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Massachusetts · RMV

Massachusetts Vehicle Registration & Title Fees 2026 (Calculator)

Massachusetts charges 6.25% sales tax, a $75 title and $60 for a two-year registration — plus a yearly excise of $25 per $1,000 of value, billed by your city or town.

Checked against official sources on September 24, 2026 · Sources

What are you doing?

$
$

Leave at 0 if you're not trading in.

Used for the excise tax, which drops as the vehicle ages.

$

The excise is based on list price when new, not what you paid.

Due at the DMV

$2,010

Then about $750 a year to renew

  • The yearly excise is billed separately by your city or town, not paid at the RMV.
  • The yearly safety and emissions inspection is paid at the inspection station.

Estimate only. Fees from Massachusetts's official fee schedules; confirm the final amount with the agency before you pay.

Massachusetts vehicle fees at a glance

Sales / use tax Dealers subtract trade-ins; private sales use the higher of price or book value 6.25%
Certificate of title $75
Passenger registration $60 / 2 yrs
Motorcycle registration $20/yr
Transfer registration to a new car $25
Motor vehicle excise Of 90% → 60% → 40% → 25% → 10% of list price as the car ages $25 per $1,000

How Massachusetts calculates it

Sales tax: 6.25% of the price. Dealers subtract your trade-in; in a private sale there's no trade-in credit and tax is on the higher of what you paid or the car's clean trade-in (book) value, adjusted for mileage.

The excise is the ongoing cost. Every year your city or town bills an excise of $25 per $1,000 of value. The value is a fixed share of the manufacturer's list price: 90% in the model year, 60% the next year, 40%, 25%, then 10% from the fifth year on. A $32,000 car owes about $720 in its first year and $80 a year once it's five years old.

Registration is $60 for two years for a standard passenger plate, and the title is $75.

Moving to Massachusetts? Use tax is only due if you bought the vehicle less than six months before bringing it here, and states with reciprocal agreements get credit for tax you already paid.

What to bring

  • The title (or registration and bill of sale for vehicles exempt by age)
  • An insurance-stamped Registration and Title Application (RMV-1) from your insurer
  • Proof of identity and Massachusetts residency
  • A safety and emissions inspection within 7 days of registering

Massachusetts registration questions

How much does it cost to register a car in Massachusetts?
For a $30,000 car from a dealer: $1,875 sales tax, $75 title and $60 two-year registration — about $2,010. Your town then bills the yearly excise.
How is the Massachusetts excise tax calculated?
$25 per $1,000 of value, where value is a percentage of the list price: 90% in the model year, then 60%, 40%, 25% and 10% from the fifth year.
Is there sales tax on a private car sale in Massachusetts?
Yes — 6.25% of the higher of the sale price or the vehicle’s clean trade-in value. Trade-ins don’t reduce it in private sales.
How much is a title in Massachusetts?
$75. You must apply within 10 days of buying the vehicle.

Sources

All figures on this page were checked against these sources on September 24, 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.

  1. 1. Mass.gov — Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Fees
  2. 2. Mass.gov — Apply for a certificate of title
  3. 3. Mass. DOR — Motor Vehicle and Trailer Sales and Use Tax
  4. 4. Mass. DOR — Motor Vehicle Excise