What is the Title Ad Valorem Tax in Georgia?

TAVT is a one-time tax equal to 7% of a vehicle's fair market value, paid when you title a vehicle in Georgia. It replaced the old annual ad valorem tax and the sales tax on vehicles for most cars titled after 2013.

How much is the annual registration fee?

Georgia's standard tag (license plate) renewal fee is $20 per year for passenger vehicles. Specialty and personalized plates cost more, and there is an $18 fee the first time a vehicle is titled in the state.

Do I pay TAVT every year?

No. TAVT is a one-time tax paid when the vehicle is titled. After that you only owe the annual $20 tag renewal fee, not another ad valorem tax, unless you bought before the TAVT system applied.

Are there county or local fees?

Counties may add small local tag fees and emissions-test charges in metro Atlanta counties. This tool estimates the statewide fees; check your county tag office for any local surcharge or emissions requirement.

Does TAVT apply to gifts or family transfers?

Immediate-family transfers usually pay a reduced TAVT rate of 0.5% rather than the full 7%, if the vehicle was already titled in Georgia. Out-of-state moves and most purchases pay the standard rate.

Georgia Vehicle Registration Fee Calculator

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Registering a vehicle in Georgia means more than a small annual tag fee — for a newly titled car the big cost is the one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax. This calculator combines the tag fee, title fee, and TAVT so you can budget the trip to the county tag office.

How it works

Georgia replaced the old annual ad valorem tax and vehicle sales tax with a single up-front charge:

TAVT          7% of the vehicle's fair market value (one-time, at titling)
Title fee     $18 (first time the vehicle is titled in Georgia)
Tag renewal   $20 per year (standard passenger plate)

If you are only renewing an existing tag, you pay the $20 and skip the title fee and TAVT. Immediate-family transfers of an already-titled vehicle use a reduced 0.5% TAVT rate.

Example

Titling a used car with a $25,000 fair market value: TAVT is 7% = $1,750, plus the $18 title fee and $20 tag, for about $1,788 the first year. The following years cost just the $20 renewal.

Notes

This is a statewide estimate. County emissions tests in metro Atlanta, local tag fees, and specialty-plate costs vary. The official fair market value for TAVT is set by Georgia’s motor-vehicle valuation tables. Confirm with your county tag office and dor.georgia.gov.