When you purchase a vehicle, the final amount you pay is more than just the sticker price. Most jurisdictions impose a sales tax on the purchase price, and there are often additional mandatory fees such as title, registration, and documentation fees. This calculator helps you quickly determine the total amount you will owe.
How the calculation works
Vehicle Price: The base price of the vehicle before any taxes or fees.
Sales Tax Rate: Expressed as a percentage. For example, a rate of 8.5% means you pay 0.085 × Vehicle Price in tax.
Additional Fees: Fixed costs that are not subject to sales tax but must be added to the final total.
Total Cost = Vehicle Price + Total Tax Amount + Additional Fees.
Example
Imagine you are buying a car with a base price of $25,000. Your state's sales tax is 8.5%, and you have $350 in title and registration fees.
Tax amount = 25,000 × 0.085 = $2,125
Total cost = 25,000 + 2,125 + 350 = $27,475
Enter those numbers into the calculator above to see the same result instantly.
When to use this calculator
Use this tool whenever you are budgeting for a vehicle purchase, comparing offers from different dealers, or need to estimate the cash needed for a down‑payment and financing. It works for new and used cars, motorcycles, and even recreational vehicles, as long as you know the applicable sales tax rate and any fixed fees.
function calculateTax(){
var price = parseFloat(document.getElementById('vehiclePrice').value);
var rate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('salesTaxRate').value);
var fees = parseFloat(document.getElementById('additionalFees').value);
var errorDiv = document.getElementById('errorMsg');
var resultDiv = document.getElementById('result');
errorDiv.innerHTML = ";
resultDiv.innerHTML = ";
if(isNaN(price) || price < 0){
errorDiv.innerHTML = 'Please enter a valid vehicle price.';
return;
}
if(isNaN(rate) || rate < 0){
errorDiv.innerHTML = 'Please enter a valid sales tax rate.';
return;
}
if(isNaN(fees) || fees < 0){
fees = 0;
}
var taxAmount = price * (rate / 100);
var totalCost = price + taxAmount + fees;
resultDiv.innerHTML = 'Total Cost: $' + totalCost.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits:2, maximumFractionDigits:2});
}