Rhode Island Car Sales Tax Calculator Tax, title & license fees (2026)

How much is car sales tax in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island charges a statewide 7% sales tax on vehicles, with no local add-on. How the 7% is applied depends on who sold you the car and how old it is.

From a dealer, the trade-in reduces the taxable price for passenger cars, motorcycles and motor homes. Trucks and other classes, and dealer sales of vehicles 30 years or older, are taxed on the full price.

Private sales use book values: for vehicles seven years old or newer, you pay on the higher of the NADA Clean Retail value or the price. For vehicles 8 to 29 years old, you pay on the sale price. Sales tax is due by the 20th of the month after you buy, even if you haven't registered yet.

Title costs $53.50, including a $3.50 technology surcharge. Passenger registration runs for two years: $30 a year for a car up to 4,000 lb plus a $20-a-year DOT fee, plus the technology fee. From 2026, electric vehicles pay $200 a year, plug-in hybrids $100 and other hybrids $50.

1. Dealer: taxable = price - trade-in (passenger, motorcycle, motor home under 30 years only)
2. Private, 7 years old or less: taxable = greater of NADA Clean Retail or price
3. Private, 8-29 years (not on CPI list): taxable = price
4. Private, CPI list or 30+ years: taxable = greater of book value or price
5. Tax = taxable x 7%
6. Total = tax + title + lien + (registration + DOT fee + EV fee) x years + technology + doc fee

Rhode Island car tax example with real numbers

Dealer purchase with a trade-in

You buy a car from a Rhode Island dealer for $28,000 and trade in your old one for $6,000.

1. Taxable amount: $28,000 − $6,000 = $22,000.
2. Sales tax: $22,000 × 7% = $1,540.
3. Two-year registration: ($30 + $20) × 2 + $3.50 = $103.50; plus the $53.50 title.
4. Estimated total: $1,697.

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 Rhode Island tax bill