Wisconsin’s statewide sales tax is 5 percent. Most counties add a 0.5 percent county tax; baseball and football stadium districts add more in parts of southeast Wisconsin. Milwaukee County is not a northern county that never adopted county tax. This guide compares live combined totals, mentions wheel tax as a separate dollar column, and names the counties. Right now the highest combined sales-tax rate is 7.9% in City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, and the lowest is 5% in Waukesha / Winnebago. Milwaukee is 5.9%; Dane is 5.5%. If you live in Milwaukee rather than Dane, the gap is 0.4%, or $112.00 on a $28,000 taxable purchase. This guide compares 75 localities across 75 counties. Rates are sourced from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue 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
DOR sources local sales tax to the county (and stadium district) of the sale or first use. A Dane County resident does not escape Milwaukee stadium tax by shopping a Wausau dealer if the sourcing rules still point home — follow DOR’s motor-vehicle sourcing, not the lot’s marketing.
Milwaukee sits at 5.9% while Waukesha sits at 5%. If you live in Milwaukee instead of Waukesha, that is 0.9% — $252.00 on a $28,000 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 sales tax field the calculator uses.
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue — sales tax rates; motor vehicle retailers
- Wis. Stat. § 77.52 — 5 percent state sales tax; county and stadium taxes
- Wis. Stat. § 341.35 — municipal/county wheel tax (separate dollar fee)
- Wisconsin DMV — title and registration
How this state taxes (or fees) a vehicle
Wis. Stat. Chapter 77 imposes a 5 percent state sales tax and authorizes a 0.5 percent county sales tax plus special stadium taxes. Motor vehicles are registered through DMV; tax is typically paid to DOR on dealer sales (ST-12D) or at title. This article’s live figures use total tax (state + county + city/stadium as stacked on the official rate data). Some counties also levy a wheel tax — a flat registration add-on shown as a dollar column, not a percent.
Dealers file and collect. Casual sales pay at DMV/DOR as instructed. Out-of-state credit is a DOR rule.
Highest and lowest rates right now
Among localities currently loaded for Wisconsin, the maximum combined sales-tax rate is 7.9% (City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee) and the minimum is 5% (Waukesha / Winnebago). Those names are live. If a district overtakes the leader next quarter, the sentence updates automatically. On a $40,000 taxable price, the high row is $3,160.00 and the low row is $2,000.00.
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.
Southeast Wisconsin
This cluster is where many readers actually live. Milwaukee is 5.9% 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 Milwaukee rather than Waukesha, the combined sales-tax rate is 5.9% versus 5% — a gap of 0.9%. On a $28,000 taxable price that is $252.00.
A household deciding between Racine and Kenosha is not deciding between identical local bills. Racine is 5.5%; Kenosha is 5.5%. On $28,000 that is $1,540.00 versus $1,540.00, a cash gap of $0.00.
If you live in Washington rather than Ozaukee, the combined sales-tax rate is 5.5% versus 5.5% — a gap of 0%. On a $28,000 taxable price that is $0.00.
From one end of this cluster to the other — Milwaukee versus Walworth — the combined sales-tax rate runs 5.9% against 5.5%, a gap of 0.4% or $160.00 on $40,000.
Named in this section: Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: Milwaukee versus Waukesha
Scenario: Two buyers each pay $28,000 for the same used SUV. One titles in Milwaukee (5.9%); the other titles in Waukesha (5%).
Milwaukee combined sales-tax rate (5.9%): $1,652.00
Waukesha combined sales-tax rate (5%): $1,400.00
Gap if you live in Milwaukee rather than Waukesha: $252.00
The statewide pieces discussed above do not create this gap. The local combined sales tax does.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: Same two places, but the car is only $3,900. Local tax still applies to the taxable price (there is no Florida-style $5,000 surtax cap in Wisconsin unless a separate statute says otherwise).
$3,900 in Waukesha: $195.00
$40,000 in Milwaukee: $2,360.00
$40,000 in Waukesha: $2,000.00
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.
South-central
This cluster is where many readers actually live. Dane is 5.5% in the current official rates. The comparisons that follow keep names in the sentence and live amounts in the same sentence.
Cross from Rock into Dane and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 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 — Dane versus Jefferson — the combined sales-tax rate runs 5.5% against 5.5%, a gap of 0% or $0.00 on $40,000.
Named in this section: Dane, Jefferson, Rock. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: Dane versus Rock
Scenario: Two buyers each pay $28,000 for the same used SUV. One titles in Dane (5.5%); the other titles in Rock (5.5%).
Dane combined sales-tax rate (5.5%): $1,540.00
Rock combined sales-tax rate (5.5%): $1,540.00
Gap if you live in Dane rather than Rock: $0.00
The statewide pieces discussed above do not create this gap. The local combined sales tax does.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: Same two places, but the car is only $3,900. Local tax still applies to the taxable price (there is no Florida-style $5,000 surtax cap in Wisconsin unless a separate statute says otherwise).
$3,900 in Rock: $214.50
$40,000 in Dane: $2,200.00
$40,000 in Rock: $2,200.00
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.
Northeast and Fox Valley
This cluster is where many readers actually live. Brown is 5.5% 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 Brown and Outagamie is not deciding between identical local bills. Brown is 5.5%; Outagamie is 5.5%. On $28,000 that is $1,540.00 versus $1,540.00, a cash gap of $0.00.
If you live in Winnebago rather than Fond du Lac, the combined sales-tax rate is 5% versus 5.5% — a gap of 0.5%. On a $28,000 taxable price that is $140.00.
From one end of this cluster to the other — Brown versus Sheboygan — the combined sales-tax rate runs 5.5% against 5.5%, a gap of 0% or $0.00 on $40,000.
Named in this section: Brown, Fond du Lac, Outagamie, Sheboygan, Winnebago. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: Brown versus Outagamie
Scenario: Two buyers each pay $28,000 for the same used SUV. One titles in Brown (5.5%); the other titles in Outagamie (5.5%).
Brown combined sales-tax rate (5.5%): $1,540.00
Outagamie combined sales-tax rate (5.5%): $1,540.00
Gap if you live in Brown rather than Outagamie: $0.00
The statewide pieces discussed above do not create this gap. The local combined sales tax does.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: Same two places, but the car is only $3,900. Local tax still applies to the taxable price (there is no Florida-style $5,000 surtax cap in Wisconsin unless a separate statute says otherwise).
$3,900 in Outagamie: $214.50
$40,000 in Brown: $2,200.00
$40,000 in Outagamie: $2,200.00
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.
West and north-central
This cluster is where many readers actually live. La Crosse is 5.5% in the current official rates. The comparisons that follow keep names in the sentence and live amounts in the same sentence.
La Crosse is currently 5.5%; Eau Claire is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $28,000 vehicle. If you live in La Crosse, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Eau Claire.
Cross from Portage into Marathon and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 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 — La Crosse versus St. Croix — the combined sales-tax rate runs 5.5% against 5.5%, a gap of 0% or $0.00 on $40,000.
Named in this section: Eau Claire, La Crosse, Marathon, Portage, St. Croix. Other rows that belong to the same counties still live in the appendix table.
Example 1: La Crosse versus Eau Claire
Scenario: Two buyers each pay $28,000 for the same used SUV. One titles in La Crosse (5.5%); the other titles in Eau Claire (5.5%).
La Crosse combined sales-tax rate (5.5%): $1,540.00
Eau Claire combined sales-tax rate (5.5%): $1,540.00
Gap if you live in La Crosse rather than Eau Claire: $0.00
The statewide pieces discussed above do not create this gap. The local combined sales tax does.
Example 2: A cheaper vehicle and a dearer one
Scenario: Same two places, but the car is only $3,900. Local tax still applies to the taxable price (there is no Florida-style $5,000 surtax cap in Wisconsin unless a separate statute says otherwise).
$3,900 in Eau Claire: $214.50
$40,000 in La Crosse: $2,200.00
$40,000 in Eau Claire: $2,200.00
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 75 distinct county/parish labels and 75 total rows. Names, as printed:
Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, City of Milwaukee, Washington, City of Milwaukee, Waukesha, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood.
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 Dane into Milwaukee and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.9%. That 0.4% swing is $160.00 on a $40,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Waukesha is currently 5%; Brown is 5.5%. The difference is 0.5%, or $200.00 on a $40,000 vehicle. If you live in Waukesha, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Brown.
Cross from Outagamie into Racine and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $40,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Winnebago is currently 5%; Kenosha is 5.5%. The difference is 0.5%, or $200.00 on a $40,000 vehicle. If you live in Winnebago, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Kenosha.
Cross from Washington into Rock and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $40,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Marathon is currently 5.5%; La Crosse is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $40,000 vehicle. If you live in Marathon, that is the extra (or the savings) versus La Crosse.
Cross from Walworth into Eau Claire and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $40,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Ozaukee is currently 5.5%; Portage is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $40,000 vehicle. If you live in Ozaukee, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Portage.
Cross from Sheboygan into Fond du Lac and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $40,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
St. Croix is currently 5.5%; Jefferson is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $40,000 vehicle. If you live in St. Croix, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Jefferson.
Cross from Ashland into Adams and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $40,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Barron is currently 5.5%; Bayfield is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $40,000 vehicle. If you live in Barron, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Bayfield.
A longer tour of named places
One more pass across named places, still in comparison sentences, still live:
Adams is currently 5.5%; Ashland is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $28,000 vehicle. If you live in Adams, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Ashland.
Cross from Bayfield into Barron and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Brown is currently 5.5%; Buffalo is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $28,000 vehicle. If you live in Brown, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Buffalo.
Cross from Calumet into Burnett and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Chippewa is currently 5.5%; Clark is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $28,000 vehicle. If you live in Chippewa, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Clark.
Cross from Crawford into Columbia and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Dane is currently 5.5%; Dodge is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $28,000 vehicle. If you live in Dane, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Dodge.
Cross from Douglas into Door and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Dunn is currently 5.5%; Eau Claire is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $28,000 vehicle. If you live in Dunn, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Eau Claire.
Cross from Fond du Lac into Florence and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Forest is currently 5.5%; Grant is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $28,000 vehicle. If you live in Forest, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Grant.
Cross from Green Lake into Green and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Iowa is currently 5.5%; Iron is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $28,000 vehicle. If you live in Iowa, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Iron.
Cross from Jefferson into Jackson and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Juneau is currently 5.5%; Kenosha is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $28,000 vehicle. If you live in Juneau, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Kenosha.
Cross from La Crosse into Kewaunee and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 purchase — large enough to notice on a buyer’s order, small next to a statewide percentage if the gap is thin.
Lafayette is currently 5.5%; Langlade is 5.5%. The difference is 0%, or $0.00 on a $28,000 vehicle. If you live in Lafayette, that is the extra (or the savings) versus Langlade.
Cross from Manitowoc into Lincoln and the combined sales-tax rate moves from 5.5% to 5.5%. That 0% swing is $0.00 on a $28,000 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: $28,000 in Milwaukee
Scenario: Taxable or assessed amount $28,000 in Milwaukee.
Combined sales-tax rate 5.9%
Result: $1,652.00
Same amount in Dane (5.5%): $1,540.00
Gap: $112.00
This is the local (or combined) rate line only.
Complete example B: $40,000 in Dane
Scenario: Step the amount to $40,000 and keep the same two places.
Milwaukee: $2,360.00
Gap: $160.00
Percentage and millage gaps scale with the base. Flat-fee states in this series do not.
What these rates do not include
DMV title fees and the annual registration fee (aside from wheel tax) are not included in these combined sales-tax comparisons.
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue — sales tax rates; motor vehicle retailers
- Wis. Stat. § 77.52 — 5 percent state sales tax; county and stadium taxes
- Wis. Stat. § 341.35 — municipal/county wheel tax (separate dollar fee)
- Wisconsin DMV — title and registration
Common questions
Does every county have the 0.5 percent county tax? No. The current official rates shows who adopted it. Northern counties without county tax sit closer to the 5 percent floor.
Is city tax a third percentage? On this export, some rows include a city or stadium component inside total tax. Read the combined live rates, not a mental 5 + 0.5 only.
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. Milwaukee still pays 5.9% 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 Wisconsin Department of Revenue 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.
| County | Total sales tax |
|---|---|
| Adams | 5.5% |
| Ashland | 5.5% |
| Barron | 5.5% |
| Bayfield | 5.5% |
| Brown | 5.5% |
| Buffalo | 5.5% |
| Burnett | 5.5% |
| Calumet | 5.5% |
| Chippewa | 5.5% |
| Clark | 5.5% |
| Columbia | 5.5% |
| Crawford | 5.5% |
| Dane | 5.5% |
| Dodge | 5.5% |
| Door | 5.5% |
| Douglas | 5.5% |
| Dunn | 5.5% |
| Eau Claire | 5.5% |
| Florence | 5.5% |
| Fond du Lac | 5.5% |
| Forest | 5.5% |
| Grant | 5.5% |
| Green | 5.5% |
| Green Lake | 5.5% |
| Iowa | 5.5% |
| Iron | 5.5% |
| Jackson | 5.5% |
| Jefferson | 5.5% |
| Juneau | 5.5% |
| Kenosha | 5.5% |
| Kewaunee | 5.5% |
| La Crosse | 5.5% |
| Lafayette | 5.5% |
| Langlade | 5.5% |
| Lincoln | 5.5% |
| Manitowoc | 5.5% |
| Marathon | 5.5% |
| Marinette | 5.5% |
| Marquette | 5.5% |
| Menominee | 5.5% |
| Milwaukee | 5.9% |
| City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee | 7.9% |
| Monroe | 5.5% |
| Oconto | 5.5% |
| Oneida | 5.5% |
| Outagamie | 5.5% |
| Ozaukee | 5.5% |
| Pepin | 5.5% |
| Pierce | 5.5% |
| Polk | 5.5% |
| Portage | 5.5% |
| Price | 5.5% |
| Racine | 5.5% |
| Richland | 5.5% |
| Rock | 5.5% |
| Rusk | 5.5% |
| St. Croix | 5.5% |
| Sauk | 5.5% |
| Sawyer | 5.5% |
| Shawano | 5.5% |
| Sheboygan | 5.5% |
| Taylor | 5.5% |
| Trempealeau | 5.5% |
| Vernon | 5.5% |
| Vilas | 5.5% |
| Walworth | 5.5% |
| Washburn | 5.5% |
| Washington | 5.5% |
| City of Milwaukee, Washington | 7.5% |
| Waukesha | 5% |
| City of Milwaukee, Waukesha | 7% |
| Waupaca | 5.5% |
| Waushara | 5.5% |
| Winnebago | 5% |
| Wood | 5.5% |
Conclusion
Wisconsin does not have one vehicle-tax number. Milwaukee is 5.9%; Dane is 5.5%; the live high is 7.9% and the live low is 5%. If you live in the high place, you feel it on a $28,000 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
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue — sales tax rates; motor vehicle retailers
- Wis. Stat. § 77.52 — 5 percent state sales tax; county and stadium taxes
- Wis. Stat. § 341.35 — municipal/county wheel tax (separate dollar fee)
- Wisconsin DMV — title and registration
This guide is an educational estimator. It is not legal, tax, or DMV advice. Figures shown inline are sourced from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue 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.