What is Virginia's car sales tax rate?

Virginia charges a 4.15% Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax (SUT) on the sale price of a vehicle, with a minimum tax of $75. This rate differs from the general retail sales tax and is collected by the DMV when you title the vehicle, not at the dealership counter.

Does a trade-in lower my Virginia car tax?

No. Unlike many states, Virginia applies the SUT to the full purchase price and does not give a trade-in credit. The value of a vehicle you trade in does not reduce the taxable amount for the new vehicle.

What is the minimum vehicle sales tax in Virginia?

The minimum SUT is $75. On a low-priced vehicle where 4.15% of the price is less than $75, you still owe the $75 floor. For example, a $1,000 car would compute to $41.50 but the $75 minimum applies.

Are dealer processing fees taxed?

Virginia's SUT is based on the vehicle sale price, not the dealer processing fee. The processing fee is a separate charge you pay the dealer; this calculator adds it to your out-the-door total but excludes it from the SUT base.

When do I pay the Virginia car tax?

You pay the SUT when you title and register the vehicle at the DMV, typically within 30 days of purchase. A private-party purchase is also subject to the 4.15% SUT, usually based on the sale price or the vehicle's clean trade-in value, whichever the DMV requires.

Virginia Car Sales Tax Calculator

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Buying a car in Virginia means paying the 4.15 percent Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax (SUT) at the DMV when you title it. This calculator estimates that tax, adds the title fee and any dealer fee, and shows your total — so there are no surprises at the counter.

How it works

The SUT is a flat percentage of the vehicle price with a hard floor:

SUT = max(4.15% × purchase price, $75)
Total = SUT + $15 title fee + dealer processing fee

Virginia taxes the full sale price; there is no trade-in credit as in some states. The 75-dollar minimum applies to inexpensive vehicles. The 15-dollar title fee and any dealer processing fee are added to your out-the-door total but are not part of the taxable base.

Example

On a 28,000-dollar car, the SUT is 4.15 percent of 28,000, or 1,162 dollars. Add the 15-dollar title fee and, say, a 599-dollar dealer processing fee, and the total tax-and-fees comes to about 1,776 dollars at titling.

Notes

Private-party sales are also subject to the 4.15 percent SUT, generally on the sale price or the vehicle’s clean trade-in value, whichever the DMV requires. Some localities and the registration/highway-use fees are separate. Rates can change — confirm at dmv.virginia.gov.