Sales/use 0% · Town permit 18 mills on MSRP · Title $35.00 · State tags from $42.00 · NH DMV / town clerk
This New Hampshire sales tax calculator is the same page people mean by “if you buy a car in new hampshire do you pay sales tax,” “new hampshire vehicle tax,” and the tax, title, and license calculator. New Hampshire has no state sales or use tax on vehicles (New Hampshire statewide (no sales tax)). On a $38,000 purchase the sales tax is $0.00. What you do pay is a town/city municipal permit based on maker’s list price (MSRP), not the negotiated sale: 18 mills on a current-year $38,000 list is $684.00. Add title $35.00, state registration $48.00 (3,001–5,000 lbs), and first plates $8.00, and the estimated first-year stack is $775.00. Use the calculator on this page; your town or city clerk and NH DMV set the receipt.In this guide
- How much is New Hampshire sales tax, title, and registration?
- If you buy a car in New Hampshire, do you pay sales tax?
- Does New Hampshire have an excise tax on vehicles?
- The town permit: annual value-based fee on MSRP
- Car registration fees by weight
- Title fee: $35 in 2026
- Used cars, private sales, and gifts
- How to calculate tax, title, and registration
- What this page does not estimate
- How to use this calculator
- Two complete buying examples
- Common questions
Estimate your own deal: The New Hampshire tax, title, and license calculator on this page is the same calculator as the figures below. Verify amounts with NH DMV’s vehicle registrations and apply for a title pages, RSA 261:153 (municipal permit), and RSA 261:20 (title fees).
How much is New Hampshire sales tax, title, and registration?
Short answer: New Hampshire car sales tax is 0% — there is no state sales or use tax on vehicles. On $38,000 that tax is $0.00. The large first-year number is usually the municipal permit: $684.00 on a current-year $38,000 MSRP. Title is $35.00. Mid-weight state tags are $48.00. First plates are $8.00. That full stack is $775.00.
Default “tax” figures on this page are sales tax only, which is always $0.00. Town permit, title, and state tags appear when the sentence is about those fees. That keeps a “new hampshire sales tax calculator” quote from mixing $48.00 of state tags into a tax line that is 0%.
| Deal (mid-weight 3,001–5,000 lbs, new plates unless noted) | Sales tax | Town permit | Permit + title + tags + plates |
|---|---|---|---|
| $38,000 MSRP, current model year | $0.00 | $684.00 | $775.00 |
| $30,000 MSRP, current model year | $0.00 | $540.00 | $631.00 |
| $38,000 MSRP, 5+ years older | $0.00 | $114.00 | $205.00 |
| $18,000 sale, $38,000 MSRP (private) | $0.00 | $684.00 | $775.00 |
| $38,000, 0–3,000 lbs | $0.00 | $684.00 | $769.00 |
| $38,000, 5,001–8,000 lbs | $0.00 | $684.00 | $793.00 |
| Surviving spouse (title waived) | $0.00 | $684.00 | $740.00 |
Example 1 — Sales tax only on a $38,000 car
Statewide rate: 0% Sales/use tax: $0.00
That is the New Hampshire car sales tax people mean. It is not a local overlay and not a hidden 5%.
Example 2 — Same car with town permit, title, tags, and plates
Sales tax: $0.00 Municipal permit: $684.00 Title: $35.00 State registration: $48.00 Plates: $8.00 Estimated total: $775.00
Registration is two parts: the town or city clerk collects the municipal permit; NH DMV collects the state weight fee and plates.
If you buy a car in New Hampshire, do you pay sales tax?
No. New Hampshire has no general sales tax and no motor-vehicle use tax at title. Searches like “does new hampshire have sales tax on cars,” “new hampshire no sales tax motor vehicle purchase official,” and “new hampshire vehicle sales tax rate 2026” all resolve to the same official figure: 0%. On $30,000 or $38,000 the sales-tax line is still $0.00.
A trade-in does not “save sales tax,” because there is none to save. A gift does not need a sales-tax exemption form for a wipe — sales tax is already $0.00. You still title and register.
New Hampshire is one of the five U.S. states with no general sales tax (alongside Alaska, Delaware, Montana, and Oregon). This page prices New Hampshire title, town permit, and state tags only. It does not quote the other four states’ registration charts.
Example 1 — $38,000 dealer purchase
Sales tax: $0.00
The dealer may still collect documentation fees. Those are not sales tax. Enter them separately if they appear on the buyer’s order.
Example 2 — Same price as a private-party sale
Sales tax: $0.00
Buying from a neighbor does not create a New Hampshire sales tax. The town permit still uses the maker’s list price, not the handshake number.
Do not add a 5% or 6% “car tax” on a New Hampshire title. If you are titling here, sales/use tax is 0%. If you live in a sales-tax state and shop in New Hampshire, that state may still want use tax when you title at home — ask that state’s DMV. This calculator is for New Hampshire titling.
Official sources: New Hampshire has no general sales tax. NH DMV vehicle registrations describes the two-part permit and state fee — not a sales-tax line.
Does New Hampshire have an excise tax on vehicles?
No statewide vehicle excise tax like Maine’s annual excise. The search “does new hampshire have excise tax on vehicles” is the question this page exists to answer. New Hampshire does not collect a separate state excise at the DMV window.
What New Hampshire does collect every year is a municipal registration permit based on the vehicle’s maker’s list price and age (RSA 261:153). That is the annual, value-based charge people sometimes call “excise,” “car tax,” or “vehicle tax.” It is paid to the town or city clerk, then you complete state registration with NH DMV.
Example 1 — Current-year $38,000 list (not an excise percent)
Mills: 18 mills Town permit: $684.00 State sales/excise tax: $0.00
Example 2 — Same list price, 5 or more years older
Mills: 3 mills Town permit: $114.00 Drop vs current year: $570.00
The mill schedule is why an older car’s “tax” feels smaller even though sales tax stays 0%.
The town permit: annual value-based fee on MSRP
“Does new hampshire have annual value-based vehicle tax?” Yes — this is it. The municipal permit uses the maker’s list price rounded to the nearest $100, times an age mill rate, rounded to the nearest dollar, with a minimum of $5.00. It is not the negotiated sale price and not a classic-car appraisal.
| Model-year age | Mills | Permit on $38,000 MSRP |
|---|---|---|
| Current model year | 18 mills | $684.00 |
| 1 year older | 15 mills | $570.00 |
| 2 years older | 12 mills | $456.00 |
| 3 years older | 9 mills | $342.00 |
| 4 years older | 6 mills | $228.00 |
| 5 or more years older | 3 mills | $114.00 |
Eighteen mills means $18 per $1,000 of list price. A current-year $38,000 MSRP is $38,000.00 × 0.018, rounded to $684.00. A $30,000 current-year list is $540.00.
Use MSRP, not the sale price. An $18,000 private purchase of a car whose maker’s list is still $38,000 pays the $684.00 permit, not 18 mills on $18,000. The clerk looks up list price, not the bill of sale.
Example 1 — Current year vs five-plus years, same $38,000 list
Current (18 mills): $684.00 5+ years (3 mills): $114.00
Example 2 — Floor of $5.00
Very low list × 3 mills can compute under $5. This page’s minimum permit: $5.00
Towns still collect at least $5.00 for the municipal permit.
Official source: RSA 261:153 — mill schedule, list price, rounding, and $5.00 minimum.
Car registration fees by weight
This is the cluster behind “new hampshire vehicle registration fee calculator,” “how much to register a car in new hampshire,” and “new hampshire car registration cost.” State passenger fees (effective January 1, 2026) are by gross vehicle weight, not by sale price.
| State registration item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Passenger 0–3,000 lbs | $42.00 |
| Passenger 3,001–5,000 lbs | $48.00 |
| Passenger 5,001–8,000 lbs | $66.00 |
| Motorcycle (state) | $30.00 |
| First plate fee | $8.00 |
| Duplicate registration | $20.00 |
Most family cars sit in the 3,001–5,000 lb band at $48.00. A lighter car is $42.00. A heavy passenger vehicle or large SUV in the next band is $66.00. First-time plates add $8.00. Town or city agent convenience fees vary by clerk — this page leaves them at $0 unless you enter them.
Example 1 — Mid-weight $38,000 current-year first registration
Town permit: $684.00 State tags: $48.00 Plates: $8.00 Title: $35.00 Estimated total: $775.00
Example 2 — Same list, light vs heavy state tags
0–3,000 lbs total: $769.00 5,001–8,000 lbs total: $793.00
The town permit did not change. Only the state weight line moved between $42.00 and $66.00.
Registration is not “a cheap flat $30.” The state weight fee can look small. The municipal permit on a new $38,000 list is $684.00. Quote both, or you understate what the clerk collects.
Official sources: NH DMV vehicle registrations (two-part process; $8.00 plate fee); RSA 261:141 as republished in town clerk 2026 fee notices (weight bands).
Title fee: $35 in 2026
The New Hampshire title, transfer, or duplicate fee is $35.00 as of January 1, 2026 (it was $25 before that date). The statute prices the title the same with or without a lienholder — there is no second statewide lien stamp on top of $35.00.
If the title application is late (not delivered within 20 days), the penalty equals the title fee: another $35.00. A $38,000 current-year mid-weight deal that is on time totals $775.00; the same deal marked late totals $810.00.
Example 1 — Ordinary title
Title: $35.00 On-time stack: $775.00
Example 2 — Surviving spouse vs veteran waiver
Surviving spouse title: $0.00 Veteran waiver title: $0.00 Surviving-spouse stack: $740.00
The surviving-spouse $0 title applies when the first title is in the spouse’s name alone within 13 months. The veteran waiver is for a service-connected amputee or legally blind veteran under the statute — not every veteran. Town permit and state tags still apply.
Official sources: RSA 261:20 — title $35.00; late penalty equal to the fee; surviving-spouse and veteran waivers. NH DMV apply for a title.
Used cars, private sales, and gifts
Used vs new does not change the sales-tax line. Both are $0.00. Age changes the municipal mills. Channel (dealer vs private) does not change the permit base — MSRP does.
Example 1 — $18,000 private sale of a current-year $38,000-list car
Sales tax: $0.00 Town permit (MSRP $38,000): $684.00 Full stack: $775.00
Paying $18,000 does not cut the permit to 18 mills on $18,000.
Example 2 — Gift of the same $38,000-list current-year car
Sales tax: $0.00 Town permit: $684.00 Full stack: $775.00
A gift still needs a title ($35.00) and registration. Inheritance follows the same $0 sales tax; a surviving spouse who titles in their name alone within 13 months can drop the title line to $0.00.
How to calculate tax, title, and registration
- Sales tax is 0%. Write $0.00.
- Look up maker’s list price (MSRP), round to the nearest $100.
- Pick the mill rate from the vehicle’s age: 18 mills down to 3 mills.
- Municipal permit = list × mills, nearest dollar, at least $5.00.
- Add title $35.00 (or $0 on a qualifying surviving-spouse / veteran waiver).
- Add state registration by weight ($42.00 / $48.00 / $66.00) and $8.00 if you need new plates.
- Add any town agent fee the clerk actually charges.
Walkthrough 1 — New $38,000 list, mid-weight, current year
Sales tax: $0.00 MSRP: $38,000.00 × 18 mills = permit $684.00 + title $35.00 + tags $48.00 + plates $8.00 = $775.00
Walkthrough 2 — Same list, five-plus years old
Permit: $114.00 Full stack: $205.00
If you finance, this calculator’s APR illustration is 7.14% (Federal Reserve G.19 60-month new-car bank average). Rolling fees into the loan does not create a sales tax. Cash down does not change the municipal permit, because the permit is list price, not cash price.
What this page does not estimate
This calculator is for on-highway cars and light trucks titled and registered in New Hampshire. For anything else, ask the office that bills it:
- Classic-car appraisals — the town permit uses maker’s list price and the mill schedule, not a collector valuation. Ask the clerk how they look up list price on an older VIN.
- Real-estate transfer tax — a house closing cost; not a car title. Ask the Department of Revenue Administration.
- Income, business, or “state tax” withholding — this page is vehicles, not your NH-1040.
- Alaska, Delaware, Montana, or Oregon fees — those states also have no general sales tax; their plate formulas are not New Hampshire’s mill schedule.
- Boats — NH DMV boats pages; not the passenger mill table above.
- Town agent extras, vanity plates, and dealer doc caps — no statewide dollar is published for a doc-fee cap; enter what the invoice or clerk charges.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the purchase price (for your records) and the MSRP / list price the clerk will use.
- Set model-year age so the mill rate matches: current through 5+ years.
- Set weight so state tags match the door-sticker GVWR band.
- Turn on new plates if this is the first New Hampshire plate pair.
- Choose surviving spouse or veteran waiver only when those statute facts are true.
- Read sales tax first (0%), then the town permit, then title and state tags. The clerk’s lookup of list price wins.
Two complete buying examples
Complete example A — New $38,000 list, current year, mid-weight
Sales tax: $0.00 Town permit (18 mills): $684.00 Title: $35.00 State registration: $48.00 Plates: $8.00 Estimated first-year total: $775.00
If the same list is five or more years old, the permit falls to $114.00 and the stack is $205.00.
Complete example B — $18,000 private sale, $38,000 list, current year
Sale price $18,000 — sales tax still $0.00 Permit on $38,000 list: $684.00 Estimated total: $775.00
A gift of that car is the same permit and the same $35.00 title: $775.00.
Common questions
Does New Hampshire have sales tax on cars in 2026?
No. The rate is 0%. On any price the sales-tax line is $0.00.
Does New Hampshire have an excise tax on vehicles?
No statewide excise. The annual value-based charge is the municipal permit: $684.00 on a current-year $38,000 list.
How much is New Hampshire car registration?
State tags $42.00–$66.00 by weight, plus plates $8.00 if needed, plus the town permit. A typical current-year $38,000 mid-weight first registration with title is $775.00.
How much is the title fee?
$35.00 as of January 1, 2026, with or without a lien. Do not use the old $25 figure.
Does a trade-in reduce New Hampshire car tax?
There is no sales tax to reduce. The municipal permit uses MSRP, so a trade-in on the purchase price does not change $684.00.
Is the municipal permit based on what I paid?
No. Maker’s list price. A cheap private sale of a high-list car still pays $684.00 if the list is $38,000.
How do I calculate New Hampshire state tax?
If you mean a car: sales tax is 0%; add the town mill permit and DMV fees on this page. If you mean income or business tax, that is a different Department of Revenue Administration form — not this calculator.
What APR does this calculator use if I finance?
7.14% — Federal Reserve G.19 60-month new-car bank average. Your contract rate will differ. The title stays $35.00 with a lienholder named.
Before you sign
- Sales tax is 0%, not a 5% “car tax.”
- There is no statewide vehicle excise; budget the town permit on list price.
- Use $35.00, not $25, in 2026.
- Match weight before quoting $48.00.
- Match model-year age before quoting 18 mills.
- Your town or city clerk and NH DMV set the amount you pay.
Complete reference list
- NH DMV Vehicle registrations — two-part registration; plate fee $8.00
- NH DMV Apply for a title — title process; $35.00
- RSA 261:153 — municipal permit mills 18 mills / 15 mills / 12 mills / 9 mills / 6 mills / 3 mills; minimum $5.00
- RSA 261:20 — title $35.00 effective 2026-01-01; late penalty; surviving-spouse and veteran waivers
- Town of Exeter DMV fee increases — 2026 state weight bands $42.00 / $48.00 / $66.00
- Federal Reserve G.19 (7.14%)
Figures on this page are estimates that follow New Hampshire DMV and RSA amounts used by this calculator: sales/use tax 0% ($0.00 on a $38,000 purchase), municipal permit $684.00 on a current-year $38,000 list, title $35.00, and state tags from $48.00. Your town or city clerk and NH DMV set the amount you pay.