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Maine car registration fee calculator

How much does it cost to register a car in Maine? $35 a year to the state plus the excise tax you pay at your town office first, which is set by the car's MSRP and age: 24 mills ($720) on a new $30,000 car, 17.5 mills ($525) the next year, down to 4 mills from the sixth year. Buying adds the $33 title and 5.5% sales tax. Maine has no extra fee for electric cars or hybrids.

Your vehicle

$
$
Only a vehicle traded toward this one counts (same kind).
$
The excise tax is based on the list price, not what you paid.
The model year's place in the excise schedule this year (rates step down every January 1).
Estimated total
$2,438.00

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

  • Excise tax (town office)24 mills x MSRP (year 1)$720.00
  • Registration fee$35.00
  • Title fee$33.00
  • Sales tax5.5% of price$1,650.00

What you'll pay later

Renewal at today's rates: $560.00/yr

5-year total: not shown, because the excise tax drops each year for six years.

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

Estimate only. Rates checked October 21, 2026 · Maine. Confirm with the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) and town offices.

Maine vehicle fees at a glance (2026)

Registration$35/yr car or pickup up to 6,000 lbs, $37 to 10,000 lbs, motorcycle $21
Excise tax (town office)24 / 17.5 / 13.5 / 10 / 6.5 / 4 mills x MSRP by year ($720 on a new $30,000 car)
Electric / hybrid feeNone
Title fee$33 (+$10 rush)
Sales tax5.5%, same-kind trade-in deducted
Truck$48 - $1,234 by gross weight over 10,000 lbs
Town agent feeUp to $6 new / $5 renewal (varies by town, not included)

Download this fee summary (PDF)

What this estimate does and does not include

  • The excise tax is Maine's biggest yearly charge. It's paid to the town where you live, before you register, on the maker's list price (MSRP), not the price you paid: 24 mills in year 1, then 17.5, 13.5, 10, 6.5 and 4 mills from year 6 ($5 minimum). Rates step down each January 1.
  • No separate fee for standard plates is stated by the BMV or the statutes (the $35 is the 'registration fee for your plate'), so none is added. That is not a confirmed $0 plate fee.
  • Sales tax is 5.5%. A Maine dealer collects it; on a private sale or an out-of-state dealer purchase you pay it when you register. A trade-in counts only when it's the same kind of property (a vehicle for a vehicle).
  • Electric cars, hybrids and plug-in hybrids pay the same as gas cars: the current statutes have no surcharge (LD 622 was voted Ought Not To Pass in May 2025).
  • Not included: town agent fee (up to $6 for a new registration, $5 for a renewal; set by each town), the yearly inspection (up to $12.50 at the station; up to $18.50 in Cumberland County for 1996 and newer), plate transfer ($8), replacement plates ($5 each). Trucks over 26,000 lbs pay excise on the purchase price, which this calculator doesn't cover.
  • Late renewal: no counter late fee is set in the fee statutes; operating with an expired registration is a traffic infraction (fines up to $50, $100 or $500). A title application more than 30 days late costs a $50 penalty.
Official sources · Last checked October 21, 2026 · Next monthly check: November 2026

Maine registration questions

How much is car registration in Maine?

$35 a year to the state plus the municipal excise tax, which depends on the MSRP and age. A new $30,000 car pays $720 excise in year 1 and $525 in year 2, so a year-2 renewal is $560.

How much are the fees on a new $30,000 car in Maine?

$2,438: $1,650 sales tax (5.5%), $720 excise tax, $35 registration and $33 title. Your town may add an agent fee of up to $6.

How is Maine excise tax calculated?

MSRP times the mill rate for the vehicle's year: 24 mills in year 1, 17.5 in year 2, 13.5 in year 3, 10 in year 4, 6.5 in year 5 and 4 from year 6. The minimum is $5.

Do electric cars pay extra to register in Maine?

No. Maine has no EV, hybrid or plug-in hybrid registration surcharge; they pay the same as gas cars.

How much is motorcycle registration in Maine?

$21 a year plus the excise tax on the motorcycle's MSRP. The $33 title applies to motorcycles of 300 cc or more, model year 1995 and newer.

Maine guides

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