County | $19.00 |
| Jefferson County | $21.00 |
| Jerome County | $18.00 |
| Kootenai County | $24.00 |
| Latah County | $21.00 |
| Lemhi County | $20.00 |
| Lewis County | $19.00 |
| Lincoln County | $24.00 |
| Madison County | $20.00 |
| Minidoka County | $20.00 |
| Nez Perce County | $25.00 |
| Oneida County | $20.00 |
| Owyhee County | $24.00 |
| Payette County | $21.00 |
| Power County | $14.00 |
| Shoshone County | $24.00 |
| Teton County | $19.00 |
| Twin Falls County | $16.00 |
| Valley County | $29.00 |
| Washington County | $20.00 |
Conclusion
Idaho does not have one vehicle-tax number. Ada County is 21%; Canyon County is 21%; the live high is 32.75% and the live low is 14%. If you live in the high place, you feel it as a flat local fee (the purchase price does not change that fee line); if you live in the low place, you still owe whatever statewide tax or fee the statutes below impose. Walk the region that matches your address, then confirm the live row in the appendix before you sign.
- Complete reference list
- Idaho Transportation Department — title and registration fees
- Idaho Code Title 49 — motor vehicles; title fees
- Idaho Code Title 63 — sales tax on vehicles (statewide, not this county official rates)
- County assessor motor-vehicle offices (Ada, Canyon, Kootenai, Bonneville, Twin Falls, and others)
This guide is an educational estimator. It is not legal, tax, or DMV advice. Figures shown inline are sourced from the Idaho Transportation Department and county assessors and related official rate data, update in real time, and can change when a locality’s levy changes. Confirm amounts with the collecting agency cited above before you pay.