North Carolina highway use tax calculator
The Highway Use Tax in North Carolina is 3.00% of the taxable amount.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
By Mr. Voltage · Data checked Oct 2, 2026 · Page changed Oct 11, 2026
Where will you register the car?
Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Example quotes. Pick your place and type yours. Example: three quotes on one car in Harris County, North Carolina. Pick your own place and type your quotes.
Your deals at a glance
| Deal | Payment | All-in |
|---|---|---|
| $555.33a month | $38,319.82so far | |
| $501.70a month | $41,122.22so far | |
| $543.82a month | $37,629.10so 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.
$555.33 a month · 60 payments
All-in $38,319.82 so far
$501.70 a month · 72 payments
All-in $41,122.22 so far
$543.82 a month · 60 payments
All-in $37,629.10 so far
Out-the-door $33,794.00 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 $34,509.85 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 $34,360.50 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.
Gas · change
Fuel
Gas car. Electric and hybrid cars pay more in some states
Plate
Assumes a new plate. Moving one from a car you own costs $20.75 less
Gas · change
Fuel
Gas car. Electric and hybrid cars pay more in some states
Plate
Assumes a new plate. Moving one from a car you own costs $20.75 less
Gas · change
Fuel
Gas car. Electric and hybrid cars pay more in some states
Plate
Assumes a new plate. Moving one from a car you own costs $20.75 less
North Carolina law sets no figure for this fee.
North Carolina calls it a administrative, origination, documentary, procurement, or other similar administrative fee.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
North Carolina law sets no figure for this fee.
North Carolina calls it a administrative, origination, documentary, procurement, or other similar administrative fee.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
North Carolina law sets no figure for this fee.
North Carolina calls it a administrative, origination, documentary, procurement, or other similar administrative fee.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
Assumes the Highway Use Tax is rounded to the cent. NCDMV publishes no rounding rule. If it is rounded to the whole dollar, the tax can differ by up to 50 cents.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
Assumes the Highway Use Tax is rounded to the cent. NCDMV publishes no rounding rule. If it is rounded to the whole dollar, the tax can differ by up to 50 cents.
- No local sales or highway use tax on a car in North Carolina: the highway use tax is 3% everywhere.
ncdot.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No maximum on the highway use tax for an ordinary car purchase: the caps are for movers with a car titled to them elsewhere, commercial vehicles and RVs.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No limit on the trade-in credit.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No separate fee for a standard license plate.
ncdot.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- A hybrid that does not plug in pays no electric vehicle fee.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No local sales or highway use tax on a car in North Carolina: the highway use tax is 3% everywhere.
ncdot.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No maximum on the highway use tax for an ordinary car purchase: the caps are for movers with a car titled to them elsewhere, commercial vehicles and RVs.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No limit on the trade-in credit.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No separate fee for a standard license plate.
ncdot.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- A hybrid that does not plug in pays no electric vehicle fee.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No local sales or highway use tax on a car in North Carolina: the highway use tax is 3% everywhere.
ncdot.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No maximum on the highway use tax for an ordinary car purchase: the caps are for movers with a car titled to them elsewhere, commercial vehicles and RVs.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No limit on the trade-in credit.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- No separate fee for a standard license plate.
ncdot.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
- A hybrid that does not plug in pays no electric vehicle fee.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
Your $5,000.00 down covers the $1,094.00 in tax and fees first; $3,906.00 goes toward the price.
Your $5,000.00 down covers the $1,114.85 in tax and fees first; $3,885.15 goes toward the price.
Your $5,000.00 down covers the $1,110.50 in tax and fees first; $3,889.50 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 $555.35
72 payments, last $501.52
60 payments, last $543.72
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.
County and city vehicle property tax: $256.92 · due within about 60 days if you take a temporary or limited plate, otherwise with your registration, then each year · about
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 · figures pulled Oct 8, 2026
City municipal vehicle tax (auto fee): $30.00 · due with the property tax, then each year
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 · figures pulled Oct 8, 2026
County and city vehicle property tax: $262.38 · due within about 60 days if you take a temporary or limited plate, otherwise with your registration, then each year · about
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 · figures pulled Oct 8, 2026
City municipal vehicle tax (auto fee): $30.00 · due with the property tax, then each year
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 · figures pulled Oct 8, 2026
County and city vehicle property tax: $261.25 · due within about 60 days if you take a temporary or limited plate, otherwise with your registration, then each year · about
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 · figures pulled Oct 8, 2026
City municipal vehicle tax (auto fee): $30.00 · due with the property tax, then each year
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 · figures pulled Oct 8, 2026
6 charges this total leaves out
6 charges this total leaves out
6 charges this total leaves out
What’s different in North Carolina
North Carolina calls it the Highway Use Tax.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
A trade-in comes off the amount taxed at its full value, so only the difference is taxed.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
Negative equity rolled into the new loan is not taxed. That point is not confirmed.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
North Carolina’s law sets no figure for the administrative, origination, documentary, procurement, or other similar administrative fee.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
In North Carolina the dealer’s documentary fee is added to the amount the highway use tax is figured on.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 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 North Carolina’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 |
| Taxable amount ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $22,700.00 |
| Highway Use Tax ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $681.00 |
| Title fee ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $66.75 |
| Registration ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $46.25 |
| Out-the-door price | $33,494.00 |
| Cash down | $5,000.00 |
| Amount financed | $31,494.00 |
| Monthly payment | $607.40 |
| Interest over the loan | $4,950.27 |
| Total paid, interest included | $41,444.27 |
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 North Carolina’s example market.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Price | $21,500.00 |
| Taxable amount ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $21,500.00 |
| Highway Use Tax ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $645.00 |
| Title fee ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $66.75 |
| Registration ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $46.25 |
| Out-the-door price | $22,258.00 |
| Cash down | $5,000.00 |
| Amount financed | $17,258.00 |
| Monthly payment | $332.84 |
| Interest over the loan | $2,712.69 |
| Total paid, interest included | $24,970.69 |
The rules in North Carolina
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Name of the tax | Highway Use Tax ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Highway Use Tax | 3.00% of the taxable amount ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Sales tax on goods not attached to the car | a local rate set by the buyer’s place, on the amount it taxes. That point is not confirmed. ncdor.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| What is taxed | Taxed: the vehicle price, the doc fee, accessories fitted before delivery and protection packages. Not taxed: other dealer fees on the order, loose items sold with the car, service contracts, GAP, prepaid maintenance and government fees. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Trade-in | A trade-in comes off the amount taxed at its full value, so only the difference is taxed. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Maker’s rebate | A maker’s rebate does not lower the amount taxed. That point is not confirmed. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Dealer discount | A dealer discount lowers the amount taxed. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Negative equity | Negative equity rolled into the loan is not taxed. That point is not confirmed. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Doc fee | The law sets no figure for the administrative, origination, documentary, procurement, or other similar administrative fee. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Title fee | $66.75 ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Registration | $46.25 a year ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Local registration taxes | A flat yearly charge in four counties: $17 in Durham, Orange and Wake ($7 county and $10 regional) and $2 in Randolph. None in any other county, Mecklenburg included. ncdot.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Private-party purchase | The highway use tax on the market value, paid at a license plate agency with the title application. No minimum. A $20 late title penalty applies if the buyer does not apply within 28 days. Family gifts are exempt. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Private-party price | The market value is presumed to be the value set in a schedule of values adopted by the Commissioner. Which reference book the Division uses has not been confirmed. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Tax paid to another state | A credit for the tax paid to the other jurisdiction, for tax paid within 90 days before the North Carolina title application. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| New resident | The highway use tax is at most $250 if the vehicle has been titled in the owner’s name in another state for at least 90 days. Otherwise 3% less credit for tax paid elsewhere. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
| Plug-in vehicle fee | A yearly fee of $214.50 for a plug-in electric vehicle and $107.25 for a plug-in hybrid, in addition to the registration fee. ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 |
What has changed
· The rules on this page start here. Nothing earlier is loaded.
Questions people ask
What is North Carolina's highway use tax?
It is the tax North Carolina charges for the privilege of using its highways, paid when a vehicle is titled. It takes the place of a sales tax on the vehicle, and the Division of Motor Vehicles calls it the highway use tax, or HUT. The rate is 3%, with no local add-on. It is paid to the Commissioner when applying for the title, and a dealer may collect it, apply for the title for the buyer and send the tax in. It is figured on the vehicle’s retail value plus any fee regulated by General Statute 20-101.1, which is the dealer’s documentary fee.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
ncdot.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
Is there a cap on the highway use tax?
Not on an ordinary car purchase. The maximum tax is $2,000 on a title for a commercial Class A or Class B vehicle and for a recreational vehicle. Two other limits apply to special cases: $250 when the vehicle has been titled in the owner’s name in another state for at least 90 days, as for a new resident, and $40 for certain transfers, such as to a secured party. There is no minimum tax for ordinary sales.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
Does a trade-in lower the highway use tax?
Yes. The allowance a retailer gives for a vehicle taken in trade, as full or partial payment for the one you buy, comes off the amount taxed. It is the allowance, not your equity. The statute sets no dollar limit on the credit.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
Is the North Carolina dealer doc fee capped?
No. North Carolina sets no limit on the amount. A dealer may charge an administrative, documentary or similar fee only if it meets the statute’s conditions: a posted sign at least 24 inches on each side, the fee itemized separately, and disclosure of the fee and its amount whenever the dealer advertises prices. The law requires that disclosure in price ads, not that the fee be inside the advertised price. The fee is part of what the highway use tax is figured on. A dealer may decide not to charge the fee, or to reduce it, in certain cases.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
What property tax will I pay after buying a car in North Carolina?
North Carolina taxes the car again each year as property. The county and city property tax is billed with your registration, and it is due on the last day of the second month after you applied for the plate. A car bought from a dealer is valued at its sales price including attached accessories, leaving out the highway use tax. Each county and city sets its own rate, and rates reset each July 1. In Charlotte for 2026-27, for example, the combined rate is 0.7857 per $100 of value, plus a $30.00 city vehicle fee; a city’s vehicle fee can be at most $30 per vehicle per year. These bills come after you buy, so they are not part of the out-the-door price.
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
mecknc.widen.net · checked Oct 2, 2026
ncleg.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026