Overview
The flat table has its own internal logic worth knowing. Table A tops out at $465 for a car one year old or newer and steps down to just $100 for anything 11 years or older - age is the only variable, not condition or mileage. Table B starts at $850 for $15,000–$19,999.99 and climbs to $10,100 for a $1 million-plus vehicle. Motorcycles, mopeds, and ATVs skip both tables and pay a flat $25 no matter what. Family transfers, estate gifts to a non-spouse, and business reorganizations pay $15. A handful of transactions - farm implements, rolling stock, qualifying out-of-state use - owe nothing at all.
Pick your transaction type below and the calculator applies the exact Illinois rule, including the Chicago and Cook County local add-ons that stack on top of every private-party number.
01 - Official fees
Illinois car sales tax fees at a glance
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dealer sale (Retailers' Occupation Tax) | 6.25%–10.25% | of price minus trade-in, no cap |
| Private sale, Table A (under $15,000) | $100–$465 | by vehicle age: newest $465, 11+ yrs $100 |
| Private sale, Table B ($15,000+) | $850–$10,100 | 6 price bands up to $1,000,000+ |
| Motorcycle, moped, or ATV (private) | $25 | flat, regardless of age or price |
| Family transfer / estate gift (non-spouse) / business reorg | $15 | |
| Estate gift to surviving spouse | $0 | fully exempt |
| Farm implement, rolling stock, tax-exempt org | $0 | |
| Chicago private-party add-on | $0–$225 | by vehicle age or transaction type |
| Cook County private-party add-on | $0–$225 | stacks with Chicago inside city limits |
Figures verified June 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with the Illinois Secretary of State (vehicle tax is paid to the Illinois Department of Revenue, IDOR) - counties can add small local fees.
03 - Same state, other costs
More Illinois vehicle costs
04 - Common questions
Illinois car sales tax FAQ
How is Illinois private-party vehicle tax different from sales tax?
It isn't a percentage at all. Form RUT-50 assigns a flat dollar figure: Table A by the vehicle's model-year age for anything under $15,000, Table B by price band at $15,000 and up. A $9,000 car that's 10 years old owes $115 in state tax - not $562.50 (6.25% of $9,000).
What's the fair market value used for and when does it apply?
When there's no stated purchase price - a gift, an even trade, or an inherited vehicle - RUT-50 substitutes the vehicle's fair market value (obtainable from a licensed dealer) in place of price, then runs it through the same Table A or B.
Is there any way around the $15,000 Table B cliff?
Not by structuring the price - Illinois taxes the actual purchase price or fair market value, whichever applies, and doesn't offer an appraisal workaround the way some states do. The only way to stay in Table A is a genuine sale price (or FMV) under $15,000.
Do motorcycles and ATVs use the age or price tables?
Neither. Every private-party motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, three- or four-wheel ATV, and motorized pedalcycle pays a flat $25 state tax regardless of age or price. Chicago adds $15 and Cook County adds $90 to that if applicable.
Who actually qualifies for the $15 family-transfer rate?
Spouse (including civil union), parent, brother, sister, and child (including adopted children) - sale or gift, either way. Grandparents, grandchildren, in-laws, and step-relations do NOT qualify and are taxed at full Table A/B rates instead.
Are any vehicle acquisitions fully tax-exempt in Illinois?
Yes: transfers to tax-exempt organizations, farm implements not required to be registered, qualifying ready-mix concrete trucks, vehicles used purely as rolling stock, an out-of-state resident's vehicle used outside Illinois 3+ months before moving here, and an estate gift to a surviving spouse.
Why did my private-party tax bill include two extra local charges?
If your title address is inside the City of Chicago, you owe both the Chicago tax AND the Cook County tax - RUT-6 requires both when the address sits in both jurisdictions. Outside Chicago, Cook County suburbs still owe the county's flat charge alone.
05 - Receipts
Official sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.