The short answer
| Item | Nebraska answer |
|---|---|
| Title fee | $10. |
| Deadline | 30 days after delivery. |
| Late title | No late title fee. Late tax costs $5 plus interest. |
| Tax | 5.5% state sales tax plus city tax (up to 7.5% combined), and a yearly Motor Vehicle Tax. |
| Plates | Stay with the owner. No plate transfer fee. |
How much does it cost to transfer a car title in Nebraska?
The title is the document that proves who owns the car. In Nebraska it costs $10. You file it with a county treasurer, who also collects the sales tax and registration.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Title | $10 |
| Lien notation (recording the lender's claim) | $7 |
| Duplicate title | $14 |
| VIN inspection, out-of-state cars | $10 |
| Registration | $15 |
| Registration surcharges | $5.50 |
| Plates | $4.10 each ($8.20 for two) |
Worked example: $30,000 car, $30,000 sticker price, first year
- Sales tax: 5.5% state rate on $30,000 = $1,650.00
- Motor Vehicle Tax: $500.00
- Motor Vehicle Fee: $20.00
- Registration: $15.00
- Surcharges: $5.50
- Plates (two): $8.20
- Title: $10.00
Total: $2,208.70.
The Nebraska calculator below starts from the same $2,208.70. That total uses the state rate only. It leaves out:
- City sales tax, where your city has one. In Omaha (1.5%) the same car adds about $450.
- Wheel tax, which some cities and counties charge. Amounts are set locally.
- The $7 lien notation if the car is financed.
Year two costs less: the calculator shows a renewal of $490.50, because the Motor Vehicle Tax falls to $450.
What is Nebraska's Motor Vehicle Tax?
This is the big Nebraska line. It's a yearly tax based on the car's MSRP (its original sticker price). It never follows what you paid or what the car is worth today.
- The base tax rises with the MSRP: $500 for an MSRP of $30,000 to $31,999, up to a cap of $1,900 at $100,000 and above.
- Each year a smaller share is charged as the car ages:
| Year of the car's life | Share of base tax | On a $30,000 MSRP |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 100% | $500 |
| 2nd | 90% | $450 |
| 3rd | 80% | $400 |
| 4th | 70% | $350 |
| 5th | 60% | $300 |
| 6th | 51% | $255 |
| 7th | 42% | $210 |
| 8th | 33% | $165 |
| 9th | 24% | $120 |
| 10th and 11th | 15% | $75 |
| 12th and 13th | 7% | $35 |
| 14th and later | 0% | $0 |
Cars with a salvage title get 25% off the Motor Vehicle Tax.
The Motor Vehicle Fee is a second, smaller charge: $5, $20 or $30 by the car's value when new (under $20,000, $20,000 to $39,999, $40,000 and up). It's charged in full for years 1 to 5, 70% in years 6 to 10 and 35% after that.
How many days do you have to transfer a title in Nebraska?
You must file the title application within 30 days after the car is delivered. The sales tax is due on the same 30-day clock.
Nebraska has no late title fee. The late charges come from the tax: if the sales tax isn't paid within 30 days, the county adds a $5 penalty plus interest from the 30th day.
Nebraska sales tax on a car
- Rate: 5.5% state, plus city tax of 0.5% to 2% in many places (Lincoln 1.75%, Omaha 1.5%). Combined, up to 7.5%.
- Who collects it: the county treasurer, when you register. The seller doesn't collect it. The seller fills in Form 6 (the sales tax statement), and you bring it to the county.
- What's taxed: the price minus your trade-in, minus any rebate applied at the sale. A rebate mailed to you later doesn't lower the tax.
- Trade-ins: the trade-in must be titled in your name. A car titled to your parent, guardian or child also counts.
- Private sales are taxed the same way.
- Bought out of state: tax paid to the other state is credited. You pay only the difference.
- Tire fee: $1 per new tire, paid with the tax.
Family sales and gifts
- No family-sale exemption. A sale to a spouse, parent, child or sibling is taxed like any other sale.
- Gifts and inheritances are tax-free only if the giver already paid Nebraska tax on the car.
- Taking over the loan: the amount still owed is taxed.
The title, registration, Motor Vehicle Tax and Motor Vehicle Fee still apply. Only the sales tax drops away.
Plates and registration
Registration is $15 plus $5.50 in surcharges, every year. New plates are $4.10 each, and a car gets two. From January 1, 2029, Nebraska will issue one plate per vehicle.
Plates stay with the owner. When you sell, you can return the plates and registration to the county treasurer within 60 days for a refund of the unused fees and taxes, or move that credit to your next car. There is no plate transfer fee.
Electric and hybrid cars
Nebraska charges an Alternative Fuel Fee at first registration and every renewal:
- Electric (or hydrogen) car: $150 a year.
- Plug-in hybrid: $75 a year.
- Regular hybrid: no fee.
New residents
- Deadline: a car kept in Nebraska more than 30 days must be titled and registered here.
- VIN inspection: $10 for a car with an out-of-state title.
- Use tax: none if you bought, titled and used the car in your old state before moving.
What this guide doesn't cover
Wheel taxes (set by each city or county), the full Motor Vehicle Tax bracket table, motorcycles and trucks.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to register a car in Nebraska?
Registration is $15 plus $5.50 in surcharges, plus the Motor Vehicle Tax and Motor Vehicle Fee. On a new $30,000 car those two add $520 in year one. With 5.5% sales tax, the title and plates, the first bill is $2,208.70 at the state rate.
How much does it cost to transfer a car title in Nebraska?
$10. A lien notation is $7 more.
How long do I have to transfer a title in Nebraska?
30 days after delivery. There is no late title fee, but late sales tax costs $5 plus interest.
How are car taxes calculated in Nebraska?
Sales tax is 5.5% of the price minus trade-in, plus city tax. The yearly Motor Vehicle Tax is based on the car's original sticker price and falls each year until it reaches $0 at 14 years.
Do I pay sales tax on a car from a family member in Nebraska?
Yes, if you pay for it. A gift is tax-free only if the giver already paid Nebraska tax on the car.
See title transfer fees for all 50 states
Calculate your Nebraska fees
Example for a $30,000 car. Enter your own price to update it.
- Title fee$10.00
- Registration fee$15.00
- SurchargesEMS, DMV, recreation road and county funds$5.50
- Plates (2)$8.20
- Motor vehicle tax$500 x 1.00 (year 1)$500.00
- Motor vehicle fee$20.00
- State sales tax5.5% of price$1,650.00
- Local sales taxEnter your local ratenot available
Total excludes items marked "not available".
What you'll pay later
Renewal at today's rates: $490.50/yr
5-year total: not shown, because the motor vehicle tax and fee drop as the car ages.
Estimate only, at today's rates for the same car.
Rates and sources for every fee are on the Nebraska car registration fee calculator page.
- Nebraska DMV – Registration Fees and Taxes (registration $15, surcharges $5.50, plates $4.10, Motor Vehicle Tax on MSRP, Motor Vehicle Fee, Alternative Fuel Fee $150 / $75, local fees vary)
- Nebraska Department of Revenue – Sales and Use Tax Regulations, Chapter 1 (Reg-1-020 Motor Vehicles: county treasurer collects the tax, price minus trade-in and rebates, $5 penalty plus interest after 30 days, gifts and inheritance)
- Nebraska Department of Revenue – Form 6, Sales/Use Tax and Tire Fee Statement for Motor Vehicle and Trailer Sales, and Schedule I local rates (cited by name, not linked)
- Nebraska DMV – Registration Refunds and Credits (plates and registration returned within 60 days) (cited by name, not linked)
- Nebraska Revised Statutes §§ 60-144 (30 days), 60-154 ($10 title), 60-155 ($7 lien), 60-156 ($14 duplicate), 60-158 ($10 inspection), 60-362 (30-day presumption), 60-3,100 (plates), 60-3,187 (Motor Vehicle Tax), 60-3,190 (Motor Vehicle Fee), 60-3,191 (Alternative Fuel Fee) (cited by name, not linked)
General information, not tax or legal advice. Fees and tax rules change; confirm with the agency listed before you pay.
Related guides
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