Official fees
Florida car sales tax chart
State rate
6%
on price minus trade-in, dealer sales
County surtax
0%–1.5%
applies only to the first $5,000 of price
Private-party sale
6% + surtax
same rate, no trade-in credit, paid at title
Bona fide gift (no consideration)
$0
self-certified on the title application
Corporate/business transfer
presumed = fair market value
unless proven otherwise
Figures verified July 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with your county tax collector's office (FLHSMV) - counties can add small local fees.
- State rate
- 6%
- County surtax
- 0%–1.5%, capped at $5,000
- Private sales
- Taxed same as dealer
- True gift
- $0 tax
- Trade-in credit
- Dealer sales only
Overview
The taxable base changes with how you buy: a dealership subtracts your trade-in first, a private-party purchase gets taxed on the full price you actually paid (no comparison to a 'book value' the way some states run it), and a genuine gift - where no money, services, or assumed loan changes hands - owes no sales tax at all, verified with a signed statement on the title application. This calculator applies whichever rule fits your sale.
Same state, other costs
More Florida vehicle costs
Common questions
Florida car sales tax FAQ
- Why is Florida's county tax so much smaller than I expected on an expensive car?
- Because the discretionary surtax stops applying past $5,000 of the price. On a $50,000 truck in a 1% county, you pay $50 in surtax - not $500. Only the 6% state portion scales with the full price.
- Can I subtract my trade-in before Florida taxes the sale?
- Yes, but only in a dealer transaction where the trade-in happens in the same deal - Florida Statute 212.09 lets the dealer tax price minus allowance. Sell your old car to a private buyer and then go buy a replacement, and both transactions are taxed on their full price separately.
- Do I owe Florida sales tax if I buy from a private seller instead of a dealer?
- Yes, the same 6% plus your county's capped surtax - you just pay it yourself at the county tax collector's office when you title the car, rather than having a dealer collect it at the point of sale.
- Is gifting a car to my kid or spouse tax-free in Florida?
- It can be - and Florida doesn't restrict this to specific relatives the way some states do. Any transfer where no money, trade, service, or assumed loan balance changes hands qualifies as a bona fide gift and owes $0 sales tax, certified on the title application's exemption section.
- What if I 'gift' a car but the recipient takes over the loan payments?
- That's not a tax-free gift in Florida's eyes - assuming an outstanding lien counts as consideration. The transfer is taxed on the vehicle's fair market value, same as any sale, because value changed hands even though no cash did.
- Are there any vehicles fully exempt from Florida sales tax?
- A handful: qualifying transfers to or from certain government entities and nonprofits, some active-duty military situations, and true gifts as above. Everyday used-car and dealer purchases - including very low-priced private sales - are taxed at the standard rate on the actual price paid.
Receipts
Official sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.
