Connecticut Car Sales Tax Calculator
Figure basis: Official Connecticut Department of Revenue ServicesThis Connecticut car sales tax calculator estimates the tax and fees on buying a vehicle. Connecticut applies its state sales or use tax of 6.35% to a vehicle purchase, the same rate sourced from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services that applies to other taxable goods. Enter the vehicle price and your registration fee to see the state sales tax, fees and the total drive-away cost. Most counties and cities in Connecticut add a local sales tax on top of the state rate, so your combined rate at purchase may be higher; use the Connecticut sales tax calculator to find the local rate for your address. Registration and title fees are set by the Connecticut DMV and depend on the vehicle's weight, type and your county, so they are entered by you rather than asserted here. Some states also let you subtract a trade-in before tax, while others tax the full price; the rule is set by the state, so enter the net price if Connecticut allows a trade-in credit. Use this to budget for a car purchase and to compare the upfront tax across vehicles. The state rate is the official sourced figure; local rates and fees vary by location.
Connecticut's state sales tax on a vehicle is 6.35%. On a $35,000 car that is $2,222.50 in state tax; with a $300 registration fee, the total is about $37,522.50.
How Connecticut car sales tax is calculated
state sales tax = vehicle price x 6.35% + any local sales tax
total = vehicle price + state sales tax + registration and title fees
Editor's insight: one flat rate, until the car costs more than $50,000
Connecticut is refreshingly simple on the surface: a single statewide 6.35% rate with no county or city sales tax, so the tax on a car is the same in Hartford, Stamford, and every small town alike. On a $35,000 vehicle that is $2,222.50 in state tax, and no local rate is added anywhere in the state. That flat structure is the whole appeal, and it is also where the exceptions hide.
The trap is the luxury threshold and casual-sale valuation. A motor vehicle priced over $50,000 is taxed at Connecticut's higher 7.75% rate on the entire price, not just the amount above the threshold, so crossing $50,000 adds real money. For private-party purchases the state does not simply take your word on price: Connecticut assesses the tax on the greater of the actual purchase price or the vehicle's average retail value, so a lowball bill of sale will not lower the tax.
Connecticut does allow a trade-in to reduce the taxable price on a dealer purchase. Registration and title fees are set by the Connecticut DMV and are entered separately here; the sourced state rate is 6.35%, rising to 7.75% once the price passes $50,000.
Connecticut car sales tax: frequently asked questions
How much is sales tax on a car in Connecticut?
Connecticut charges its state sales or use tax of 6.35% on a vehicle purchase. On a $35,000 car that is $2,222.50. Many counties and cities add a local rate on top, so your combined rate may be higher; check the Connecticut sales tax calculator for your locality.
Is the registration fee included?
Registration and title fees are set by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles and vary by vehicle weight, type and county, so they are a user-editable input here rather than an asserted figure. Enter your DMV's fee for an accurate total.
Does a trade-in reduce the sales tax in Connecticut?
In many states the taxable amount is the price after a trade-in credit, but some states tax the full price. The rule is set by the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. This calculator applies the rate to the price you enter, so enter the net price if Connecticut allows a trade-in credit.
Where does the Connecticut car sales tax rate come from?
The state sales or use tax rate of 6.35% is sourced from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, verified as at Jun 11, 2026. Local rates and DMV fees come from your county.
Official sources
- Connecticut state sales/use tax rate (6.35%): Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, as at Jun 11, 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 26 June 2026. See our methodology. General information, not financial advice. Local sales taxes and DMV registration fees vary by location and are not asserted.