The short answer
An Ohio certificate of title costs $18, or $23 in a county whose commissioners adopted an extra $5. Apply more than 30 days after the sale and you pay another $5. Sales tax is the state's 5.75% plus your county's rate, 6.50% to 8.00% in total, charged at the rate of the county where you live, not where you buy. A trade-in lowers the taxed price only on a new vehicle bought from a new-car dealer.
Title fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certificate of title (a lien noted at the same time is included) | $18 |
| Same, in a county that adopted the extra $5 | $23 |
| Late title application: more than 30 days after the vehicle was assigned or delivered to you | $5 on top of the title fee |
| Memorandum certificate applied for separately | $5 |
| Which counties charge $23 | Not available in our data. The BMV publishes a county-by-county list. |
The $18 fee took effect on January 1, 2026 (ORC 4505.09, as amended by House Bill 96). Older pages that quote a $15 title fee are out of date.
Sales tax: state plus county
Ohio charges 5.75% state sales tax, and each county adds its own rate, sometimes with a transit authority's share. On a dealer sale the dealer collects it; on a private sale you pay it when you title the vehicle. Either way, the rate is the one for the county where you live. These are the Department of Taxation's combined rates for October 1 to December 31, 2026, for the counties in our calculator:
| County | Combined rate | Tax on a $30,000 car |
|---|---|---|
| Cuyahoga | 8.00% | $2,400 |
| Franklin | 8.00% | $2,400 |
| Hamilton | 7.80% | $2,340 |
| Montgomery | 7.50% | $2,250 |
| Summit | 6.75% | $2,025 |
| Butler, Stark, Lorain, Wayne | 6.50% | $1,950 |
| Any other county | Check the Department of Taxation's county rate table | – |
County rates can change at the start of any quarter, so check the current table before you buy. In our calculator you can type the rate for a county that isn't listed.
The trade-in rule
This is where Ohio differs from many states. The taxed price is reduced by your trade-in only when you buy a new vehicle from a new-car dealer. Buy a used car, even from a dealer, and the full price is taxed whatever you trade in. A dealer discount agreed at the sale lowers the taxed price; a manufacturer rebate does not.
Worked examples
| New $30,000 gas car, Cuyahoga, no trade-in | New $35,000 car from a new-car dealer, $10,000 trade-in, Franklin | Used $35,000 car, $10,000 trade-in, Franklin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxed price | $30,000 | $25,000 | $35,000 |
| Sales tax at 8.00% | $2,400 | $2,000 | $2,800 |
| Title | $18 | $18 | $18 |
| Registration, 1 year | $36 | $36 | $36 |
| Deputy registrar fee | $8 | $8 | $8 |
| Permissive tax (example: $20) | $20 | $20 | $20 |
| Total | $2,482 | $2,082 | $2,882 |
All three totals match our Ohio calculator. The same $10,000 trade-in saves $800 in tax on the new car and nothing on the used one. A used $15,000 car in Summit County (6.75%), titled late in a $23 county, comes to $1,104.50: $1,012.50 tax + $23 title + $5 late title + $36 + $8 + $20.
Bought out of state or moving to Ohio
- Bought in another state: Ohio tax is due at your home county's rate, less any sales tax you legally paid to the other state.
- Moving to Ohio: title and register within 30 days (ORC 4503.111). An out-of-state vehicle needs an $8 VIN inspection. No Ohio tax is due if you bought the vehicle and used it outside Ohio at least six months before moving; otherwise tax is due, less tax paid to the other state.
New resident examples
Moving with a car owned 6+ months, $20 permissive tax, $18 title: $18 title + $8 VIN inspection + $36 registration + $8 deputy registrar fee + $20 permissive tax = $90, no tax.
Moving with a $30,000 car bought less than six months before, Cuyahoga, $1,500 tax already paid to the other state: use tax $2,400 - $1,500 = $900, plus the same $90 in fees = $990.
Both totals match our Ohio calculator with "Moving to Ohio with my vehicle" chosen.
Late fees at a glance
| What's late | Fee |
|---|---|
| Title applied for more than 30 days after the sale | $5 |
| Registration renewed more than 30 days after it expired | $10 |
| Fine for driving with an expired registration | Not available. We haven't confirmed it in an official source. |
What this guide doesn't cover
Registration costs in detail (permissive tax, hybrid and EV fees, multi-year terms, commercial trucks) are in how much car tags cost in Ohio. Also not covered: dealer resale titles, duplicate and salvage titles, plate transfers ($9), specialty plates and the court fine for expired registration. For other states, see car registration late fees by state.
For a registration that has run out, see expired registration in Ohio: the $10 late fee and the fine.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a title transfer in Ohio?
$18, or $23 in counties that adopted the extra $5. Add $5 if you apply more than 30 days after the vehicle was assigned or delivered to you.
What is the sales tax on a car in Ohio?
5.75% state tax plus your county's rate, 6.50% to 8.00% in total for the counties in our table. Cuyahoga and Franklin are 8.00%.
Does a trade-in reduce sales tax in Ohio?
Only on a new vehicle bought from a new-car dealer. On a used vehicle, from a dealer or a private seller, the full price is taxed.
Do I pay sales tax where I buy the car or where I live?
Where you live. Ohio uses the rate of your county of residence, even if you buy the car in another county.
Do new Ohio residents pay sales tax on their car?
Not if they bought it and used it outside Ohio at least six months before moving. Otherwise Ohio tax is due, less sales tax paid to the other state.
See title transfer fees for all 50 states
Calculate your Ohio fees
Example for a $30,000 car. Enter your own price to update it.
- Registration (1 yr)Passenger carOhio BMV · checked Oct 20, 2026$36.00
- Permissive tax (1 yr)Your district's local taxOhio BMV · checked Oct 20, 2026$20.00
- Deputy registrar feeOhio BMV · checked Oct 20, 2026$8.00
- Title feeOhio Revised Code 4505.09 (certificate of title $18, or $23 where the county has adopted the extra $5, from January 1, 2026; $5 late title application after 30 days) · checked Oct 20, 2026$18.00
- Sales tax8% of priceOhio Department of Taxation · checked Oct 20, 2026$2,400.00
Total excludes items marked "not available".
What you'll pay later
Renewal at today's rates: $64.00/yr
Year 1 $2,482.00 · Years 2–5 $64.00/yr · 5-year total $2,738.00
Estimate only, at today's rates for the same car.
Rates and sources for every fee are on the Ohio car registration fee calculator page.
- Ohio Revised Code 4503.111 (new residents: register the vehicle in Ohio within 30 days)
- Ohio Revised Code 4505.09 (certificate of title $18, or $23 where the county has adopted the extra $5, from January 1, 2026; $5 late title application after 30 days)
- Ohio BMV – Documents and Fees (vehicle sections updated January 5, 2026): passenger car $36, motorcycle $30, non-commercial truck up to 3/4 ton $51, over 3/4 to 1 ton $86; deputy registrar fee $8 (multi-year $12 / $16 / $20 / $24); $18 title fee statewide; late renewal $10; permissive tax up to $30; plate transfer $9; out-of-state VIN inspection $8 (read by the site owner)
- Ohio Department of Taxation – Sales and Use Tax Rates by County, October 1 to December 31, 2026 (state 5.75% + county and transit: Cuyahoga 8.00%, Franklin 8.00%, Hamilton 7.80%, Montgomery 7.50%, Summit 6.75%, Butler, Stark, Lorain and Wayne 6.50%)
- Ohio Department of Taxation – Sales Tax for Motor Vehicles (tax at the rate of the buyer's county of residence; trade-in credit only on new vehicles from a new-car dealer; new residents: no tax if bought and used outside Ohio at least six months before moving, otherwise tax with credit for tax paid to another state)
- Ohio BMV – Permissive tax distribution (local permissive taxes levied by counties, cities and townships in $5 steps, by taxing district)
General information, not tax or legal advice. Fees and tax rules change; confirm with the agency listed before you pay.
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