| Mo | Payment | Principal | Interest | Balance |
|---|
Motor vehicle tax is statewide 6.25% · County title and registration fees update from the Texas county table · Comptroller / TxDMV
If you are buying a car in Texas, tax, title, and license — TTL, also written TT&L — is the cash due after the sticker price. There is no single statewide “TTL fee.” You pay Texas motor vehicle sales or use tax at 6.25% of the taxable price, a title application fee of $28 or $33 depending on your county of residence, and registration (license / tags). On a $38,000 dealer purchase with no trade-in, the tax alone is $2,375.00 in every county. Add title and a full passenger registration and estimated TTL is $2,486.00 in Harris County and $2,478.50 in Anderson County. County extras on this page update when the official table is refreshed. Use the calculator above with your county for a personal estimate.In this guide
- How much is tax, title, and license in Texas?
- What is TTL / TT&L in Texas?
- Texas vehicle sales tax (6.25%, no local overlay)
- How to calculate TTL, step by step
- Texas title transfer fee ($28 or $33)
- Registration, tags, and renewal
- Used cars, private sales, and SPV
- Gifts, new residents, even exchanges, inheritance
- Late tax penalty
- How to use this calculator
- Two complete buying examples
- Common questions
Estimate your own deal: The Texas tax, title, and license calculator on this page uses the same county table as the examples below. Every figure is an estimate. Your county tax assessor-collector sets the final amount on Form 130-U. Verify tax rules at the Texas Comptroller and fees at TxDMV.
How much is tax, title, and license in Texas?
Short answer: Motor vehicle tax is 6.25% of the taxable price — the same in Houston, Austin, El Paso, and Hidalgo County. Title is $33 if you live in a federal non-attainment county, or $28 everywhere else. Then add registration. On a $38,000 new car with no trade-in, tax is $2,375.00. Estimated tax + title is $2,408.00 in Harris County and $2,403.00 in Anderson County. With a full passenger registration, Harris is about $2,486.00.
That is why “how much is TTL in Texas?” never has one dollar answer, even though the tax rate is the same statewide. The rate does not change by city. Title and local registration fees do. A $20,000 car owes $1,250.00 of motor vehicle tax before title and tags. A $25,750 car owes $1,609.38. Those tax dollars do not change if you title in Dallas instead of Hidalgo. What changes is the title line ($28 vs $33) and county registration add-ons.
| County of residence | Title | Tax on $38,000 | Tax + title | Full TTL (new plates) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County | $33.00 | $2,375.00 | $2,408.00 | $2,486.00 |
| Dallas County | $33.00 | $2,375.00 | $2,408.00 | $2,486.00 |
| Travis County | $33.00 | $2,375.00 | $2,408.00 | $2,486.00 |
| Bexar County | $28.00 | $2,375.00 | $2,403.00 | $2,488.50 |
| Hidalgo County | $28.00 | $2,375.00 | $2,403.00 | $2,487.00 |
| Anderson County | $28.00 | $2,375.00 | $2,403.00 | $2,478.50 |
Harris and Dallas share the same 6.25% tax and the same $33 title. Hidalgo’s tax on $38,000 is also $2,375.00 — a $0.00 gap versus Harris. That is how you know the myth that Hidalgo adds local sales tax on cars is wrong. What Hidalgo does add is a higher county registration local fee ($20.00), which is not motor vehicle sales tax.
Important: Texas motor vehicle tax is a Chapter 152 tax. Cities and counties do not stack general local sales tax (the “8.25% Houston rate”) on top when you title a car. Residence county drives the title amount and optional registration fees, not the 6.25% tax rate.
References:
- Texas Tax Code Chapter 152 — motor vehicle sales and use tax
- Texas Comptroller — Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax; Publication 96-254
- Transportation Code § 501.138 — title fee $28 / $33
- TxDMV — title, registration, and county fee materials
What is tax, title, and license (TTL / TT&L) in Texas?
TTL is three different bills dealers often quote as one lump sum. Breaking it apart is how you check a buyer’s order — and it matches what people mean by a Texas TTL calculator, TT&L calculator, or “tax title license calculator Texas.”
Tax
This is the 6.25% motor vehicle sales tax (or use tax if the car was bought out of state). It is a percentage of taxable value: usually the selling price minus a qualifying dealer trade-in and dealer discounts. A cash down payment does not reduce tax. On a private used car, Texas may tax 80% of Standard Presumptive Value (SPV) if that floor is higher than the price you paid.
Title
This is the state’s charge to issue a Texas certificate of title in your name, paid to the county tax assessor-collector with Form 130-U. In 2026 it is $33 if you live in a federal Clean Air Act non-attainment county, or $28 in other counties. A portion of that statutory fee is allocated in statute (including a TERP component). You do not add a separate “TERP line” on top of $33. Older worksheets that still show a $30 title fee are stale.
License (registration / tags / plates)
This is the registration that goes with the plates. For a regular passenger car or light truck at or under 6,000 lb, TxDMV’s published state base is $50.75, plus TexasSure $1, processing $4.75, inspection-program replacement $7.50, any state emissions-area amount, and county optional fees from the table. If your plates are current and you transfer registration, counties commonly charge $2.50 instead of a brand-new registration block.
Example 1: A simple used-car TTL bill in Harris County
Scenario: You buy a $12,000 used sedan from a Harris County dealer. No trade-in. You need a new title and full registration.
Selling price (taxable): $12,000.00 Motor vehicle tax (6.25%): $750.00 Title: $33.00 Full registration: $78.00 Estimated TTL: $861.00
Almost all of this bill is the 6.25% tax. Title and tags are a few hundred dollars, not a second percentage.
Example 2: The same car, plates transferred
Scenario: Same $12,000 Harris County dealer sale, except you transfer current registration from the car you are replacing.
Tax (unchanged): $750.00 Title: $33.00 Registration transfer: $2.50 Estimated TTL: $785.50
Transferring registration is $2.50 instead of a new full registration block. Tax does not change.
References:
- Comptroller — Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax; Form 130-U
- Transportation Code § 501.138 — title application fee
- TxDMV Fee Chart — passenger registration base and add-ons
Texas vehicle sales tax: 6.25% statewide, no local overlay
Searches for a Texas vehicle sales tax calculator, Texas car sales tax calculator, Texas auto sales tax, or “what is the sales tax on cars in Texas” are looking at this piece. It is usually the largest check you write at purchase.
The rate is 6.25% — not Houston’s general sales tax
Tax Code Chapter 152 sets motor vehicle sales and use tax at 6.25%. That is a special motor-vehicle tax remitted with the title application. It is not the general state-plus-local sales tax you see on a restaurant receipt. Harris County and the City of Houston can have a combined general rate around 8.25% on other retail. That overlay does not apply when you title a car. Hidalgo County’s motor vehicle tax rate is also 6.25%, not a unique “Hidalgo MV rate.”
What price is taxed?
On a dealer sale, taxable value is the sales price minus a qualifying trade-in minus dealer discounts (Comptroller Pub 96-254). Cash down does not come off. Manufacturer rebates are not treated like a Louisiana rebate in this engine — follow the buyer’s order and Comptroller rules. Mandatory “doc” fees in this calculator are not added to the 6.25% base (they sit as a separate cash line if you type them in). Private-party used cars use the SPV floor described below.
| How you buy | 6.25% motor vehicle tax? | Does a trade-in reduce tax? |
|---|---|---|
| New or used at a licensed Texas dealer | Yes | Yes, qualifying dealer trade |
| Private party / non-dealer auction | Yes, subject to the SPV floor | No dealer trade-in exclusion |
| Eligible gift (Form 14-317) | $10 in lieu of 6.25% | Not applicable |
| Even exchange | $5 each party | Not applicable |
| New resident, vehicle already registered in your name OOS | $90 in lieu of use tax | Not applicable |
| Inheritance (estate distributee, on/after Sept 1, 2025) | $0 gift/MV tax; title still due | Not applicable |
Example 1: Comptroller-style dealer trade-in
Scenario: Price $42,000. Qualifying trade $15,000. Taxable $27,000.
Taxable base: $27,000.00 Tax at 6.25%: $1,687.50
That $1,687.50 figure is the Comptroller’s published worked example. Title is extra: $33.00 in Harris County or $28.00 in Anderson County.
Example 2: Same $20,000 price in Harris and Hidalgo
Scenario: Two buyers each pay $20,000 at a dealer. No trade-in.
Harris tax: $1,250.00 Hidalgo tax: $1,250.00 Tax gap: $0.00
The tax is identical. If a quote in McAllen is “higher because of local tax,” ask whether they added city sales tax by mistake or bundled county registration.
References:
- Texas Tax Code Chapter 152
- Comptroller Publication 96-254 — taxable value, trade-ins, gifts
- Comptroller Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax pages
How to calculate tax, title, and license in Texas
If you want to calculate TTL by hand — or check a dealer’s lump sum — use this order. It is the same path the calculator on this page uses.
- Find the taxable price. Dealer: selling price minus qualifying trade-in and dealer discounts. Private used: the greater of the price paid or 80% of TxDMV Standard Presumptive Value (or a certified appraisal on Form 14-128).
- Multiply by 6.25%. On $38,000 that is $2,375.00. On $20,000 that is $1,250.00.
- Add the title fee for your county of residence. $33 in non-attainment counties (Harris, Dallas, Travis, Tarrant, Collin, and others on the table) or $28 elsewhere.
- Add registration. Full new plates, or $2.50 if you transfer current registration, or skip this line if you are only estimating tax and title.
Add those pieces. That total is estimated TTL. Dealer doc fees, notary, specialty plates, and inspection-station labor sit on top if they apply. Financing does not change the 6.25% tax — it only changes whether tax and fees are rolled into the loan.
Example 1: $25,750 homework-style purchase
Search sometimes quotes a worksheet: “You purchase a car in Texas for $25,750. Sales tax 6.25%. Title $30. Tags $51.75.” The tax math is right. The title and tag lines are outdated.
Tax at 6.25% on $25,750: $1,609.38 Harris title (not $30): $33.00 Anderson title: $28.00 Harris full registration (not a flat $51.75):
$78.00Harris tax + title: $1,642.38Harris tax + title + full reg: $1,720.38
Example 2: Figure TT&L on a $38,000 new car in Travis County
Tax: $2,375.00 Title: $33.00 Full registration:$78.00 Estimated TTL: $2,486.00
Texas title transfer fee: $28 or $33
The query cluster around a Texas title transfer fee calculator, title transfer cost calculator, and “how much does it cost to transfer a title in Texas” is this line — not the 6.25% tax. Transportation Code § 501.138 sets two amounts based on the applicant’s county of residence:
| Residence | Title application / transfer |
|---|---|
| Federal non-attainment county (sheet title $33) | $33 |
| All other counties | $28 |
Harris, Dallas, Travis, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Williamson, Galveston, and El Paso use $33 in the current table. Bexar, Hidalgo, Liberty, Polk, and Loving use $28. The $5 gap is $5.00.
A duplicate title by mail is published at $2; regional service centers may charge more. That is paperwork, not TTL on a purchase. “TERP title fee” searches are pointing at a statutory split of the same $28 / $33 application fee, not a third charge you add by hand.
Important: A title transfer on a sale still includes 6.25% tax unless you are on a gift, even-exchange, new-resident, or inheritance path. A “title transfer calculator” that only prints $33 is answering the fee, not the whole walk-out.
Example 1: Title-only on a gift in Harris County
Eligible gift tax: $10.00 Title: $33.00 Tax + title: $43.00
Example 2: Title-only, no tax, two counties
Dallas title: $33.00 Bexar title: $28.00 Gap: $5.00
San Antonio (Bexar) is not automatically the non-attainment title amount in this table. Always pick the county row rather than assuming every large city is $33.
References:
- Transportation Code § 501.138
- Comptroller Motor Vehicle Tax Manual (FY2026 title amounts)
- TxDMV duplicate-title fee schedule
Texas vehicle registration, tags, and renewal
Searches for a Texas vehicle registration fees calculator, Texas car registration calculator, “how much are tags in Texas,” and Texas DMV calculator are usually about this block — not the 6.25% purchase tax. That is why a registration-fee query can show thousands of impressions and almost no clicks if the page only talks about sales tax.
First-time registration vs renewal
First-time (you just bought the car, or you just moved here) can include motor vehicle tax, a title fee, and full registration. Renewal on a car you already titled in Texas is registration extras — not another 6.25% sales tax. Do not copy a purchase TTL estimate onto next year’s renewal notice.
Passenger car / light truck at or under 6,000 lb
TxDMV’s published state pieces for that class include:
- Registration base $50.75
- TexasSure $1
- Processing and handling $4.75
- Inspection program replacement $7.50
- State emissions-area fee where the county table lists one (Harris is $2.50)
- County optional local fees from the table (road and bridge, child safety, transportation project — capped in TxDMV’s county notice)
| County | County local fee | Emissions add-on | Full registration block |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris | $11.50 | $2.50 | $78.00 |
| Dallas | $11.50 | $2.50 | $78.00 |
| Travis | $11.50 | $2.50 | $78.00 |
| Bexar | $21.50 | $0.00 | $85.50 |
| Hidalgo | $20.00 | $0.00 | $84.00 |
| Liberty | $10.00 | $0.00 | $74.00 |
| Loving | $0.00 | $0.00 | $64.00 |
Hidalgo vs Polk “RV registration tax rate” searches are mixing sales tax with these local registration dollars. RV and motorhome classes can use different weight schedules. This table is the passenger/light-truck block in the calculator. Do not treat Hidalgo’s $20.00 local fee as extra sales tax on the vehicle.
Example 1: New plates in Harris vs transfer
Harris full registration: $78.00 Registration transfer: $2.50
Example 2: Optional EV add-on
TxDMV’s register-your-vehicle materials list an electric vehicle fee of $200. This calculator leaves it off unless you turn it on, because it is a registration extra — not part of 6.25% tax.
Harris ICE registration: $78.00 Harris + EV fee: $478.00
References:
- TxDMV Fee Chart — passenger/light truck ≤ 6,000 lb base $50.75
- Transportation Code Chapter 502 — registration
- TxDMV county optional fee notice (road and bridge, child safety, transportation project caps)
How much is TTL on a used car in Texas? (and what SPV means)
Used cars use the same 6.25% rate. What changes is the taxable base — and, on a private sale, Texas Standard Presumptive Value.
Dealer used
Same formula as new: price minus qualifying trade-in, times 6.25%, plus title and registration. A $18,500 Harris County dealer car with no trade is tax $1,156.25 and tax + title $1,189.25.
Private used — the SPV floor
Searches for a Texas SPV calculator, standard presumptive value calculator, Texas DMV vehicle value calculator, and “presumptive value Texas” are this rule. On a private-party used motor vehicle, tax is 6.25% of the greater of:
- The amount you paid, if it is at least 80% of SPV; or
- 80% of Standard Presumptive Value, if you paid less; or
- A certified appraisal on Form 14-128, if you obtain one.
TxDMV publishes the SPV database. This calculator does not scrape SPV. You look up the value and enter it. Skipping SPV on a cheap private-party deal understates tax.
Example 1: Price $10,000, SPV $20,000
80% of SPV is $16,000, which is higher than $10,000, so Texas taxes $16,000.
Taxable base: $16,000.00 Tax: $1,000.00 Harris tax + title: $1,033.00
Without the SPV floor, 6.25% of $10,000 would have been only $625. The floor is why “how much is TTL on a used car in Texas” cannot be “just 6.25% of what I paid.”
Example 2: Price $18,500, SPV $20,000
80% of $20,000 is $16,000. You paid more than the floor, so tax is on $18,500.
Taxable base: $18,500.00 Tax: $1,156.25 Tax + title: $1,189.25
References:
- Comptroller / TxDMV — Standard Presumptive Value; 80% floor
- Form 14-128 — certified appraisal
Gifts, new residents, even exchanges, and inheritance
Not every title application is a 6.25% sale. The Comptroller publishes special amounts. Using the wrong path is how people overpay — or get turned away at the county window.
Eligible gift — $10
A qualifying relative (spouse as separate property, parent/child/step, sibling, grandparent/grandchild, listed in-laws, guardian, certain trusts/501(c)(3)s) can pay $10 in lieu of 6.25% with notarized Form 14-317, filed in person. Uncle-to-niece, friends, and “$0 consideration” between coworkers are not gifts. Lien assumption is consideration — it kills the gift. Title is still $28 or $33.
Even exchange — $5 each
Tax Code § 152.024: $5 motor vehicle tax per party, separate Form 130-U each. SPV procedures do not apply.
New resident — $90
If you move to Texas with a vehicle already registered in your name in another state or country, Comptroller use-tax rules charge $90 in lieu of 6.25%. Title and registration still apply. A Texas resident who buys a car out of state and brings it home is not this path — that is use tax at 6.25% minus credit for similar tax paid to the other state.
Important: The $90 new-resident amount is not a Louisiana-style cap on a car you buy after you already live here. An out-of-state dealer shipping to a Houston address is a use-tax deal unless a documented credit applies.
Inheritance (on or after September 1, 2025)
SB 2064: motor vehicle gift tax does not apply to a transfer to an estate distributee (will, descent, or rights of survivorship). Title and registration fees still due. That is $0 tax plus $33.00 in Harris County — not a free title.
Example 1: Parent-to-child gift in Travis County
Gift tax: $10.00 Title: $33.00 Tax+title: $43.00
Example 2: New resident vs Texas resident who bought out of state
A. You move to Harris County. The $30,000 car is already in your name.
B. You already live in Harris County and buy a $20,000 car elsewhere. Receipts show $800 tax paid to that state.
A — new resident tax: $90.00 tax + title: $123.00 B — use tax after $800 credit: $450.00 tax + title: $483.00
References:
- Comptroller Pub 96-254 Gift guide; Form 14-317
- Tax Code § 152.024 — even exchange
- Comptroller use-tax / new-resident $90 page
- SB 2064 / Comptroller inherited motor vehicles (effective 2025-09-01)
Texas late tax penalty
A Texas “late fee calculator” on a vehicle purchase is not a flat $25/month like some states. The Comptroller charges a penalty on tax if you miss the window: generally 30 calendar days from purchase or the date the vehicle is brought into Texas (active-duty military: 60 days).
- 1–30 days late: 5% of the tax
- More than 30 days late: 10% of the tax
Example 1: $38,000 Harris purchase, 1–30 days late
Tax: $2,375.00 Penalty: $118.75 Tax + penalty: $2,493.75
Example 2: Same deal, more than 30 days late
Penalty: $237.50 Tax + penalty: $2,612.50
How to use this Texas TTL calculator
The form at the top of this page is a tax title and license calculator, a Texas vehicle sales tax calculator, a title transfer calculator, an SPV-aware used-car estimator, and a registration-fee calculator — if you fill the fields that match the question you are asking.
- County of residence, not necessarily the dealer’s lot. Title $28 vs $33 and local registration follow where you live.
- Purchase, gift, even exchange, new resident, inheritance, or out-of-state credit.
- Dealer or private party. Enter SPV on private used cars.
- Price and trade-in from the buyer’s order.
- Full registration, transfer ($2.50), or tax-and-title only.
- Optional EV fee only when you mean the TxDMV $200 registration extra.
Optional loan math uses a Federal Reserve G.19 60-month new-car bank average as a prefill (7.14% for Q2 2026). That is not a Texas lender quote. Rolling tax into a loan does not change the tax.
Common mistakes the calculator will not hide: stacking Houston’s 8.25% general sales tax on a car, skipping SPV on a private used deal, treating a friend-to-friend $0 transfer as a $10 gift, using the $90 new-resident amount on a car you bought after you already lived here, or quoting a $30 title fee from an old textbook.
Two complete buying examples
Example 1: New financed SUV in Harris County
Scenario: $38,000 new SUV, Harris County, no trade, gasoline, new plates.
Taxable base: $38,000.00 Rate: 6.25% Tax: $2,375.00 Title: $33.00 Full registration: $78.00 Estimated TTL: $2,486.00
A dealer documentary fee, if charged, is extra. Texas has no verified statewide dollar cap on doc fees. This estimate does not add doc into the 6.25% base.
Example 2: Used private-party car vs dealer trade
Household A: Harris County private party, $10,000 price, SPV $20,000, new plates.
Household B: Anderson County dealer, $42,000 price, $15,000 qualifying trade, transfer plates.
A — private + SPV floor Tax: $1,000.00 Full TTL: $1,111.00 B — Comptroller dealer trade Tax: $1,687.50 Tax + title + transfer: $1,718.00
Household A paid less for the car and can still owe a four-figure tax bill because of SPV. Household B’s tax matches the Comptroller $27,000 × 6.25% example.
Common questions
How much is tax title and license in Texas?
On a $38,000 dealer purchase with no trade-in: tax is $2,375.00 anywhere in Texas. Tax + title is $2,408.00 in Harris County ($33 title) and $2,403.00 in Anderson County ($28 title). With new plates, Harris full TTL is about $2,486.00.
What is TTL / TT&L in Texas?
Tax (6.25% motor vehicle tax), title ($28 or $33), and license (registration / tags). It is not one official fee with a single dollar amount.
What is the Texas vehicle sales tax rate?
6.25% statewide. Hidalgo County, Harris County, and Loving County use the same rate. Local general sales tax does not stack on motor vehicle titling.
How much is sales tax on a $20,000 car in Texas?
$1,250.00, plus title and registration. That is 6.25% of $20,000.
How much is the Texas title transfer fee in 2026?
$33 in non-attainment counties of residence, $28 in other counties. Not $30. A duplicate title by mail is $2.
How much to register a car in Texas / how much are tags?
For a passenger car or light truck ≤ 6,000 lb, start with $50.75 plus $1, $4.75, and $7.50, then county local and emissions from the table. Harris full registration is $78.00. Transfer of current registration is commonly $2.50. Renewal is this block, not another 6.25% tax.
How do you calculate TTL on a used car?
Dealer used: 6.25% of price minus qualifying trade. Private used: 6.25% of the greater of price or 80% of SPV (or a Form 14-128 appraisal). Then add title and registration. Example: $10,000 price and $20,000 SPV → tax $1,000.00.
What is Standard Presumptive Value (SPV)?
TxDMV’s published value used as a floor on many private-party used transfers. Tax cannot be based on a token $1 price if 80% of SPV is higher, unless you have a certified appraisal.
Does Texas have property tax on vehicles?
No annual vehicle property tax like Colorado specific ownership tax. You pay Chapter 152 motor vehicle tax at purchase/title, then registration. County property tax on cars is not part of this TTL bill.
How much is TTL for a new resident?
If the vehicle was already registered in your name out of state: $90 tax plus title ($33.00 in Harris) plus registration. If you already live here and buy out of state: 6.25% use tax minus credit for tax paid to the other state.
Is there a gift tax on a car in Texas?
Eligible relatives pay $10 with Form 14-317 instead of 6.25%. Friends and most non-listed relatives are taxed as a sale (SPV may apply).
Does this include an auto loan?
You can optionally show a payment estimate. APR prefill is a Federal Reserve average, not a lender quote. Financing does not change TTL; it can roll tax and fees into the amount financed.
What about boats, RVs, and motorcycles?
This page estimates Form 130-U motor vehicles (cars and light trucks in the examples). Motorcycles titled as motor vehicles generally use the same 6.25% Chapter 152 tax; registration classes differ. Boats and some RVs can follow different Comptroller / Parks and Wildlife or weight rules. Do not copy the passenger $50.75 line onto a boat. Use the official agency for that equipment.
¿Cuánto se paga de taxes por un carro en Texas?
El impuesto estatal es 6.25% del valor gravable. En un carro de $20,000 el impuesto es $1,250.00. El título es $28 o $33 según el condado. Luego se suma el registro. No se añade el impuesto local general (por ejemplo 8.25% de Houston) al titular el vehículo.
Is this a Texas DMV / TxDMV official calculator?
No. It is an independent estimate using Comptroller and TxDMV published rules and the same county table as the calculator. Final amounts are set by your county tax assessor-collector. TxDMV’s own tools, including SPV lookup, remain the state’s sources.
Where these numbers come from
County title, emissions, and local registration fees come from the same Texas county table that feeds the calculator’s Google Sheet. When a county changes an optional fee and the sheet is refreshed, those dollars on this page update. Statewide 6.25% tax, gift $10, even exchange $5, new resident $90, SPV 80% floor, passenger registration base, and late penalties come from the Comptroller / TxDMV / Tax Code (the plugin fee table), not from the county sheet.
- Motor vehicle tax — Tax Code Ch. 152; Comptroller MV Sales & Use (6.25%).
- Title — Transp. Code § 501.138 ($28 / $33).
- Registration base — TxDMV Fee Chart ($50.75 plus published add-ons).
- SPV — TxDMV Standard Presumptive Value; 80% floor.
- Gifts / new resident / even exchange / inheritance — Comptroller Pub 96-254, Form 14-317, SB 2064.
Confirm with your county tax assessor-collector, comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/motor-vehicle/, and txdmv.gov before you treat an estimate as final.
Before you sign the buyer’s order
Texas TTL is a statewide 6.25% motor vehicle tax plus a short list of county title and registration fees. Title is $28 or $33. Tags start from $50.75 plus published add-ons. Private used cars can owe tax on 80% of SPV. Eligible gifts are $10. Qualifying new residents pay $90 instead of 6.25% use tax.
Run the forks — Harris vs Hidalgo, dealer vs private+SPV, new plates vs $2.50 transfer, gift vs sale — through the calculator on this page with your actual county. Then let the county tax office issue the official total on Form 130-U.
Complete reference list
- Texas Comptroller — Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax — comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/motor-vehicle/
- Publication 96-254 (including Gift guide, 3/2026)
- Form 130-U; Form 14-317; Form 14-128
- TxDMV — txdmv.gov (fees, SPV, registration)
- Tax Code Chapter 152; § 152.024 even exchange
- Transportation Code § 501.138; Chapter 502
- SB 2064 (inheritance / gift tax, effective 2025-09-01)
- Federal Reserve G.19 Consumer Credit (APR prefill only)
Disclaimer: This article and the VehicleTaxCalculator.com Texas calculator are estimates for planning. They are not affiliated with the Texas Comptroller, TxDMV, or any county tax assessor-collector. Final tax and fees are set by the county on Form 130-U. Dealer documentary fees, notary, specialty plates, inspection-station charges, and penalties may add more. Verify at https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/motor-vehicle/ and https://www.txdmv.gov/. This is not legal, tax, or lending advice.