Washington car registration fee calculator (embed)

Your vehicle

Vehicle typeWashington licenses trucks, pickups included, by declared gross weight instead of the car license and weight fees.

Scale (empty) weight

Declared gross weightEmpty weight plus the most you'll carry (and any trailer you tow). Over 105,500 lbs isn't covered.

Tows a trailer (Schedule B)Changes the fee only above 40,000 lbs.

FuelExtra electric and hybrid fees are charged at renewal: $225 a year for electric, $75 for hybrids, $30 for electric motorcycles.

Your situation

Purchase price or value

For sales or use tax. On a private sale the DOL uses fair market value when it is higher than the price.

Trade-in value

Combined sales tax rate (if you know it)

State 6.5% + 0.5% motor vehicle tax + your local rate (the dealer's location, or your address for a private sale). Leave blank to see the state part only.

Sales tax paid to another state

Credited against Washington use tax.

Registered in another state beforeAdds the $75 stolen vehicle check.

Days after delivery you transfer the title

days

After 15 days a penalty starts: $50 on day 16, then $2 a day, up to $125.

New license platesPlates must be replaced when a vehicle changes owner; the seller keeps them. Untick only if the plates stay on the car (for example, a gift or inheritance within immediate family).

I live in the Sound Transit (RTA) districtParts of King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. The district doesn't follow county lines; DOL's RTA page has a lookup.

Manufacturer's base MSRP (for the RTA tax)

Base price without options, taxes or delivery. Trucks use the latest purchase price instead.

Year of serviceThis year minus the model year, plus 1.

Local transportation benefit district fee

Your city or county's fee from your renewal notice ($0 to $100). Not charged on trucks over 6,000 lbs.

Estimated total

$2,351.50

Example for a $30,000 car. Enter your own price to update it.

License fee (1 yr)Passenger car or SUV$30.00
Weight fee (1 yr)By scale weight$35.00
Filing and service fees$6 filing + $11 service + $0.75 license serviceRCW 46.17.005, 46.17.040 and 46.17.025 (filing fees $6 registration / $6.50 title; service fees $11 registration / $18 title; license service fee $0.75) · checked Oct 20, 2026$17.75
Plate technology feeEvery registration application$0.25
Title fees$40 application + $6.50 filing + $18 service$64.50
License platesTwo plates at $50 + $2$104.00
Sales tax (state part)6.5% + 0.5% motor vehicle tax$2,100.00
Local sales taxEnter your combined ratenot available

Total excludes items marked "not available".

What you'll pay later

Renewal at today's rates: $83.00/yr

Year 1 $2,351.50 · Years 2–5 $83.00/yr · 5-year total $2,683.50 + items not available

Estimate only, at today's rates for the same car.

Estimate only. Rates checked October 20, 2026 · Washington. Confirm with the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL).

Washington fees, sources and notes on VehicleFeeCalculator