Tennessee Tax, Title and License Calculator (TN TTL Fees 2026)

Tennessee taxes a car purchase in three parts: 7% state sales tax on the full price, local sales tax on the first $1,600 (up to 2.75%), and a 2.75% single article tax on the next $1,600. For most cars, the last two parts add up to a fixed $88 or less.

Use this tax, title and license calculator for Tennessee to estimate the full cost of a new or used car, including the title, plate and county fees. The guide below shows how each part works so you can check the numbers yourself.

Rates and fees checked against the Tennessee Department of Revenue on October 1, 2026. This is an independent estimate. Your county clerk sets the final amount.

Tennessee Vehicle Tax and Fees at a Glance

How Tennessee Car Sales Tax Works

Tennessee is unusual because local tax on a vehicle is capped. Here’s each piece:

• State sales tax: 7% on the whole taxable price.
• Local option sales tax: your local rate, up to 2.75%, on only the first $1,600. That’s $44 at most.
• State single article tax: 2.75% on the part of the price from $1,600.01 to $3,200. That’s $44 at most. Tennessee’s cap is the tightest of the states that use one. Arkansas car sales tax runs local tax to the first $2,500, which works out to about $62 at a typical rate.

Tax = (price × 7%) + ($1,600 × local rate) + ($1,600 × 2.75%)

The formula above works for any car priced at $3,200 or more. On a cheaper car, use the actual amount above $1,600 for the single article part.

What’s Taxed: Trade-Ins, Rebates and Fees

Does a trade-in lower the tax?

Yes. Tennessee taxes the difference between the sales price and the credit you get for your trade-in. A $35,000 car with a $10,000 trade-in is taxed on $25,000. Don’t count on that elsewhere. California vehicle sales tax is figured on the full $35,000, trade-in or not.

Are rebates taxed?

Yes. Tennessee figures sales tax on the full price before a manufacturer rebate, no matter when the rebate is applied. A dealer discount is different. It lowers the price, so you pay tax only on what the dealer actually gets.

A few states treat the rebate the same way as a discount. Missouri car sales tax subtracts a manufacturer rebate before the tax is figured, so the same $1,000 would cut your bill there.

Are dealer fees taxed?

Yes. Documentary and prep fees are part of the vehicle’s sales price, so they’re taxed at 7%.

How Much Is Car Tax in Tennessee?

This table assumes a 2.75% local rate. For any price of $3,200 or more, the local and single article taxes add a fixed $88.

So a $30,000 car in Tennessee costs about $2,188 in sales tax at a 2.75% local rate.

Example 1: New car from a dealer

Assumptions: $35,000 price, $699 doc fee, $1,000 manufacturer rebate, $10,000 trade-in, 2.75% local rate, financed, registered in Rutherford County.

Rutherford County’s $99.50 “new tag and title” amount includes the plate, title and local fees it charges. Other counties differ, so check your county clerk.

Example 2: Private sale

You buy a used car from a private seller for $8,000 and your local rate is 2.25%. State tax is $560, local tax is $36 and single article tax is $44, for $640. You pay it to your county clerk when you title the car.

Example 3: Cheap used car

You pay $2,500. State tax is $175. Local tax is $1,600 × 2.25% = $36. Single article tax is only on $900 ($2,500 − $1,600): $24.75. Total: $235.75.

Tennessee Title, Tag and Registration Fees

Tennessee’s title and plate costs come from a few pieces. The state portion is fixed, and your county clerk adds its own fees.

Example county totals: Rutherford County lists $99.50 for a new tag and title, $20.50 when you transfer your current plate, and $14 for a replacement title. Specialty and personalized plates cost more.

Electric vehicle and hybrid fees

These are added when you renew, on top of the $26.50 plate fee:

• Electric vehicles: $200 a year from 2024 through 2026, then $274 starting January 1, 2027, adjusted for inflation after that.
• Hybrids and plug-in hybrids: $100 a year through 2027, then adjusted for inflation starting in 2028.

Not every state charges one. Florida car sales tax has no annual electric vehicle fee at all right now, so an EV there registers for the same price as a gas car.

Private Sales and Family Transfers

Private sales are taxed the same way as dealer sales. You pay the tax to the county clerk when you apply for the title.

Family transfers are exempt

No sales tax is due when a vehicle goes to your spouse, sibling, child, grandchild, great-grandchild, parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, or the spouse of one of those lineal relatives. The “spouse of” part doesn’t extend to a sibling’s spouse.

Tennessee’s list is wide compared with most states. Illinois car sales tax charges $15 rather than exempting the transfer, and only for a spouse, parent, child or sibling — grandparents don’t qualify.

Moving to Tennessee or Buying Out of State

New residents

If you’re moving to Tennessee and bringing your own vehicle, you don’t owe Tennessee use tax on it. You’ll still pay title and plate fees at the county clerk, and you’ll surrender your out-of-state title.

Nonresidents buying in Tennessee

If you live in another state and take the car out of Tennessee within three days, you can sign a 3-day affidavit at the dealership and skip Tennessee sales tax. You’ll pay tax where you register it.

Neighbouring states run similar rules on their own clocks. Alabama tax, title and license uses a drive-out certificate instead, and gives you 72 hours to take the car out of the state.

Credit for tax paid elsewhere

Tennessee gives credit for sales or use tax paid to another state when you show proof of payment.

Active-duty military

Eligible active-duty service members stationed in Tennessee can buy a vehicle exempt from sales tax. The vehicle must be titled and registered in Tennessee in the service member’s name.

Emissions Testing

Tennessee no longer requires vehicle emissions testing in any county, and it has no safety inspection for passenger cars.

How to Use a Tax, Title and License Calculator for Tennessee by Hand

1. Start with the price and add any doc or prep fees.
2. Subtract your trade-in. Don’t subtract a manufacturer rebate.
3. Multiply by 7%.
4. Add local tax: $1,600 × your local rate.
5. Add single article tax: up to $1,600 × 2.75% ($44).
6. Add the title, clerk and plate fees from your county clerk.
7. Add $11 if you’re financing.

What This Estimate Includes

• 7% state sales tax
• Local tax on the first $1,600
• Single article tax
• Trade-in credit
• $26.50 passenger plate fee

What This Estimate Does Not Include

• Title and county clerk fees (they vary by county)
• County wheel tax
• Lien notation fee
• EV or hybrid fee (charged at renewal)
• Specialty plates, insurance and loan costs

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying the local rate to the whole price. Local tax stops at the first $1,600.
• Forgetting the single article tax. It adds up to $44.
• Subtracting the rebate. Tennessee taxes the price before rebates.
• Leaving out the doc fee. It’s part of the taxable price.
• Paying tax on a family transfer. Close relatives are exempt.
• Budgeting the EV fee at purchase. It’s charged at renewal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the sales tax on a car in Tennessee?

It’s 7% state tax on the full price, plus local tax up to 2.75% on the first $1,600 and a 2.75% single article tax on the next $1,600.

How much is tax on a $30,000 car in Tennessee?

About $2,188 at a 2.75% local rate: $2,100 state tax plus $88 in local and single article tax.

What is the Tennessee single article tax?

It’s a 2.75% state tax on the part of a single item’s price between $1,600.01 and $3,200. On a car, it’s $44 at most.

How much are title and tags in Tennessee?

The plate is $26.50 a year. The title is $11 plus county clerk fees. Some counties add a wheel tax. Rutherford County, for example, lists $99.50 for a new tag and title.

Is a tax title and license calculator TN estimate exact?

It’s close. Your county clerk sets the final amount, because clerk fees and wheel taxes vary by county.

Do I pay tax on a car from my parents in Tennessee?

No. Transfers to a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent or grandchild are exempt from sales tax.

Official Sources

• Tennessee Department of Revenue: Sales and Use Tax Guide for Automobiles and Boats
• Tennessee Department of Revenue: VR-4, Registration Fees
• Tennessee Department of Revenue: VR-5, Registration Fees for Hybrid or Electric Vehicles
• Tennessee Department of Revenue: Notice 23-14, Transportation Modernization Act of 2023
• Tennessee Department of Revenue: Notice 22-11, County Motor Vehicle Title Fee
• Tennessee Department of Revenue: LIEN-10, Fee to Note a Lien
• Rutherford County Clerk: Vehicle Titles

This page is an independent estimate tool and guide. It isn’t affiliated with the Tennessee Department of Revenue or any county clerk. Rates and fees can change, so confirm your final amount with your county clerk before you pay.