Illinois Car Sales Tax Calculator
Illinois charges a state vehicle sales/use tax of 6.25% on a car purchase. On a $20,000 vehicle that is about $1,250.00 in state tax before any local add-ons. Enter your own price below — and your trade-in, if Illinois allows a trade-in credit — to estimate what you'll owe.
Quick answer: Illinois’s state vehicle sales/use tax rate is 6.25%. Local (county/city) taxes may apply on top.
Estimate your Illinois car sales tax
Enter the vehicle price. If Illinois gives a trade-in tax credit, add your trade-in value to reduce the taxable amount.
State rate only. Many Illinois 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 Illinois taxes a car purchase
| State vehicle sales/use tax rate | 6.25% |
| Taxable amount | Price − trade-in credit (where allowed) |
| Local / county tax | Varies by jurisdiction — added on top of the state rate |
Illinois title fee is $165 for a standard certificate. Annual passenger registration is $151. State vehicle use tax is 6.25%; local sales tax can raise the total. Private party tax for used vehicles uses a separate purchase-price/age table (Form RUT-50).
Sales tax on a used car in Illinois
Illinois applies the same 6.25% state sales/use tax to a used car as to a new one. On a private-party sale the tax is normally collected when you title and register the vehicle — calculated on the price you paid, minus a trade-in credit where the state allows one, and checked against the vehicle's fair-market value to deter under-reporting.
Dealer vs. private-party purchases in Illinois
Illinois dealers collect Retailers' Occupation Tax (sales tax) and Vehicle Use Tax at delivery and submit title paperwork to the Secretary of State on the buyer's behalf. Private-party buyers must mail Form VSD 190 plus Form RUT-50 and payment to the Illinois Secretary of State within 20 days, or file in person at a Secretary of State facility. The flat private-party use-tax schedule generally favors private-party buyers of vehicles priced under $15,000.
Source ↗What's different about Illinois vehicle tax
Illinois uses two different vehicle-tax frameworks. Dealer purchases pay state and local sales tax based on the purchase price. Private-party transactions pay the Illinois Private Party Vehicle Use Tax instead, calculated from a fixed schedule that depends on the vehicle's age (newer vehicles) or purchase price (older vehicles) — declared on Form RUT-50. A vehicle priced under $15,000 owes a flat tax based on model year; vehicles $15,000 and above owe tax on the actual purchase price.
Source ↗County & local taxes in Illinois
Illinois layers Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and local sales-tax rates on top of the 6.25% state vehicle use tax. Cook County's combined rate is among the highest in the country — vehicle purchases there can run 7.25%–10.25% depending on the municipality. Chicago adds its own home-rule tax. Buyers pay the rate in effect at their registration address, so two buyers of identical cars in DuPage County and the City of Chicago can owe materially different amounts.
Source ↗Worked example: buying a car in Illinois
Priya buys a used 2019 Honda Accord from a private seller in Cook County, Illinois for $18,000.
| Vehicle price | $18,000.00 |
| Title fee | $165.00 |
| Registration fee | $151.00 |
| Private Party Vehicle Use Tax (RUT-50, $15K+ tier) | $750.00 |
| Estimated total | $19,066.00 |
Because Priya bought from a private seller and the price is above $15,000, she pays Private Party Vehicle Use Tax on the actual purchase price under the RUT-50 schedule (current schedule yields roughly $750 in this price range; confirm with IDOR). She also pays the $165 title fee and $151 first-year registration to the Illinois Secretary of State. Cook County is an emissions-testing area, so her 2019 vehicle will need a passing test before its next biennial renewal.
What this estimate excludes
- Local and district taxes. County, city, and transit taxes are added on top of the Illinois state rate.
- Title, registration, and plate fees. These are separate from sales tax — use the Illinois 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 Illinois Secretary of State — Vehicle Services.
Official Illinois sources
Related Illinois tools & guides
Frequently asked questions
How much is sales tax on a car in Illinois?
The Illinois state vehicle sales/use tax rate is 6.25%. Multiply it by the taxable purchase price (usually the price minus any trade-in credit). Counties and cities may add a local sales tax on top, so confirm your combined rate with Illinois Secretary of State — Vehicle Services.
Do I pay sales tax when buying a used car from a private seller in Illinois?
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 Illinois Secretary of State — Vehicle Services.
Does Illinois 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 Illinois's treatment before you rely on the estimate above.
Are there local or county car sales taxes in Illinois?
Often, yes. The rate shown here is the Illinois state rate only; many counties, cities, and transit districts add a local sales tax on vehicle purchases, so your combined rate can be higher. Illinois Secretary of State — Vehicle Services publishes the official combined rates.
Can you legally avoid sales tax on a used car in Illinois?
The legitimate ways to lower or avoid vehicle sales/use tax in Illinois 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 Illinois Secretary of State — Vehicle Services against the vehicle's fair-market value. Confirm any exemption with Illinois Secretary of State — Vehicle Services before relying on it.
Why is the Illinois title fee so much higher than other states?
Illinois raised its title fee from $95 to $150 in 2019 and to $165 in 2020 as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital plan. The increase funds road and bridge work statewide. The $165 fee applies to both new titles and title transfers. There is no separate "transfer" fee — it is the same $165.
Do I pay sales tax or use tax on a private-party purchase in Illinois?
Private-party vehicle sales in Illinois trigger Private Party Vehicle Use Tax (RUT-50), not retail sales tax. The amount depends on the vehicle's age and price: vehicles priced under $15,000 use a fixed schedule based on model year (often $25–$390); vehicles priced $15,000 and above are taxed on the purchase price using a similar tier. Family transfers, gifts, and inheritances may qualify for a reduced or zero rate.
Where in Illinois do I have to get an emissions test?
Emissions testing applies in the Chicago metro area (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, parts of Kendall) and the Metro East region (Madison, Monroe, St. Clair, parts of Randolph). Vehicles four model years old or newer are typically exempt, as are 1995-and-older vehicles. Testing is free at official IEPA stations; you cannot register a vehicle in those counties without a passing test.
Last reviewed: 2026-01-01 · Reviewed by the Car Paperwork editorial team · Based on official Illinois Secretary of State — Vehicle Services sources · Independent resource · Not legal advice