New York’s statewide sales tax is 4 percent. Counties and cities add local tax, and the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District adds another piece in the downstate region. New York City is not Erie County. Yonkers and some cities have their own rows. This guide compares live combined rates and names the localities on the official rate data. Right now the highest combined sales-tax rate is 9.125% in Suffolk, and the lowest is 7% in Saratoga / Saratoga Springs City, Saratoga / Warren / Glens Falls City, Warren / Washington. New York City is 8.875%; Nassau is 9%. If you live in New York City rather than Nassau, the gap is 0.125%, or $40.00 on a $32,000 taxable purchase. This guide compares 76 localities. Rates are sourced from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and DMV 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
DMV collects the tax based on where the vehicle will be principally used / registered. A Buffalo buyer does not pay the NYC combined rate because the dealer is in Manhattan. MCTD is why Nassau is not the same math as a North Country county.
New York City sits at 8.875% while Suffolk sits at 9.125%. If you live in New York City instead of Suffolk, that is 0.25% — $80.00 on a $32,000 taxable purchase. 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 combined state, local, and MCTD tax field the calculator uses.
- NYS Department of Taxation and Finance — Publication 718-A (sales tax rates on motor fuel, etc. / locality rates) and motor-vehicle sales tax guidance
- N.Y. Tax Law Article 28 — 4 percent state sales tax
- N.Y. Tax Law § 1109 — MCTD tax
- NYS DMV — registration and tax collection on vehicle transfers
How this state taxes (or fees) a vehicle
N.Y. Tax Law Article 28 imposes a 4 percent state sales tax. Localities add under Article 29. Tax Law § 1109 imposes the MCTD rate in New York City and the suburban MCTD counties. Motor vehicles are generally taxed at DMV. This article’s live figures use combined (state + local + MCTD as applicable). Publication 718-A is the official chart this guide mirrors.
Pay at DMV or a dealer who issues plates. Form DTF-802 / use-tax affidavits apply on some casual sales. Out-of-state credit follows Tax Department rules.
Highest and lowest rates right now
Among localities currently loaded for New York, the maximum combined sales-tax rate is 9.125% (Suffolk) and the minimum is 7% (Saratoga / Saratoga Springs City, Saratoga / Warren / Glens Falls City, Warren / Washington). Those names are live. If a district overtakes the leader next quarter, the sentence updates automatically. On a $50,000 taxable price, the high row is $4,562.50 and the low row is $3,500.00.
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.
New York City and the downstate MCTD core
This cluster is where many readers actually live. New York City is 8.875% in the current official rates. The comparisons that follow keep names in the sentence and live amounts in the same sentence.
If you live in New York City rather than Nassau, the combined sales-tax rate is 8.875% versus 9% — a gap of 0.125%. On a $32,000 taxable price that is $40.00.
A household deciding between Suffolk and Westchester is not deciding between identical local bills. Suffolk is 9.125%; Westchester is 8.75%. On $32,000 that is $2,920.00 versus $2,800.00, a cash gap of $120.00.
If you live in Rockland rather than Putnam, the combined sales-tax rate is 8.75% versus 8.75% — a gap of 0%. On a $32,000 taxable price that is $0.00.
From one end of this cluster to the other — New York City versus Putnam — the combined sales-tax rate runs 8.875% against 8.75%, a gap of 0.125% or $62.50 on $50,000.
Named in this section: Nassau, New York City, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Westchester. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: New York City versus Nassau
Scenario: Two buyers each pay $32,000 for the same used SUV. One titles in New York City (8.875%); the other titles in Nassau (9%).
New York City combined sales-tax rate (8.875%): $2,840.00
Nassau combined sales-tax rate (9%): $2,880.00
Gap if you live in New York City rather than Nassau: $40.00
The statewide pieces discussed above do not create this gap. The local combined state, local, and MCTD tax does.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: Same two places, but the car is only $4,500. Local tax still applies to the taxable price (there is no Florida-style $5,000 surtax cap in New York unless a separate statute says otherwise).
$4,500 in Nassau: $405.00
$50,000 in New York City: $4,437.50
$50,000 in Nassau: $4,500.00
Watch how the dollar gap grows with price when the levy is a percentage, and how it does not when a neighboring state uses a flat fee instead.
Hudson Valley
This cluster is where many readers actually live. Dutchess is 8.5% in the current official rates. The comparisons that follow keep names in the sentence and live amounts in the same sentence.
Cross from Orange into Dutchess and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8.5% to 8.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Ulster is currently 8%; Albany is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Ulster, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Albany.
Cross from Schenectady into Saratoga and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 7%. That 1% swing is $320.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
From one end of this cluster to the other — Dutchess versus Rensselaer — the combined sales-tax rate runs 8.5% against 8%, a gap of 0.5% or $250.00 on $50,000.
Named in this section: Albany, Dutchess, Orange, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Ulster. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: Dutchess versus Orange
Scenario: Two buyers each pay $32,000 for the same used SUV. One titles in Dutchess (8.5%); the other titles in Orange (8.5%).
Dutchess combined sales-tax rate (8.5%): $2,720.00
Orange combined sales-tax rate (8.5%): $2,720.00
Gap if you live in Dutchess rather than Orange: $0.00
The statewide pieces discussed above do not create this gap. The local combined state, local, and MCTD tax does.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: Same two places, but the car is only $4,500. Local tax still applies to the taxable price (there is no Florida-style $5,000 surtax cap in New York unless a separate statute says otherwise).
$4,500 in Orange: $382.50
$50,000 in Dutchess: $4,250.00
$50,000 in Orange: $4,250.00
Watch how the dollar gap grows with price when the levy is a percentage, and how it does not when a neighboring state uses a flat fee instead.
Western New York
This cluster is where many readers actually live. Erie is 8.75% in the current official rates. The comparisons that follow keep names in the sentence and live amounts in the same sentence.
A household deciding between Erie and Niagara is not deciding between identical local bills. Erie is 8.75%; Niagara is 8%. On $32,000 that is $2,800.00 versus $2,560.00, a cash gap of $240.00.
From one end of this cluster to the other — Erie versus Monroe — the combined sales-tax rate runs 8.75% against 8%, a gap of 0.75% or $375.00 on $50,000.
Named in this section: Erie, Monroe, Niagara. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: Erie versus Niagara
Scenario: Two buyers each pay $32,000 for the same used SUV. One titles in Erie (8.75%); the other titles in Niagara (8%).
Erie combined sales-tax rate (8.75%): $2,800.00
Niagara combined sales-tax rate (8%): $2,560.00
Gap if you live in Erie rather than Niagara: $240.00
The statewide pieces discussed above do not create this gap. The local combined state, local, and MCTD tax does.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: Same two places, but the car is only $4,500. Local tax still applies to the taxable price (there is no Florida-style $5,000 surtax cap in New York unless a separate statute says otherwise).
$4,500 in Niagara: $360.00
$50,000 in Erie: $4,375.00
$50,000 in Niagara: $4,000.00
Watch how the dollar gap grows with price when the levy is a percentage, and how it does not when a neighboring state uses a flat fee instead.
Central and Southern Tier
This cluster is where many readers actually live. Onondaga is 8% in the current official rates. The comparisons that follow keep names in the sentence and live amounts in the same sentence.
Onondaga is currently 8%; Oneida is 8.75%. The difference is 0.75%, or $240.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Onondaga, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Oneida.
Cross from Tompkins into Broome and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
From one end of this cluster to the other — Onondaga versus Tompkins — the combined sales-tax rate runs 8% against 8%, a gap of 0% or $0.00 on $50,000.
Named in this section: Broome, Oneida, Onondaga, Tompkins. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: Onondaga versus Oneida
Scenario: Two buyers each pay $32,000 for the same used SUV. One titles in Onondaga (8%); the other titles in Oneida (8.75%).
Onondaga combined sales-tax rate (8%): $2,560.00
Oneida combined sales-tax rate (8.75%): $2,800.00
Gap if you live in Onondaga rather than Oneida: $240.00
The statewide pieces discussed above do not create this gap. The local combined state, local, and MCTD tax does.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: Same two places, but the car is only $4,500. Local tax still applies to the taxable price (there is no Florida-style $5,000 surtax cap in New York unless a separate statute says otherwise).
$4,500 in Oneida: $393.75
$50,000 in Onondaga: $4,000.00
$50,000 in Oneida: $4,375.00
Watch how the dollar gap grows with price when the levy is a percentage, and how it does not when a neighboring state uses a flat fee instead.
Counties and localities covered here
Current official data covers 76 distinct county/parish labels and 76 total rows. Names, as printed:
Albany, Allegany, Auburn City, Cayuga, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Glens Falls City, Warren, Gloversville City, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Ithaca City, Tompkins, Jefferson, Johnstown City, Fulton, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Mount Vernon City, Westchester, Nassau, New Rochelle City, Westchester, New York City, Niagara, Norwich City, Chenango, Ogdensburg City, St. Lawrence, Olean City, Cattaraugus, Oneida, Oneida City, Madison, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Oswego City, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Rome City, Oneida, Salamanca City, Cattaraugus, Saratoga, Saratoga Springs City, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Steuben, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Utica City, Oneida, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westchester, White Plains City, Westchester, Wyoming, Yates, Yonkers City, Westchester.
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.
Cross from Nassau into New York City and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 9% to 8.875%. That 0.125% swing is $62.50 on a $50,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Suffolk is currently 9.125%; Westchester is 8.75%. The difference is 0.375%, or $187.50 on a $50,000 vehicle. If you live in Suffolk, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Westchester.
Cross from Monroe into Erie and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8.75%. That 0.75% swing is $375.00 on a $50,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Onondaga is currently 8%; Albany is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $50,000 vehicle. If you live in Onondaga, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Albany.
Cross from Orange into Dutchess and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8.5% to 8.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $50,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Rockland is currently 8.75%; Putnam is 8.75%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $50,000 vehicle. If you live in Rockland, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Putnam.
Cross from Saratoga into Ulster and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 7% to 8%. That 1% swing is $500.00 on a $50,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Oneida is currently 8.75%; Broome is 8%. The difference is 0.75%, or $375.00 on a $50,000 vehicle. If you live in Oneida, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Broome.
Cross from Schenectady into Niagara and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $50,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Rensselaer is currently 8%; Tompkins is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $50,000 vehicle. If you live in Rensselaer, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Tompkins.
Cross from Cattaraugus into Allegany and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8.5%. That 0.5% swing is $250.00 on a $50,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Olean City, Cattaraugus is currently 8%; Salamanca City, Cattaraugus is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $50,000 vehicle. If you live in Olean City, Cattaraugus, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Salamanca City, Cattaraugus.
A longer tour of named places
One more pass across named places, still in comparison sentences, still live:
Albany is currently 8%; Allegany is 8.5%. The difference is 0.5%, or $160.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Albany, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Allegany.
Cross from Cattaraugus into Broome and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Olean City, Cattaraugus is currently 8%; Salamanca City, Cattaraugus is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Olean City, Cattaraugus, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Salamanca City, Cattaraugus.
Cross from Auburn City, Cayuga into Cayuga and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Chautauqua is currently 8%; Chemung is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Chautauqua, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Chemung.
Cross from Norwich City, Chenango into Chenango and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Clinton is currently 8%; Columbia is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Clinton, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Columbia.
Cross from Delaware into Cortland and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Dutchess is currently 8.5%; Erie is 8.75%. The difference is 0.25%, or $80.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Dutchess, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Erie.
Cross from Franklin into Essex and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Fulton is currently 8%; Gloversville City, Fulton is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Fulton, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Gloversville City, Fulton.
Cross from Genesee into Johnstown City, Fulton and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Greene is currently 8%; Hamilton is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Greene, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Hamilton.
Cross from Jefferson into Herkimer and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8.25%. That 0.25% swing is $80.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Lewis is currently 8%; Livingston is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Lewis, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Livingston.
Cross from Oneida City, Madison into Madison and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8% to 8%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Monroe is currently 8%; Montgomery is 8%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $32,000 vehicle. If you live in Monroe, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Montgomery.
Cross from New York City into Nassau and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 8.875% to 9%. That 0.125% swing is $40.00 on a $32,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
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: $32,000 in New York City
Scenario: Taxable or assessed amount $32,000 in New York City.
Combined sales-tax rate 8.875%
Result: $2,840.00
Same amount in Nassau (9%): $2,880.00
Gap: $40.00
This is the local (or combined) rate line only.
Complete example B: $50,000 in Nassau
Scenario: Step the amount to $50,000 and keep the same two places.
New York City: $4,437.50
Gap: $62.50
Percentage and millage gaps scale with the base. Flat-fee states in this series do not.
What these rates do not include
DMV title and plate fees, county motor-vehicle use taxes where they exist, and NYC parking tax are not the combined sales-tax rates compared here.
- NYS Department of Taxation and Finance — Publication 718-A (sales tax rates on motor fuel, etc. / locality rates) and motor-vehicle sales tax guidance
- N.Y. Tax Law Article 28 — 4 percent state sales tax
- N.Y. Tax Law § 1109 — MCTD tax
- NYS DMV — registration and tax collection on vehicle transfers
Common questions
Do the five boroughs have different vehicle sales-tax rates? Not on this combined NYC row. NYC is one locality here. Parking and other city charges can still differ.
What is MCTD? The Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District surcharge stacked in NYC and listed suburban counties. It is already inside the combined live rates when the official rate data includes it.
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. New York City still pays 8.875% 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 New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and DMV. 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.
| Locality | Combined rate |
|---|---|
| Albany | 8% |
| Allegany | 8.5% |
| Broome | 8% |
| Cattaraugus | 8% |
| Olean City, Cattaraugus | 8% |
| Salamanca City, Cattaraugus | 8% |
| Cayuga | 8% |
| Auburn City, Cayuga | 8% |
| Chautauqua | 8% |
| Chemung | 8% |
| Chenango | 8% |
| Norwich City, Chenango | 8% |
| Clinton | 8% |
| Columbia | 8% |
| Cortland | 8% |
| Delaware | 8% |
| Dutchess | 8.5% |
| Erie | 8.75% |
| Essex | 8% |
| Franklin | 8% |
| Fulton | 8% |
| Gloversville City, Fulton | 8% |
| Johnstown City, Fulton | 8% |
| Genesee | 8% |
| Greene | 8% |
| Hamilton | 8% |
| Herkimer | 8.25% |
| Jefferson | 8% |
| Lewis | 8% |
| Livingston | 8% |
| Madison | 8% |
| Oneida City, Madison | 8% |
| Monroe | 8% |
| Montgomery | 8% |
| Nassau | 9% |
| New York City | 8.875% |
| Niagara | 8% |
| Oneida | 8.75% |
| Rome City, Oneida | 8.75% |
| Utica City, Oneida | 8.75% |
| Onondaga | 8% |
| Ontario | 7.5% |
| Orange | 8.5% |
| Orleans | 8% |
| Oswego | 8% |
| Oswego City, Oswego | 8% |
| Otsego | 8% |
| Putnam | 8.75% |
| Rensselaer | 8% |
| Rockland | 8.75% |
| St. Lawrence | 8% |
| Ogdensburg City, St. Lawrence | 8% |
| Saratoga | 7% |
| Saratoga Springs City, Saratoga | 7% |
| Schenectady | 8% |
| Schoharie | 8% |
| Schuyler | 8% |
| Seneca | 8% |
| Steuben | 8% |
| Suffolk | 9.125% |
| Sullivan | 8% |
| Tioga | 8% |
| Tompkins | 8% |
| Ithaca City, Tompkins | 8% |
| Ulster | 8% |
| Warren | 7% |
| Glens Falls City, Warren | 7% |
| Washington | 7% |
| Wayne | 8% |
| Westchester | 8.75% |
| Mount Vernon City, Westchester | 8.75% |
| New Rochelle City, Westchester | 8.75% |
| White Plains City, Westchester | 8.75% |
| Yonkers City, Westchester | 8.875% |
| Wyoming | 8% |
| Yates | 8% |
Conclusion
New York does not have one vehicle-tax number. New York City is 8.875%; Nassau is 9%; the live high is 9.125% and the live low is 7%. If you live in the high place, you feel it on a $32,000 taxable purchase; 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
- NYS Department of Taxation and Finance — Publication 718-A (sales tax rates on motor fuel, etc. / locality rates) and motor-vehicle sales tax guidance
- N.Y. Tax Law Article 28 — 4 percent state sales tax
- N.Y. Tax Law § 1109 — MCTD tax
- NYS DMV — registration and tax collection on vehicle transfers
This guide is an educational estimator. It is not legal, tax, or DMV advice. Figures shown inline are sourced from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and DMV 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.