Nebraska car sales tax calculator
The sales and use tax in Nebraska is the state’s 5.50% plus a local rate that depends on the place, of the taxable amount.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
By Mr. Voltage · Data checked Oct 3, 2026 · Page changed Oct 30, 2026
Where will you register the car?
Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska
Example quotes. Pick your place and type yours. Example: three quotes on one car in Harris County, Nebraska. Pick your own place and type your quotes.
Your deals at a glance
| Deal | Payment | All-in |
|---|---|---|
| $590.35a month | $40,420.94so far | |
| $533.04a month | $43,378.83so far | |
| $577.64a month | $39,658.37so far |
Estimate. Your dealer’s buyer’s order and your lender’s disclosures are the numbers that count. Check them against this.
Your numbers stay in this browser.
$590.35 a month · 60 payments
All-in $40,420.94 so far
$533.04 a month · 72 payments
All-in $43,378.83 so far
$577.64 a month · 60 payments
All-in $39,658.37 so far
Out-the-door $35,609.70 so far
so far: not including a doc fee yet. Enter your dealer’s.
Estimate. Your dealer’s buyer’s order and your lender’s disclosures are the numbers that count. Check them against this.
Out-the-door $36,353.35 so far
so far: not including a doc fee yet. Enter your dealer’s.
Estimate. Your dealer’s buyer’s order and your lender’s disclosures are the numbers that count. Check them against this.
Out-the-door $36,093.20 so far
so far: not including a doc fee yet. Enter your dealer’s.
Estimate. Your dealer’s buyer’s order and your lender’s disclosures are the numbers that count. Check them against this.
New · 2026 · Gas · change
New or used
The sheet starts with a new car; each deal sets its own
Model year
A new car is the current or next model year
Fuel
Gas car. An all-electric car pays a $150 yearly alternative fuel fee and a plug-in hybrid $75; a hybrid pays none
Tires
Four tires and a spare: the fee counts each tire including the spare; four if the car has a repair kit instead
Sticker price (MSRP)
The research’s test car: the 2026 Tucson SEL FWD’s factory price without the $1,400 destination
Plate
Assumes new plates. Moving the plates from a car you trade in saves the $8.20 and can carry over its unused registration
New · 2026 · Gas · change
New or used
The sheet starts with a new car; each deal sets its own
Model year
A new car is the current or next model year
Fuel
Gas car. An all-electric car pays a $150 yearly alternative fuel fee and a plug-in hybrid $75; a hybrid pays none
Tires
Four tires and a spare: the fee counts each tire including the spare; four if the car has a repair kit instead
Sticker price (MSRP)
The research’s test car: the 2026 Tucson SEL FWD’s factory price without the $1,400 destination
Plate
Assumes new plates. Moving the plates from a car you trade in saves the $8.20 and can carry over its unused registration
New · 2026 · Gas · change
New or used
The sheet starts with a new car; each deal sets its own
Model year
A new car is the current or next model year
Fuel
Gas car. An all-electric car pays a $150 yearly alternative fuel fee and a plug-in hybrid $75; a hybrid pays none
Tires
Four tires and a spare: the fee counts each tire including the spare; four if the car has a repair kit instead
Sticker price (MSRP)
The research’s test car: the 2026 Tucson SEL FWD’s factory price without the $1,400 destination
Plate
Assumes new plates. Moving the plates from a car you trade in saves the $8.20 and can carry over its unused registration
Nebraska law sets no figure for this fee.
Nebraska calls it a documentation fee.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
Nebraska law sets no figure for this fee.
Nebraska calls it a documentation fee.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
Nebraska law sets no figure for this fee.
Nebraska calls it a documentation fee.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 · figures pulled Oct 20, 2026
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 · figures pulled Oct 20, 2026
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 · figures pulled Oct 20, 2026
- No cap on the dealer’s documentation fee.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- No minimum or maximum tax, and no cap on the local tax.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- No emissions test, and no inspection for a new car or one with a Nebraska title.
dmv.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- A Good Life District’s rate does not apply to a car.
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- No cap on the dealer’s documentation fee.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- No minimum or maximum tax, and no cap on the local tax.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- No emissions test, and no inspection for a new car or one with a Nebraska title.
dmv.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- A Good Life District’s rate does not apply to a car.
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- No cap on the dealer’s documentation fee.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- No minimum or maximum tax, and no cap on the local tax.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- No emissions test, and no inspection for a new car or one with a Nebraska title.
dmv.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
- A Good Life District’s rate does not apply to a car.
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
Your $5,000.00 down covers the $2,909.70 in tax and fees first; $2,090.30 goes toward the price.
Your $5,000.00 down covers the $2,958.35 in tax and fees first; $2,041.65 goes toward the price.
Your $5,000.00 down covers the $2,843.20 in tax and fees first; $2,156.80 goes toward the price.
Illustrative rate, not a quote. Your APR depends on your credit, the term, the vehicle and the lender.
Illustrative rate, not a quote. Your APR depends on your credit, the term, the vehicle and the lender.
Illustrative rate, not a quote. Your APR depends on your credit, the term, the vehicle and the lender.
60 payments, last $590.29
72 payments, last $532.99
60 payments, last $577.61
cash down plus every payment
cash down plus every payment
cash down plus every payment
Estimate. Your dealer’s buyer’s order and your lender’s disclosures are the numbers that count. Check them against this.
Estimate. Your dealer’s buyer’s order and your lender’s disclosures are the numbers that count. Check them against this.
Estimate. Your dealer’s buyer’s order and your lender’s disclosures are the numbers that count. Check them against this.
6 charges this total leaves out
6 charges this total leaves out
6 charges this total leaves out
What’s different in Nebraska
Nebraska calls it the sales and use tax.
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
A trade-in comes off the amount taxed at its full value, so only the difference is taxed.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
Negative equity rolled into the new loan is not taxed.
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
Nebraska’s law sets no figure for the documentation fee.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
Every year at registration, Nebraska adds a motor vehicle tax worked from the car’s price when new, without destination, and its age, not from the price paid. A new car priced between $30,000 and $31,999 pays $500 in its first year.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
Worked examples
Each line below is worked by the same engine as the calculator, on the day this page was built (Nov 11, 2026).
A new car with a trade-in and negative equity
A new car at $32,700.00, with a trade-in allowed at $10,000.00 and $13,000.00 still owed, $5,000.00 down, financed at 5.90% for 60 months, bought from a dealer and registered in Nebraska’s example market.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Price | $32,700.00 |
| Trade-in allowance | $10,000.00 |
| Still owed on the trade-in | $13,000.00 |
| Equity (negative if you owe more than it is worth) | −$3,000.00 |
| Total sales price for the sales tax revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $22,700.00 |
| Nebraska and local sales tax nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $1,589.00 |
| Title fee nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $10.00 |
| Lien notation fee nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $7.00 |
| Registration fee nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $15.00 |
| State registration add-ons nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $4.00 |
| County fee nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $1.50 |
| License plates (two at $4.10) dmv.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $8.20 |
| Motor vehicle tax (by the factory price and the car’s age) nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $500.00 |
| Motor vehicle fee (by the factory price and the car’s age) nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $20.00 |
| City wheel tax library.municode.com · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $50.00 |
| Tire fee nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $5.00 |
| Out-the-door price | $34,909.70 |
| Cash down | $5,000.00 |
| Amount financed | $32,909.70 |
| Monthly payment | $634.71 |
| Interest over the loan | $5,172.70 |
| Total paid, interest included | $43,082.40 |
A used car from a dealer
A used car, model year 2022, at $21,500.00, $5,000.00 down, financed at 5.90% for 60 months, bought from a dealer and registered in Nebraska’s example market.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Price | $21,500.00 |
| Total sales price for the sales tax revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $21,500.00 |
| Nebraska and local sales tax nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $1,505.00 |
| Title fee nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $10.00 |
| Lien notation fee nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $7.00 |
| Registration fee nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $15.00 |
| State registration add-ons nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $4.00 |
| County fee nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $1.50 |
| License plates (two at $4.10) dmv.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $8.20 |
| City wheel tax library.municode.com · checked Oct 3, 2026 | $50.00 |
| Motor vehicle tax (by the factory price and the car’s age): needs the car’s sticker price (MSRP), which this example doesn’t give | Not included |
| Motor vehicle fee (by the factory price and the car’s age): needs the car’s sticker price (MSRP), which this example doesn’t give | Not included |
| Out-the-door price | $23,100.70 |
| Cash down | $5,000.00 |
| Amount financed | $18,100.70 |
| Monthly payment | $349.10 |
| Interest over the loan | $2,845.08 |
| Total paid, interest included | $25,945.78 |
The rules in Nebraska
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Name of the tax | sales and use tax revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Nebraska and local sales tax | worked by the calculator from the rule of the taxable amount nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| What is taxed | Taxed: the vehicle price, the doc fee, other dealer fees on the order, accessories fitted before delivery, protection packages, loose items sold with the car, service contracts, prepaid maintenance and GAP. Not taxed: government fees. revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Trade-in | A trade-in comes off the amount taxed at its full value, so only the difference is taxed. nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Maker’s rebate | A maker’s rebate lowers the amount taxed. revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Dealer discount | A dealer discount lowers the amount taxed. revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Negative equity | Negative equity rolled into the loan is not taxed. revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Doc fee | The law sets no figure for the documentation fee. nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Title fee | $10.00 nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Registration fee | $15.00 a year nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| State registration add-ons | $4.00 a year nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Motor vehicle fee | $5 a year under $20,000 of value when new; $20 from $20,000 through $39,999; $30 above $39,999. From $20,000 up it falls to .70 in years 6 to 10 and .35 from year 11. nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Private-party purchase | Yes. The 5.5% plus the local rate on the price paid, at the county within 30 days. No tire fee. revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Tax paid to another state | The total sales tax paid in the other state is credited toward the Nebraska state and local tax. Nothing is refunded if the other state’s tax was higher. revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| New resident | No sales tax on a car already licensed in another state. The $10 title, a $10 VIN inspection, registration, the motor vehicle tax and fee and any local wheel tax are due within 30 days. revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Electric and hybrid vehicle fees | $150 a year for a battery-electric or hydrogen passenger car and $75 for a plug-in hybrid, at each registration. Nothing extra for a conventional hybrid. nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Finance rate ceiling | An installment sales contract may carry a rate agreed in writing up to 18% a year. nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
| Interest rate markup | No Nebraska limit on a dealer’s markup over the buy rate was found. Only the overall rate ceiling on installment sales contracts applies. nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026 |
What has changed
· Watching: Multi-year registration on a DMV date, and one plate instead of two with new plates from 2029, On or before 2029-01-01; the plate fee may change with the 2029 plates.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
· Watching: Local sales tax rates change only on the first day of a quarter; the Department of Revenue posts the next quarter’s rate file the month before, The next possible change is 2027-01-01.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
· The rules on this page start here. Nothing earlier is loaded.
Questions people ask
How does Nebraska tax a car, and who collects it?
Nebraska charges its sales and use tax on a car: the state’s 5.5% plus the local rate where the car is registered, which is the buyer’s address, not the dealer’s. In Omaha the local part is 1.5%, for 7.0% in all. Dakota County is the only county with a county rate, 0.5%, outside its towns that have their own. The tax is on the total sales price, and that includes the doc fee, destination, dealer add-ons, and a service contract or GAP sold with the car, less a trade-in. It is the buyer’s to pay. The dealer fills in a Form 6 for every sale, and the buyer pays the county treasurer when registering, within 30 days of the purchase. A dealer in the state’s electronic dealer services system can collect it instead, as the county’s agent.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
library.municode.com · checked Oct 3, 2026
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
What are Nebraska's motor vehicle tax and motor vehicle fee?
Both are paid to the county every year at registration, on top of the sales tax. Both are worked from the car’s value when new: the maker’s suggested retail price with standard equipment, not including destination, and not the price you paid. The motor vehicle tax starts from a base tax for each $2,000 bracket of that price, $500 for a car between $30,000 and $31,999, then multiplies it by a fraction for the car’s age: 1.00 in the first year and .90 in the second, falling to .07 in the 12th and 13th years and nothing from the 14th. The motor vehicle fee is $5 under $20,000, $20 from $20,000 through $39,999 and $30 above that. From $20,000 up it is at the full amount in years 1 to 5, .70 in years 6 to 10 and .35 after. Which model year counts as current in the fall, when next year’s models are on sale, is not confirmed. We count a 2026 car as first-year in 2026.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
dmv.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
Is there a limit on the Nebraska dealer doc fee?
We found no dollar limit in Nebraska law. No statute or rule sets a figure for a dealer documentation fee, so nothing is adjusted each year. The advertising rule does reach it: a dealer that advertises a price must include every charge the customer must pay, except taxes and license, title and other government fees. By our reading, the doc fee is not a government fee, so it belongs inside an advertised price. The doc fee is part of the price taxed. Separately, a dealer in the electronic dealer services system may charge a service fee of up to $50 if you choose to register through it. That is optional for you and the dealer. Whether the doc fee must be the same for cash and credit buyers is not confirmed: no rule was found. Complaints go to the Nebraska Motor Vehicle Industry Licensing Board.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
mvilb.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 14, 2026
Does a trade-in lower Nebraska sales tax on a car?
Yes, at its full value, with no cap. The tax is figured on the difference between the total sales price and the trade-in allowance. It works for any motor vehicle, motorboat, ATV or UTV taken in trade at the time of sale, including a sale between two people, and two trade-ins are allowed. A leased car you do not own, or one an insurer has totalled, cannot be a trade-in. If you owe more than the trade-in is worth, the full allowance still comes off, and the loan payoff the dealer pays is not taxed. A maker’s rebate lowers the tax only if it is assigned to the dealer and cuts the price at the sale. A rebate paid to you after the sale does not.
nebraskalegislature.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
What is Omaha's wheel tax, and do other Nebraska cities charge one?
Omaha charges a wheel tax of $50 a year on a passenger vehicle, and $69 on a truck of 4 tons or less. It applies to residents of Omaha and of any tax district wholly or partly within the city’s three-mile planning jurisdiction. The Douglas County Treasurer collects it with the registration, and paying late adds $25. The research found no list of other Nebraska cities’ wheel taxes, so we have no figure for them. Outside Omaha, the calculator shows the wheel tax as a line marked not included, with no amount. Ask your county treasurer whether your city charges one.
library.municode.com · checked Oct 3, 2026
finance.cityofomaha.org · checked Oct 3, 2026
I bought a car out of state. What do I pay in Nebraska?
A Nebraska resident pays Nebraska and local sales tax when registering the car in Nebraska, less credit for sales tax properly paid to the other state, up to the Nebraska total. Nothing is refunded if the other state’s tax was higher. A maker’s rebate assigned to an out-of-state dealer still lowers the price taxed. A car with an out-of-state title needs a $10 sheriff’s VIN inspection. A new resident owes no sales tax on a car already licensed in the old state, but pays the $10 title, the inspection, registration, the motor vehicle tax and fee, and any local wheel tax, within 30 days of arriving. A nonresident who buys in Nebraska owes no Nebraska tax if the car leaves within 30 days. From July 18, 2026, the state can also decide that a resident who registers a car in another state is avoiding Nebraska’s taxes.
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026
revenue.nebraska.gov · checked Oct 3, 2026