Missouri Vehicle Tax Calculator: Sales Tax, Title & License Fees

Missouri charges a 4.225% state sales tax on cars, trucks and motorcycles, plus the local sales tax where you live. Your home address sets the local rate, not the dealer’s location. In many Missouri cities, the combined rate lands around 8% to 9%.

Use this Missouri vehicle sales tax calculator to estimate the tax on a new or used car, from a dealer or a private seller. It also adds the title fee, plate fee and processing fees. You can use it as a Missouri auto sales tax calculator before you sign, so the license office bill has no surprises.

Rates and fees checked against the Missouri Department of Revenue on October 1, 2026. This is an independent estimate, not an official government quote.

Missouri Vehicle Tax and Fees at a Glance

Missouri Vehicle Sales Tax Rate

The Missouri vehicle sales tax has two parts. The state part is always 4.225%. The local part depends on the city, county and special districts at your home address when you apply for the title.

That means two people buying the same car at the same dealer can pay different tax. A buyer who lives in Kansas City and a buyer who lives in a rural county will see different totals, even on identical deals.

How much that address matters depends on the state. Tennessee car sales tax caps local tax at the first $1,600 of the price, so where you live there changes the bill by $44 at most.

Example local vehicle tax rates

These local rates come from the Department of Revenue’s motor vehicle sales tax rate chart (February–March 2024 edition). Local rates change, so check the DOR tax calculator with your exact address before you buy.

Be careful with online city sales tax tables. Some show rates near 12% because they include shopping-district taxes that apply to store purchases. Your vehicle tax follows the DOR vehicle chart for your home address, which is usually lower.

How Missouri Car Sales Tax Is Calculated

Sales tax = (price − trade-in − rebate) × (4.225% + your local rate)

Missouri taxes the purchase price after a few allowed deductions. Here is how each one works.

Does a trade-in lower the tax?

Yes. When you trade a vehicle to the dealer, you pay tax only on the difference. Buy a $30,000 car with a $10,000 trade-in, and you’re taxed on $20,000. If your trade-in is worth more than the new car, no sales tax is due on the purchase.

The 180-day rule

Missouri gives a break even when you sell your old car yourself. If you sell a vehicle within 180 days before or after you buy another one, you owe tax only on the difference between the purchase price and the sale price.

Sold your old car privately after you already paid full tax? You can ask the Department of Revenue for a refund of the extra tax. Keep the bill of sale and the title showing the sale date.

The window is tighter elsewhere. Arkansas vehicle sales tax runs the same idea on 60 days, and only 45 days if you’re claiming it back as a refund.

Are rebates taxed in Missouri?

No. When a manufacturer rebate is offered, Missouri figures the tax on the price minus the rebate. A $2,000 factory rebate on a $35,000 car means you’re taxed on $33,000. The DOR’s own calculator also tells buyers to subtract rebates before entering the price.

Missouri is in the minority on this. Florida car sales tax is figured on the full price, so the same $2,000 rebate wouldn’t save you a cent in tax there.

How Much Is Car Sales Tax in Missouri?

This car sales tax calculator Missouri table shows the tax at a sample combined rate of 8.225% (4.225% state plus 4% local), with no trade-in.

So a $30,000 car in Missouri costs about $2,467.50 in sales tax at an 8.225% combined rate. Swap in your own local rate for a closer number.

Example 1: Dealer purchase with a trade-in and rebate

Assumptions: $32,000 price, $10,000 trade-in, $1,500 manufacturer rebate, 4% local rate, gas car in the 12–23 taxable horsepower band (most 4-cylinder engines), one-year plates.

Personal property tax comes later, billed by your county. Dealer fees aren’t included.

Example 2: Using the 180-day rule

You buy a $30,000 car and, two months later, sell your old car privately for $12,000. You owe tax on $18,000 instead of $30,000. At 8.225%, that’s $1,480.50 instead of $2,467.50, a savings of $987.

Example 3: Private-party used car

You pay a private seller $8,000 and live in an area with a 4% local rate. Tax is $8,000 × 8.225% = $658, paid at the license office when you title the car.

Buying a Car From a Private Seller in Missouri

Yes, private sales are taxed. You pay the same 4.225% plus your local rate, based on the price you paid. The seller doesn’t collect it. You pay it at a Missouri license office when you apply for the title.

A trade-in allowance only counts with a dealer. But the 180-day rule still works in a private deal. If you sold your own vehicle within 180 days, the sale price can lower your taxable amount.

Private sales work very differently across the river. Illinois private party vehicle use tax is a flat amount from a state chart rather than a percentage, so the price you paid barely matters.

Bring these to the license office:

• The title signed over to you, with the purchase price
• Form 108, Application for Missouri Title and License
• Proof of insurance
• A safety inspection, if the vehicle needs one (see below)
• An emissions inspection, if you live in the St. Louis area
• Your paid personal property tax receipt or a statement of non-assessment, for new plates

Missouri Title Fees and Deadlines

A Missouri title costs $8.50, plus a $9 title processing fee, for $17.50 total. Dealers often handle the paperwork, but the tax and fees are still due when the title is applied for.

You have 30 days from the purchase date to title the vehicle and pay the sales tax. Some qualifying dealers that use a delayed-delivery agreement give you 60 days. After that, the late penalty is $25 for each 30 days, up to $200.

Missouri Registration and Plate Fees

Missouri bases plate fees for cars on taxable horsepower, a number figured from the engine size. It’s not the same as the horsepower in an ad. Your title application or the DOR can tell you the band.

Every state picks its own yardstick for this. Iowa vehicle registration uses the car’s original sticker price and its weight, so two cars with the same engine can pay very different amounts.

Add a $9 registration processing fee for one year or $18 for two years. Two-wheel motorcycles pay $8.75 a year. If you move plates from a car you sold, there’s a $2 transfer fee plus $9 processing.

Do You Need a Safety or Emissions Inspection?

A safety inspection isn’t needed if your vehicle is less than 11 years old and has under 150,000 miles. Older or high-mileage vehicles need one, and it can’t be more than 60 days old when you title or register.

An emissions test is required if you live in St. Louis City or St. Louis, St. Charles or Jefferson County. Brand-new vehicles titled with a manufacturer’s statement of origin don’t need one at first registration.

Missouri Car Tax: Personal Property Tax

Many people searching “Missouri car tax” mean the yearly personal property tax. This is separate from sales tax. Your county assessor values your vehicle each year, and the county collector sends the bill.

You need proof it’s paid. To get new plates, bring last year’s paid personal property tax receipt or a statement of non-assessment from your county or the City of St. Louis. You’ll need a paid receipt again each time you renew.

Several states run a version of this under another name. Alabama ad valorem tax is collected with your tag each year instead of being billed separately, which catches people out when the renewal notice arrives.

Electric Vehicle and Plug-In Hybrid Fees

Missouri doesn’t charge a higher sales tax on electric cars. EVs pay the same 4.225% plus local. EVs also fall in the lowest plate band ($18.25 a year).

Instead, owners buy a special fuel decal every year, by January 31. It replaces the fuel tax that gas drivers pay at the pump. For passenger vehicles in 2026:

• Electric vehicle: $150 + $9 processing
• Plug-in hybrid (model year 2018 and newer): $75 + $9 processing
• Regular hybrids that don’t plug in: no decal

These amounts went up each year from 2022 through 2026 under state law, so older articles often list lower figures.

Buying Out of State or Moving to Missouri

Missouri residents buying in another state

You owe Missouri tax when you title the car here. Missouri reduces it by any sales tax you already paid to the other state. If that state’s tax was lower, you pay the difference.

The local part may follow your area’s local use tax rate instead of its local sales tax rate. That’s why the DOR calculator asks whether you bought from a Missouri dealer.

New residents

If your vehicle was registered in another state for at least 90 days before you register it in Missouri, no Missouri sales tax is due. You still pay title, plate and processing fees, and you need a safety inspection if the vehicle doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

Gifts and Special Cases

• Gifts: A vehicle given as a true gift between individuals isn’t taxed. You’ll need a signed gift statement.
• Temporary permit: Up to $5 plus a $9 processing fee, valid 30 days (60 with some qualifying dealers). Only one per vehicle.
• Paying by card: License offices add 2% plus $0.25 per card transaction.

How to Use a Car Sales Tax in Missouri Calculator by Hand

1. Start with the purchase price.
2. Subtract your trade-in, any manufacturer rebate, and the sale price of a vehicle you sold within 180 days.
3. Find your local rate for your home address, then add 4.225%.
4. Multiply the taxable price by that combined rate.
5. Add $17.50 for the title and title processing.
6. Add your plate fee by taxable horsepower, plus $9 processing.
7. Add $159 for an EV decal or $84 for a plug-in hybrid decal.

The total is your estimated Missouri tax, title and license. Personal property tax and dealer fees come on top.

What This Estimate Includes

• State sales tax (4.225%) and local sales tax for your address
• Trade-in and rebate deductions
• Title fee and title processing fee
• Registration fee by engine size and registration processing fee
• EV or plug-in hybrid decal fee

What This Estimate Does Not Include

• Personal property tax (billed by your county)
• Safety and emissions inspection fees
• Dealer documentation fees and add-ons
• Specialty or personalized plates
• Late title penalties
• Insurance, loan interest and extended warranties

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using the dealer’s city rate. Your local rate comes from your home address.
• Using a 12% city rate from a general sales tax table. Vehicle rates follow the DOR vehicle chart.
• Forgetting the 180-day rule. Selling your old car yourself can still cut your tax.
• Taxing the price before the rebate. Missouri taxes the price after a manufacturer rebate.
• Missing the 30-day deadline. The penalty starts at $25 and builds to $200.
• Skipping the personal property tax receipt. No receipt, no new plates.
• Using old EV fees. The 2026 decal is $150 for EVs and $75 for plug-in hybrids, plus $9 each.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Missouri vehicle sales tax rate?

The state rate is 4.225%. Your city, county and districts add a local rate based on your home address, so many city buyers pay around 8% to 9% in total.

How much is Missouri car sales tax on a $30,000 car?

At an 8.225% combined rate, it’s $2,467.50. With a $10,000 trade-in, it drops to $1,645.

Is Missouri auto sales tax based on where I live?

Yes. The local part uses the rate at your home address when you apply for the title, not where the dealer is.

Does Missouri tax rebates on cars?

No. A manufacturer rebate comes off the price before the tax is figured.

Do I pay sales tax on a private car sale in Missouri?

Yes. You pay 4.225% plus your local rate at the license office when you title the car, within 30 days.

How much is a title and plates in Missouri?

The title is $8.50 plus $9 processing. Plates run $18.25 to $51.25 a year by taxable horsepower, plus $9 processing.

What is the penalty for paying Missouri vehicle tax late?

There’s a $25 penalty on the 31st day, plus $25 for every 30 days after that, up to $200.

Is the Missouri car tax the same as sales tax?

No. Sales tax is paid once when you buy. Personal property tax is a separate yearly tax your county bills based on the vehicle’s value.

Official Sources

• Missouri Department of Revenue: Buying a Vehicle (dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/titling-registration/buying-vehicle.html)
• Missouri Department of Revenue: Form 5687, A Guide to Missouri Buying a Vehicle (revised 04-2026)
• Missouri Department of Revenue: Motor Vehicle Fees (dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/titling-registration/fees.html)
• Missouri Department of Revenue: Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Calculator (dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/sales-tax-calculator.html)
• Missouri Department of Revenue: Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Rate Chart
• Missouri Department of Revenue: Special Fuel Decals (dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/fuel-decals.html)
• 12 CSR 10-103.350, Sales Tax on Motor Vehicles
• RSMo 142.869, special fuel decal fees

This page is an independent estimate tool and guide. It isn’t affiliated with the Missouri Department of Revenue or any county office. Rates and fees can change, so confirm your final amount with a Missouri license office before you pay. We log every change on our rate and fee updates page.