Out-the-door price calculator
In the first example below (Texas, with the car registered in Harris County), a used car priced at $21,500.00 comes to $23,190.00 out the door: $1,343.75 in tax, $121.25 in title, registration and county fees and a $225.00 doc fee on top of the price.
statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026
By Mr. Voltage · Data checked Oct 2, 2026 · Page changed Oct 30, 2026
Where will you register the car?
Harris County, Texas
Example quotes. Pick your place and type yours. Example: three quotes on one car in Harris County, Texas. Pick your own place and type your quotes.
Your deals at a glance
| Deal | Payment | Out-the-door |
|---|---|---|
| $581.67a month | $35,159.75All-in $39,900.30+$760.58 more than Deal C | |
| $525.30a month | $35,898.19All-in $42,821.70+$3,681.98 more than Deal C | |
| $569.00a month | $35,650.38All-in $39,139.72Lowest |
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.
$581.67 a month · 60 payments
All-in $39,900.30
$525.30 a month · 72 payments
All-in $42,821.70
$569.00 a month · 60 payments
All-in $39,139.72Lowest
Out-the-door $35,159.75
Estimate. Your dealer’s buyer’s order and your lender’s disclosures are the numbers that count. Check them against this.
Out-the-door $35,898.19
Estimate. Your dealer’s buyer’s order and your lender’s disclosures are the numbers that count. Check them against this.
Out-the-door $35,650.38
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. Electric and hybrid cars pay more in some states
Doc fee stated on its own line
Buyer’s orders list the doc fee on its own line, which is what keeps it untaxed in Texas
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. Electric and hybrid cars pay more in some states
Doc fee stated on its own line
Buyer’s orders list the doc fee on its own line, which is what keeps it untaxed in Texas
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. Electric and hybrid cars pay more in some states
Doc fee stated on its own line
Buyer’s orders list the doc fee on its own line, which is what keeps it untaxed in Texas
$225.00: what Texas presumes reasonable.
Texas calls it a documentary fee.
It must be the same whether you pay cash or finance.
law.cornell.edu · checked Oct 2, 2026
The notice Texas requires with this fee
A DOCUMENTARY FEE IS NOT AN OFFICIAL FEE. A DOCUMENTARY FEE IS NOT REQUIRED BY LAW, BUT MAY BE CHARGED TO BUYERS FOR HANDLING DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE SALE. A DOCUMENTARY FEE MAY NOT EXCEED A REASONABLE AMOUNT AGREED TO BY THE PARTIES. THIS NOTICE IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
$225.00: what Texas presumes reasonable.
Texas calls it a documentary fee.
It must be the same whether you pay cash or finance.
law.cornell.edu · checked Oct 2, 2026
The notice Texas requires with this fee
A DOCUMENTARY FEE IS NOT AN OFFICIAL FEE. A DOCUMENTARY FEE IS NOT REQUIRED BY LAW, BUT MAY BE CHARGED TO BUYERS FOR HANDLING DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE SALE. A DOCUMENTARY FEE MAY NOT EXCEED A REASONABLE AMOUNT AGREED TO BY THE PARTIES. THIS NOTICE IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
$225.00: what Texas presumes reasonable.
Texas calls it a documentary fee.
It must be the same whether you pay cash or finance.
law.cornell.edu · checked Oct 2, 2026
The notice Texas requires with this fee
A DOCUMENTARY FEE IS NOT AN OFFICIAL FEE. A DOCUMENTARY FEE IS NOT REQUIRED BY LAW, BUT MAY BE CHARGED TO BUYERS FOR HANDLING DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE SALE. A DOCUMENTARY FEE MAY NOT EXCEED A REASONABLE AMOUNT AGREED TO BY THE PARTIES. THIS NOTICE IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
Your $5,000.00 down covers the $2,459.75 in tax, title, license and the doc fee first; $2,540.25 goes toward the price.
Your $5,000.00 down covers the $2,503.19 in tax, title, license and the doc fee first; $2,496.81 goes toward the price.
Your $5,000.00 down covers the $2,400.38 in tax, title, license and the doc fee first; $2,599.62 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 $581.77
72 payments, last $525.40
60 payments, last $568.72
cash down plus every payment
+$760.58 more all-in than Deal C
cash down plus every payment
+$3,681.98 more all-in than Deal C
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.
3 charges this total leaves out
3 charges this total leaves out
3 charges this total leaves out
Is it a good out-the-door price?
No single figure says whether an out-the-door price is good: it depends on the car, the place and the day. What can be checked is each line against where it comes from. The tax and the title and registration fees are set by the state and county, so for the same car in the same place they should match the calculator's working, which names the source of each and the day it was checked. The doc fee is the dealer's, inside whatever rule your state has for it. The price and any add-ons are the dealer's own pricing, and another dealer's written quote for the same car is what puts them in context.
Then compare whole quotes, not monthly payments. The three example quotes in the calculator above, worked here the same way (Texas, with the car registered in Harris County): deal B has the lowest payment, $525.30 a month, and costs the most in all, $42,821.70, because it runs 72 months and carries a protection package at $1,495.00. Deal C costs the least in all, $39,139.72, with neither the lowest price nor the lowest rate. A difference like that is a question to ask the dealer, not a verdict on the deal.
statutes.capitol.texas.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 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 Harris County.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Price | $21,500.00 |
| Taxable amount statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $21,500.00 |
| Motor vehicle sales tax statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $1,343.75 |
| Doc fee law.cornell.edu · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $225.00 |
| Title application fee statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $33.00 |
| Registration fee statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $50.75 |
| TexasSure insurance verification fee txdmv.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $1.00 |
| County road and bridge and child safety fees txdmv.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $11.50 |
| Emissions inspection state fee txdmv.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $2.75 |
| Inspection program replacement fee statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $7.50 |
| Processing and handling fee law.cornell.edu · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $4.75 |
| Metal license plate fee txdmv.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $10.00 |
| Out-the-door price | $23,190.00 |
| Cash down | $5,000.00 |
| Amount financed | $18,190.00 |
| Monthly payment | $350.82 |
| Interest over the loan | $2,859.06 |
| Total paid, interest included | $26,049.06 |
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 Harris County.
| 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 statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $22,700.00 |
| Motor vehicle sales tax statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $1,418.75 |
| Doc fee law.cornell.edu · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $225.00 |
| Title application fee statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $33.00 |
| Registration fee statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $101.50 |
| TexasSure insurance verification fee txdmv.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $2.00 |
| County road and bridge and child safety fees txdmv.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $23.00 |
| Inspection program replacement fee statutes.capitol.texas.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $16.75 |
| Processing and handling fee law.cornell.edu · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $4.75 |
| Metal license plate fee txdmv.gov · checked Oct 2, 2026 | $10.00 |
| Out-the-door price | $34,534.75 |
| Cash down | $5,000.00 |
| Amount financed | $32,534.75 |
| Monthly payment | $627.48 |
| Interest over the loan | $5,113.73 |
| Total paid, interest included | $42,648.48 |
Questions people ask
What is an out-the-door price?
It is the total you pay to take the car home, before any interest: the price of the car plus sales or similar tax, title and registration fees, the dealer's document fee and any add-ons or other dealer charges. A loan is built on it: you finance the out-the-door price less your cash down and your trade-in equity. In the used-car example above, the price is $21,500.00 and the out-the-door price is $23,190.00.
What is included in the out-the-door price?
The price of the car, the tax, the government's title, registration and county fees, the dealer's doc fee, and anything else the dealer adds to the order: protection plans, accessories, other dealer charges. Interest on a loan is not in it, and neither is anything billed after you buy. In the used-car example (Texas, with the car registered in Harris County) the lines are the price ($21,500.00), the tax ($1,343.75), title, registration and county fees ($121.25 across 8 lines, each in the table above) and the doc fee ($225.00), which add up to $23,190.00.
Out-the-door price vs MSRP: what's the difference?
MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price, the figure on the window sticker. It is a starting point set by the maker; a dealer may sell for more or less. The out-the-door price is what the whole deal comes to once the price you agree, the tax, the fees and the add-ons are put together. In the used-car example the price is $21,500.00; the tax adds $1,343.75, title, registration and county fees add $121.25 and the doc fee adds $225.00, so the out-the-door price is $23,190.00.
How can I tell if an out-the-door price is a good one?
Take it apart and check each line against a source, rather than judging the total. The tax is a rule the state sets: in the example it comes to $1,343.75. The government fees are set by the state and county. The doc fee is the dealer's, and some states have a rule for it: Texas’s law calls a documentary fee of $225.00 or less “presumed reasonable”. That is a presumption, not a maximum. Add-ons and other dealer charges are the dealer's own pricing. A line that is above what the rule gives is a difference to ask about, not a verdict. Type a quote's lines into one of the three deals above to see the difference line by line.
law.cornell.edu · checked Oct 2, 2026
Why should I get the out-the-door price in writing?
A price you are quoted on its own, or a monthly payment, usually leaves the tax, fees and add-ons out of view. A written out-the-door figure that lists every line lets you compare it with your own working, set it beside another dealer's quote for the same car, and see exactly what changed if the number is different when you sign. In the calculator, enter each quote as its own deal and the all-in column puts them on the same footing.