Ohio Sales Tax Calculator
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Ohio Car Sales Tax Calculator

Don't get blindsided in the finance office. Estimate the sales tax, trade-in credit, and title fee on a vehicle in any Ohio county.

WORKFLOW

How it works

Follow the exact steps to get your result instantly and privately.

Purchase Details

AMOUNT
Subtotal (Pre-tax)
$1,250|

Just the sticker price. No commas needed.

STEP 1

1. Enter the vehicle price

Type the negotiated purchase price of the car, entirely before tax and fees.

How Ohio Taxes a Vehicle Purchase

Ohio taxes a vehicle at the combined rate of the county where you RESIDE, not where you buy it. Registration county is usually the same thing, and it is where the clerk collects the tax, but residence is the rule — so if you register a car at a second address in another county, the rate that legally applies is still your county of residence. Under RC 5739.01(H)(2), a trade-in allowance reduces the taxable base only on the sale of a NEW motor vehicle by a licensed new motor vehicle dealer — the statute begins "In the case of a sale of any new motor vehicle by a new motor vehicle dealer." Buy a USED vehicle, from a franchised or independent dealer or privately, and Ohio taxes the full purchase price even if you hand over a trade-in. A certificate-of-title fee of $18 applies on top, or $23 in counties whose commissioners adopted the increase (RC 4505.09, effective January 1, 2026).
NEW vehicle from a dealer: Taxable Base = Purchase Price − Trade-In Allowance
USED or private-party: Taxable Base = Purchase Price (no trade-in credit)
Sales Tax = Taxable Base × Combined County Rate

Example: A $30,000 NEW car in Franklin County (8.00%) with a $10,000 trade-in has a taxable base of $20,000: $20,000 × 0.08 = $1,600 in tax, versus $2,400 with no trade-in — an $800 saving. Buy the same $30,000 car USED and the trade-in does not touch the tax: you owe $30,000 × 0.08 = $2,400 either way. The trade-in still reduces what you hand over at the dealership; it just no longer reduces the tax.

Worked Examples

$30,000 NEW car from a dealer, $10,000 trade-in, Franklin (8.00%)($30,000 − $10,000) × 0.08$1,600.00 tax
$30,000 USED car from a dealer, $10,000 trade-in, Franklin (8.00%)$30,000 × 0.08 — no trade-in credit on used vehicles$2,400.00 tax
$25,000 car, no trade-in, Butler (6.50%)$25,000 × 0.065$1,625.00 tax
$18,000 USED car, $3,000 trade-in, Cuyahoga (8.00%)$18,000 × 0.08 — the trade-in lowers your cash, not the tax$1,440.00 tax

Sales tax on a $25,000 vehicle by combined county rate (before any trade-in credit).

Combined RateExample CountyTax on $25,000
6.50%Butler, Lorain, Stark$1,625.00
6.75%Summit, Warren, Greene$1,687.50
7.00%Delaware, Portage, Richland$1,750.00
7.25%Clark, Ross, Scioto$1,812.50
7.50%Montgomery, Mahoning$1,875.00
7.75%Lucas$1,937.50
7.80%Hamilton$1,950.00
8.00%Cuyahoga, Franklin$2,000.00

Sales tax on a $25,000 vehicle by combined county rate (before any trade-in credit).

Quick facts

  • Vehicle sales tax follows your county of residence — normally the same county where you register the car, and where the clerk collects the tax.
  • RC 5739.01(H)(2) allows the trade-in credit ONLY on the sale of a new motor vehicle by a licensed new motor vehicle dealer — the statute opens "In the case of a sale of any new motor vehicle by a new motor vehicle dealer."
  • Buying USED — from a franchised dealer, an independent dealer or a private seller — means tax is due on the full purchase price even if you trade a vehicle in.
  • Ohio's certificate-of-title fee is $18, or $23 in counties that adopted the increase.
  • Manufacturer rebates are applied after tax and do not reduce the taxable purchase price.

Ohio CPA & Small Business Advisor

Sales & Use Tax Specialist

  • CPA
  • Small Business Advisor
  • ODT audit survivor

Written by a seasoned Ohio CPA and small-business advisor who has survived more than a few Ohio Department of Taxation audits. These tools and guides distill that hands-on experience so shoppers, sellers, and businesses stay out of trouble and keep more of their own money.

Reviewed by Ohio CPA & Small Business Advisor · Last reviewed August 25, 2026

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Frequently asked questions

You pay the combined state-and-county rate for your county of residence, sitting between 6.50% and 8.00%. On a $25,000 car that is $1,625 to $2,000 in sales tax. That is normally the county where you register the vehicle, since the clerk of courts collects the tax when the title is issued.

Only on a new vehicle. RC 5739.01(H)(2) grants the credit "in the case of a sale of any new motor vehicle by a new motor vehicle dealer" — so a trade-in reduces the taxable base when you buy new from a licensed dealer, and does not when you buy used from any seller or from a private party. On a used purchase your trade-in still lowers the cash you hand over, but Ohio calculates the tax on the full purchase price.

The county where you title and register the vehicle—normally your county of residence—not the county where the dealership sits.

No. Manufacturer rebates are applied after sales tax is calculated and do not reduce the taxable purchase price in Ohio. However, any discount already reflected in the negotiated vehicle price does reduce the taxable base since you're paying a lower price upfront.

An $18 certificate-of-title fee ($23 in counties that adopted the increase), plate and registration fees through the BMV, and a dealer documentary service charge, which RC 4517.261 limits to the lesser of the amount the Registrar publishes annually or 10% of the contract price. This tool includes the title fee and lets you add a doc fee.

Yes. When you title a used vehicle bought from a private seller, you pay use tax at your county's combined rate on the exact purchase price right at the clerk of courts title office.

Ohio Car Sales Tax Calculator by County

Select your county to pre-load the calculator with local rates.