Buying a vehicle in North Dakota comes with more than just the sticker price. Before you drive off the lot — or before you title an out-of-state purchase — you’ll owe the state a collection of fees known collectively as TTL: Title, Tax, and License. If you’ve ever stared at a dealer’s finance sheet wondering where all those extra hundreds of dollars came from, this guide is for you.
Our North Dakota TTL Calculator crunches every component automatically, but understanding why each number appears makes you a more informed buyer. Below, we walk through each of the five calculation steps in plain English, with two real-world examples per step so you can follow along.
“North Dakota’s TTL is built from five distinct pieces — and knowing each one means no surprises at the counter.”
1
The Motor Vehicle Excise Tax
This is almost always the biggest number on your TTL bill. North Dakota charges a flat 5% Motor Vehicle Excise Tax on the taxable purchase price of every motor vehicle registered in the state. Crucially, this tax replaces general sales tax on vehicles — you will not also owe state or local sales tax on top of it.
The taxable amount is simply: Purchase Price minus Trade-In Value. If you trade in your old car at an agreed value of $8,000 and buy a new one for $35,000, the state only taxes the difference — $27,000 — not the full purchase price. This can save you hundreds of dollars.
If you’re bringing a vehicle to North Dakota from out of state, the excise tax is calculated on the vehicle’s current fair market value at the time of titling, with a credit given for any sales or excise tax you already paid in your previous state. The 5% rate is set by North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) and administered by the North Dakota Motor Vehicle Division.
Example A
First-Time Buyer, No Trade-In
Purchase price$28,500
Trade-in value$0
Taxable amount$28,500
Excise Tax (× 5%)$1,425.00
Example B
Buyer with a Trade-In
Purchase price$42,000
Trade-in value$12,000
Taxable amount$30,000
Excise Tax (× 5%)$1,500.00
Notice that in Example B, the trade-in saves the buyer $600 in tax compared to if they had sold the old car privately and bought the new one outright. This is one reason trading in at the dealership can make financial sense even when the dealer’s offered trade-in value is lower than private-sale value.
2
Title Fees
Every time a vehicle is titled in North Dakota — whether brand new or transferring ownership between two private individuals — the state collects a set of title-related fees. These are relatively small but they are mandatory and non-negotiable.
The Three Title Fee Components
Certificate of Title Fee ($5.00): This is the base fee that always applies, whether you’re getting a fresh title or transferring one. It’s the state’s charge for issuing the official certificate that proves your ownership of the vehicle.
Abandoned Vehicle Disposal Fee ($1.50): This fee only applies to brand-new title issuances — that is, when a vehicle is being titled in North Dakota for the very first time (e.g., a new car purchase or bringing a car in from out of state). It funds the state’s program for disposing of abandoned vehicles. Title transfers between existing ND owners do not trigger this fee.
Branch Service & Administrative Fee ($12.00): When you process your title at a county treasurer’s office or a Motor Vehicle Division branch — which is how most people do it — the office charges up to $10 for its service plus $2 for administrative costs. This totals $12. Per North Dakota administrative code, branch offices are legally permitted to charge up to this maximum. Mail-in processes may not include this fee, but the vast majority of in-person transactions will.
Example A
New Car Purchase at Branch Office
Certificate of Title Fee$5.00
Abandoned Vehicle Fee (new)$1.50
Branch Service & Admin Fee$12.00
Title Fees Total$18.50
Example B
Private Party Transfer at Branch Office
Certificate of Title Fee$5.00
Abandoned Vehicle Fee (transfer)$0.00
Branch Service & Admin Fee$12.00
Title Fees Total$17.00
Many dealers collect and remit these title fees on your behalf as a convenience, folding them into the closing paperwork. Whether it’s a new purchase or a used-car transfer, the title fee component of your TTL will typically range from $5 to $18.50 depending on your situation.
3
Registration (License Plate) Fee
This is the annual fee you pay to keep your vehicle legally on the road — what most people think of as their “license plate fee.” In North Dakota, registration fees are not a flat rate. They depend on three variables: your vehicle’s category (passenger, commercial, or farm), its weight, and the year it was first registered in North Dakota.
Why does the year first registered matter? North Dakota ties its fee schedules to registration eras rather than model years. A vehicle first registered in ND before 2014 pays a lower rate than the same vehicle first registered in 2019. The three eras are: Before 2014, 2014–2018, and 2019 or later.
Passenger Vehicles
For cars, SUVs, and light trucks registered for personal use, the fee is based on the vehicle’s unladen weight — that’s the weight of the vehicle itself, empty, with no passengers or cargo. Here’s a portion of the official schedule for the 2019-or-later era:
| Unladen Weight | Annual Fee (2019+) |
|---|---|
| Up to 3,199 lbs | $57 |
| 3,200–3,999 lbs | $65 |
| 4,000–4,999 lbs | $78 |
| 5,000–5,999 lbs | $96 |
| 6,000–6,999 lbs | $114 |
| 7,000–7,999 lbs | $133 |
| 8,000–8,999 lbs | $154 |
| 9,000+ lbs | $177 |
Commercial & Farm Trucks
Commercial trucks that aren’t used for farming use a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) schedule, with fees ranging from $100/year for vehicles under 10,000 lbs up to $1,792/year for the heaviest trucks at 105,500 lbs. Qualified farm trucks — those used primarily in agricultural operations — pay reduced rates under a separate farm truck schedule. For example, a 22,000 lb farm truck pays $111/year versus $139/year for a commercial truck of the same weight.
Proration for Mid-Year Registration
If you register mid-year, you don’t pay the full annual fee — you pay only for the months remaining in the calendar year. The formula is simply: Annual Fee × (Months Remaining ÷ 12).
Example A
2022 Sedan, 3,600 lbs, Full Year
Weight class3,200–3,999 lbs
Era (first registered 2022)2019+
Annual base fee$65
Registration months12 of 12
Registration Fee$65.00
Example B
2016 SUV, 5,200 lbs, Mid-Year (July)
Weight class5,000–5,999 lbs
Era (first registered 2016)2014–2018
Annual base fee$92
Months remaining (Jul–Dec)6 of 12
Registration Fee$46.00
4
Electric Vehicle Road Use Surcharge
Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles don’t pay fuel taxes at the pump — which is how the state normally funds road maintenance. To make up for this, North Dakota charges an annual Road Use Surcharge on top of the regular registration fee. This applies only to passenger vehicles; commercial and farm trucks do not have an EV surcharge under the current schedule.
The rates are straightforward: All-electric vehicles pay $120 per year, and plug-in hybrid vehicles pay $50 per year. These amounts are added to your registration fee each year. Conventional gas-powered vehicles pay nothing extra.
Example A
All-Electric Vehicle (e.g., Tesla Model 3)
Powertrain typeBattery Electric
Regular registration fee$65.00
EV Road Use Surcharge$120.00
Total Registration + EV$185.00
Example B
Plug-in Hybrid (e.g., Toyota RAV4 Prime)
Powertrain typePlug-in Hybrid
Regular registration fee$78.00
PHEV Road Use Surcharge$50.00
Total Registration + EV$128.00
5
Putting It All Together: Your Grand Total
Once all four components above have been calculated, they’re simply added together to give you your total TTL due. Here’s how that looks for two complete, real-world-style scenarios:
Complete Example A — New Honda CR-V at a Dealership
A buyer purchases a new 2023 Honda CR-V for $36,000, trades in their old car for $7,000, and processes everything at the branch office. The CR-V weighs 3,800 lbs (unladen), it’s being titled in ND for the first time, and it’s a standard gasoline vehicle. Full 12-month registration.
TTL Breakdown — 2023 Honda CR-V
Excise Tax: ($36,000 − $7,000) × 5%$1,450.00
Certificate of Title Fee$5.00
Abandoned Vehicle Fee (new title)$1.50
Branch Service & Admin Fee$12.00
Registration: 3,200–3,999 lbs, 2019+ era, 12 months$65.00
EV Surcharge (gasoline vehicle)$0.00
Total TTL Due$1,533.50
Complete Example B — Used Pickup Truck, Private Sale
A buyer purchases a used 2015 Ford F-150 from a private party for $22,000, with no trade-in. The truck was first registered in ND in 2015, weighs 5,000 lbs unladen, and is a gas-powered personal-use vehicle. The buyer registers in August, leaving 5 months in the calendar year. Title is being transferred (not a new title), processed at the branch office.
TTL Breakdown — 2015 Ford F-150 (Private Sale)
Excise Tax: ($22,000 − $0) × 5%$1,100.00
Certificate of Title Fee$5.00
Abandoned Vehicle Fee (transfer, not new)$0.00
Branch Service & Admin Fee$12.00
Registration: 5,000–5,999 lbs, 2014–2018 era, 5/12 months$38.33
EV Surcharge (gasoline vehicle)$0.00
Total TTL Due$1,155.33
A Few More Things to Know
County Wheel Tax: Some North Dakota counties add their own wheel tax on top of the state registration fees. This varies by county and can add anywhere from a small flat amount to an additional percentage. Our calculator includes a field for county-level wheel taxes so your estimate is as accurate as possible.
Trailers: Small personal utility trailers under 1,500 lbs GVWR are handled differently — they pay ordinary state and local sales tax rather than the 5% motor vehicle excise tax. Heavy trailers and semi-trailers do require standard registration.
Dealer vs. Private Sale: Most dealerships collect and remit the excise tax and title fees for you as part of closing. In a private party sale, you are responsible for taking the paperwork to the county treasurer or Motor Vehicle Division branch yourself and paying TTL at that time.
Rates change: The fee schedules above reflect the 2024–2026 published rates from the North Dakota Motor Vehicle Division. Annual adjustments do occur, and our calculator is updated to reflect current published rates. Always verify with the ND Motor Vehicle Division for the most current figures before a major purchase.
Sources & References
- North Dakota Motor Vehicle Division — Official Fee Schedules (2024–2026).
Source for all passenger vehicle registration fee tables (Fee Table A), commercial truck fees (Fee Table B), and farm truck fees (Fee Table C), as published by the ND Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division. Available at the ND DOT website. - North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) § 39-06 — Motor Vehicle Registration.
The statutory basis for registration requirements, fee structures, and proration rules for all vehicle classes in North Dakota. - North Dakota Motor Vehicle Excise Tax — NDCC Chapter 57-40.3.
Establishes the 5% motor vehicle excise tax rate, the taxable amount definition (purchase price minus trade-in), and rules for out-of-state vehicle titling with credit for taxes paid elsewhere. - North Dakota Administrative Code — Certificate of Title Fees.
Sets the $5.00 certificate of title fee, the $1.50 abandoned vehicle disposal fee, and authorizes branch offices to charge up to $10 service fee plus $2 administrative fee (total up to $12) for in-person title processing. - ND DOT Motor Vehicle Division FAQ — Title Transfer Fees.
Official department FAQ page referencing the $5 title transfer fee and associated branch charges, as cited in state documentation. - North Dakota Electric Vehicle Road Use Fee (SB 2064 / NDCC § 39-04-19.1).
Legislative and statutory basis for the $120 annual all-electric vehicle road use surcharge and $50 plug-in hybrid surcharge, enacted to offset reduced fuel tax revenue from electric vehicles. - ND DOT Large Truck Fee Schedule (2024).
Official published schedule detailing commercial truck registration fees by gross vehicle weight (GVW) for all three registration eras, ranging from under 10,000 lbs to 105,500 lbs. - ND DOT Farm Truck Fee Schedule (2024).
Official published schedule for qualified farm trucks used primarily in agricultural operations, providing reduced registration fees compared to commercial rates at equivalent GVW brackets. - ND DOT Passenger Vehicle Fee Schedule (2024).
Official published table of annual registration fees by unladen weight and registration era for passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks registered for personal use in North Dakota.
This guide is for informational purposes only and reflects 2024–2026 published rates. Always verify current fees with the North Dakota Motor Vehicle Division before completing a vehicle purchase or registration. · Rates subject to change annually.