Georgia Car Sales Tax Calculator
Georgia's vehicle sales/use tax depends on where you register and other factors, so it isn't a single statewide figure. Use the calculator and the official Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division source below to confirm what applies to your purchase.
Estimate your Georgia car sales tax
Enter the vehicle price. If Georgia gives a trade-in tax credit, add your trade-in value to reduce the taxable amount.
State rate only. Many Georgia counties and cities add a local sales tax on top, so your actual total may be higher. Trade-in credit rules vary — confirm eligibility with the official source below.
How Georgia taxes a car purchase
| State vehicle sales/use tax rate | Check official source |
| Taxable amount | Price − trade-in credit (where allowed) |
| Local / county tax | Varies by jurisdiction — added on top of the state rate |
Georgia charges an $18 title fee and $20 annual tag/registration fee (a standard plate is issued with the tag — there is no separate plate fee). Instead of sales tax, Georgia levies a one-time Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT) on the vehicle's state-assessed fair market value (not the negotiated price for most used vehicles); use the official DRIVES TAVT estimator for the exact amount. Used vehicles bought from a private seller are still subject to TAVT. [2026-07-13: removed plateFee $20, which double-counted the $20 tag fee — a standard Georgia plate is issued with the annual tag, so there is no separate plate charge. TAVT is shown as 6.6% throughout this entry; a change toward 7.0% has been reported but dor.georgia.gov blocks automated fetch, so confirm the current 2026 TAVT rate on the live DOR page.]
Sales tax on a used car in Georgia
Used-car sales/use tax in Georgia follows the same rules as any vehicle purchase and is generally collected when you title and register the car. Confirm the exact rate that applies with Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division.
Dealer vs. private-party purchases in Georgia
Georgia dealers collect TAVT at delivery and file the title application with the county tag office on the buyer's behalf. Private-party buyers must take the assigned title, Form MV-1, proof of insurance, and ID to their county tag office within 30 days to pay TAVT and receive a new title. Because TAVT is based on the DOR's valuation manual rather than the sale price, declared sale prices below market do not reduce the tax.
Source ↗What's different about Georgia vehicle tax
Georgia is unusual: vehicles titled after March 2013 pay TAVT (Title Ad Valorem Tax), not sales tax. TAVT is a one-time, 6.6% charge on the vehicle's fair market value as determined by the Georgia DOR motor vehicle valuation manual — not necessarily your purchase price. Private-party sales are taxed exactly the same as dealer sales. Family transfers between parent, child, sibling, spouse, or grandparent/grandchild qualify for a reduced TAVT of 0.5% (subject to qualifying conditions).
Source ↗County & local taxes in Georgia
Georgia tag and title transactions happen at the county tag office, and a handful of counties levy a small local TAVT administrative fee on top of the state-set rate. The headline TAVT is statewide and identical across all 159 counties — counties cannot raise or lower it — so the per-county variance is small compared to most states. Annual ad-valorem property tax on the vehicle was eliminated for vehicles purchased after March 2013 under TAVT.
Source ↗Worked example: buying a car in Georgia
Marcus buys a used 2020 Toyota RAV4 from a private seller in Gwinnett County, Georgia for $20,000. The Georgia DOR valuation manual lists the vehicle at $22,500 fair market value.
| Vehicle price | $20,000.00 |
| Title fee | $18.00 |
| Registration fee | $20.00 |
| TAVT (6.6% of $22,500 fair market value) | $1,485.00 |
| Estimated total | $21,523.00 |
TAVT is calculated on the DOR's $22,500 fair market value, not Marcus's $20,000 negotiated price. He pays $1,485 in TAVT plus $18 title fee and $20 first-year tag at the Gwinnett County tag office. Because Gwinnett is in the Atlanta emissions zone, his 2020 vehicle will need a passing test before its first renewal (vehicles less than three model years old are exempt the first time, but the rule kicks in at renewal).
What this estimate excludes
- Local and district taxes. County, city, and transit taxes are added on top of the Georgia state rate.
- Title, registration, and plate fees. These are separate from sales tax — use the Georgia registration and title-transfer calculators for those.
- Dealer documentation fees. A dealer “doc fee” is charged on top and is often itself taxable.
- Exemptions. Gifts, inheritance, and certain family transfers may be exempt — confirm with Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division.
Official Georgia sources
Related Georgia tools & guides
Frequently asked questions
How much is sales tax on a car in Georgia?
Georgia does not reduce to one statewide vehicle tax rate — it varies by locality and purchase type. Check the official Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division source for the rate that applies to you.
Do I pay sales tax when buying a used car from a private seller in Georgia?
In most states, sales or use tax on a private-party vehicle purchase is collected when you title and register the car, not at the point of sale. The rate is generally the same as a dealer sale. Confirm the private-sale rules with Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division.
Does Georgia give a sales tax credit for a trade-in?
Most states tax only the difference between the vehicle price and your trade-in value, which lowers the tax you owe. A handful of states tax the full price with no trade-in credit. Verify Georgia's treatment before you rely on the estimate above.
Are there local or county car sales taxes in Georgia?
Often, yes. The rate shown here is the Georgia state rate only; many counties, cities, and transit districts add a local sales tax on vehicle purchases, so your combined rate can be higher. Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division publishes the official combined rates.
Can you legally avoid sales tax on a used car in Georgia?
The legitimate ways to lower or avoid vehicle sales/use tax in Georgia are a qualifying trade-in credit (where the state allows one), a genuine gift or qualifying family transfer, or a specific exemption the state grants — not understating the sale price, which is illegal and easily caught by Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division against the vehicle's fair-market value. Confirm any exemption with Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division before relying on it.
What is Georgia's TAVT and how is it different from sales tax?
TAVT (Title Ad Valorem Tax) is a one-time tax of 6.6% of the vehicle's fair market value, charged when the title is issued in your name. It replaced the old combination of sales tax plus annual ad-valorem property tax for vehicles purchased after March 2013. You pay TAVT once at title transfer and then only the $20 annual tag renewal — there is no recurring property tax on the vehicle.
Why is my Georgia TAVT bill different from 6.6% of what I paid?
TAVT is calculated on the fair market value listed in the Georgia DOR motor vehicle valuation manual, not on your sale price. If you negotiated a price below market, you still pay TAVT on the manual's figure. If you paid more than the manual's value, TAVT is calculated on the lower manual value — so an above-market purchase price does not raise your tax.
Can I avoid TAVT by buying a car from a family member in Georgia?
Transfers between immediate family members — parent, child, sibling, spouse, grandparent, or grandchild — qualify for a reduced TAVT rate of 0.5% instead of 6.6%, provided certain conditions are met (vehicle was already titled in Georgia, transferor paid TAVT). The reduction does not apply to in-laws, cousins, aunts, or uncles, and does not extend to vehicles brought in from out of state.
Last reviewed: 2026-01-01 · Reviewed by the Car Paperwork editorial team · Based on official Georgia Department of Revenue — Motor Vehicle Division sources · Independent resource · Not legal advice