What you pay in tax when you buy a vehicle in Washington, from the statute and the revenue department.
Verified September 21, 2026 · statute and revenue department cross-checked
The statute and the actual bill do not match. The extra motor vehicle tax rose from 0.3 percent to 0.5 percent on January 1, 2026. Anything written before then shows 0.3 percent.
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Buying the car is only half the cost. You still owe an annual registration fee.
Washington stacks three things: the 6.5 percent state rate, an extra 0.5 percent motor vehicle tax, and your local rate. Combined totals of 9 to 10 percent are normal. Vehicles are exempt from the voter-approved public safety portion of the local tax. The extra motor vehicle tax does not apply to trailers or to repairs.
Washington Department of Revenue, Motor vehicle sales/use tax “It is an additional tax on all retail sales, leases and transfers of motor vehicles. ... What rate do I pay? Effective Jan. 1, 2026, the rate is .5%. Through Dec. 31, 2025, the rate is .3%.”
Last verified: September 21, 2026.
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Estimates only. Your dealer or the state issues the final bill, and exemptions can change what you owe. This page does not collect or store anything you enter.