Delaware Car Sales Tax Calculator Tax, title & license fees (2026)
No general sales tax; titling document fee · 5.25% state rate
Calculate Delaware car tax & fees
Loading calculator…
How much is car sales tax in Delaware?
Delaware has no sales tax, but buyers pay a one-time document fee of 5.25% when they title a vehicle. The rate rose from 4.25% on October 1, 2025.
The fee is charged on the higher of the purchase price or the vehicle's NADA average trade-in value, so an unusually low price can still be assessed on book value. If you trade in a vehicle that's titled in Delaware, its value comes off.
The fee is rounded to the nearest dollar. Very cheap vehicles pay a minimum instead: $8 when the taxable value is $0 to $399, and $13.75 from $400 to $500.
A title costs $35 ($55 with a lien), and passenger registration is $40 a year. Alternative-fuel vehicles pay an extra annual fee by weight. At 6,000 lb or less that's $110 for battery-electric and fuel-cell vehicles, $85 for plug-in hybrids and $60 for regular hybrids.
Delaware is one of five states without a general state sales tax; the others are Alaska, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon. Each charges something different when you buy or register a car, so compare them in our overview of states with no sales tax on cars.
- Taxable = higher of price or NADA average trade-in, minus value of a Delaware-titled trade-in
- Document fee = taxable x 5.25% (rounded), or the minimum for low values
- Total = document fee + title + late penalty + registration + AFV surcharge + doc fee
Delaware car tax example with real numbers
Trading in a Delaware-titled car
You buy a car for $28,000 and trade in a Delaware-titled vehicle worth $4,000.
- Taxable value: $28,000 − $4,000 = $24,000.
- Document fee: $24,000 × 5.25% = $1,260, rounded to the nearest dollar.
- Add the $35 title and $40 registration: $75.
- Estimated total: $1,335.
| Taxes | |
|---|---|
| Document fee (5.25%)On $24,000.00 | $1,260 |
| Title & registration | |
| Title | $35 |
| Registration (1 year) | $40 |
| Estimated total | $1,335 |
Computed with the calculator on this page using the figures in our data. Local add-ons not mentioned in the example are left out.
Exceptions that change your Delaware tax bill
Gifts between immediate relatives
If the vehicle is already titled in Delaware, the DMV lists only the $35 title fee for an immediate-relative gift.
Inheritance
The document fee does apply to inherited vehicles, along with title and registration.
Tax paid in another state
You get credit for tax paid to another state if the vehicle was titled or registered there within 90 days before you register it in Delaware.
Buying from an out-of-state dealer
A Delaware resident who buys from a dealer in another state gets no credit for taxes paid there, so check before you buy.
Late title transfer
Transfers more than 30 days late carry a $35 penalty, which can be waived.
Delaware vehicle sales tax rates
| State rate | 5.25% |
|---|---|
| Rate note | 5.25% effective 2025-10-01 (was 4.25%), rounded to nearest dollar |
| Base | Higher of purchase price or NADA average trade-in |
| Minimum fee |
|
| Local rate | 0% |
Delaware title & registration fees
| Title | $35 |
|---|---|
| Late title penalty | $35 |
| Late title note | More than 30 days; waivable |
| Registration passenger annual | $40 |
| Registration motorcycle annual | $15 |
| Alternative fuel surcharge by GVWR |
|
| Title with lien | $55 |
| Duplicate title | $50 |
| Late renewal | $20 |
Delaware car tax exemptions & special cases
| Gift to immediate relative of a Delaware-titled vehicle | Title fee only |
|---|---|
| Inheritance | Document fee applies |
| Renewal | No document fee, no title |
| Trade-in of a Delaware-titled vehicle | Trade-in value is deducted from the purchase price (limitations apply) |
| Tax paid to another state | Credit allowed if the vehicle was titled/registered in that state within 90 days before Delaware registration |
| Delaware resident buying from an out-of-state dealer | No credit for taxes paid to the other state |
Delaware car tax FAQ
Does Delaware have car sales tax?
No sales tax, but a 5.25% document fee is charged when you title the vehicle.
Can a trade-in lower the Delaware document fee?
Yes, if the trade-in vehicle is titled in Delaware.
What if I pay $1 for a car?
The fee is based on the higher of the price or NADA average trade-in value, so a nominal price doesn't avoid it.
How much is registration in Delaware?
$40 a year for passenger vehicles and $15 for motorcycles, plus any alternative-fuel fee.
Sources & verification
We checked these figures against the following official pages on October 7, 2026:
- dmv.de.gov/Common/DMVFees/index.shtml
- news.delaware.gov/2025/09/30/dmv-fees-increase-in-october-2025/
Not yet confirmed on an official page: min doc 13.75 ($400-500). Treat these figures as estimates.
What changed in our last review
- title_with_lien 55; late_renewal 20; duplicate_title 50
- trade-in of Delaware-titled vehicle deducted from purchase price; credit for tax paid to another state if titled there within 90 days before DE registration; no credit for DE resident buying from out-of-state dealer
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll recheck it.