Does Utah charge a special car sales tax rate?

No. Utah taxes vehicle purchases at the same combined state and local sales tax rate that applies to general retail sales at your address. The state rate is 4.85% and local options bring the combined rate to roughly 6.1% to 9.05% depending on the city and county.

Does a trade-in reduce Utah car sales tax?

Yes. Utah lets you subtract the trade-in allowance from the purchase price before tax is computed, so you are taxed only on the difference. A $30,000 car with a $10,000 trade-in is taxed on $20,000.

Is the tax based on where I buy or where I live?

Utah charges sales tax based on the rate at the purchaser's address, not the dealer's location. If you buy in one city but live in another, the rate for your home address applies, which is why you enter your local combined rate.

Are dealer documentation fees taxable in Utah?

Dealer documentation or doc fees are generally part of the taxable price in Utah, so they can increase the tax. This calculator lets you add a doc fee and includes it in the out-the-door total, while you control whether to treat it as taxable.

What other costs are there beyond sales tax?

Beyond sales tax you will pay the annual registration fee, the age-based uniform fee, a title fee, and any dealer doc fee. Use the Utah vehicle registration calculator for those, since this tool focuses on the sales tax.

Utah Car Sales Tax Calculator

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Buying a car in Utah means paying sales tax at your home address’s combined rate, not at a special vehicle rate. This calculator deducts your trade-in, applies your local combined rate, and shows the tax plus an out-the-door estimate.

How it works

Utah’s combined sales tax rate is the state rate plus local option taxes:

State sales tax        4.85%
Local + county options up to ~4.2% added
Combined typical range 6.10% – 9.05% by location

Utah taxes the price after subtracting any trade-in allowance, and it uses the rate for the buyer’s address rather than the dealer’s. So the taxable amount is the sale price minus trade-in, multiplied by your local combined rate.

Example

A 30,000 dollar vehicle with a 10,000 dollar trade-in has a taxable amount of 20,000 dollars. At a combined rate of 7.25 percent the sales tax is 1,450 dollars. Adding a 300 dollar doc fee and the tax to the price gives an out-the-door figure of about 31,750 dollars before registration.

Notes

This estimates sales tax only. Look up your exact combined rate for your home city and county, since Utah rates vary widely. Registration, the uniform fee, and title fees are separate. Confirm the current rate at tax.utah.gov.