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Gifting a Car in Oregon: What It Really Costs

Oregon makes gifting a car about as simple as it gets: there's no sales tax to worry about in the first place, and the state's two narrow vehicle taxes - the 0.5% privilege tax and 0.5% use tax - only ever apply to dealer sales of nearly-new vehicles. A gift, by definition, isn't a dealer sale, so neither tax touches it no matter how new the car is or who's giving it to whom. You don't need a special affidavit or a qualifying-relative list like some states require to unlock a tax break - everyone gifting a car in Oregon already gets the best rate there is.

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Your numbers

Oregon sets both the title fee and the 2-year registration fee by combined MPG - look yours up by VIN at fueleconomy.gov.

Three Portland-metro counties add their own surcharge on top of the state registration fee.

Official fees

Oregon gift a car fee chart

Gift tax

$0

no such tax exists in Oregon

Title, 0–19 MPG

$101

Title, 20–39 MPG

$106

Title, 40+ MPG

$116

Title, all-electric

$192

Registration (if putting car on the road)

$126–$376 / 2 yrs

same MPG tiers as a purchase

Late title transfer

$25 / $50

31–60 days / 61+ days

Figures verified July 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with the Oregon DMV (ODOT) - counties can add small local fees.

Official Oregon forms you'll need

  • 735-226Application for Title and Registration

    Oregon has no sales/use tax on private-party transfers, so a gifted vehicle uses the standard title transfer with Form 735-226.

Get the current version of each form from the Oregon DMV (ODOT) before you file - agencies revise forms, and offices reject outdated ones.

Step by step

How to gift a car in Oregon

  1. 1

    Sign the title over to the recipient - write 'Gift' where a sale price would normally go.

  2. 2

    Look up the vehicle's combined MPG rating to know the exact title fee tier.

  3. 3

    Recipient completes an Application for Title and Registration (Form 735-226).

  4. 4

    Bring the signed title, application, insurance proof, and ID to a DMV field office within 30 days.

  5. 5

    Pay the MPG-tiered title fee (and registration, if the car will be driven right away) - no tax to calculate.

Gift tax
$0 - none exists
Title fee
$101–$192 by MPG
Eligible relationships
Any - no restriction
Title deadline
30 days
Registration (if driving now)
$126–$376 / 2 yrs

Overview

What you do still owe is the title transfer itself, priced the same MPG-tiered way as any other title: $101 for a 0–19-mpg vehicle up to $192 for an EV. If the recipient plans to drive it right away, registration comes due too, at the same MPG-based rate as a purchase. The 30-day title deadline and its late-filing penalties apply to gifts exactly as they do to sales.

Same state, other costs

More Oregon vehicle costs

Common questions

Oregon gift a car FAQ

Do I owe any tax gifting a car to my kid in Oregon?
No. Oregon has no sales tax and its two vehicle-specific taxes (privilege and use) only apply to dealer sales - a gift between parent and child, or anyone else, is never a dealer sale, so it's never taxed.
Does it matter who I'm gifting the car to?
Not for tax purposes - unlike states with a family-only gift-tax exemption, Oregon simply doesn't have a vehicle gift tax to begin with, so gifting to a spouse, a friend, or a stranger costs exactly the same: the MPG-based title fee and nothing else.
What paperwork proves it was a gift rather than a sale?
Writing 'Gift' as the sale price on the title's transfer section is standard practice, though since there's no tax difference between a gift and a $0 sale in Oregon, DMV mainly cares that the title is properly signed over and the application is complete.
Is the title fee different for a gifted EV?
No - it follows the same MPG-based schedule as any title transaction: $192 for an all-electric vehicle, whether it was sold or given away.
Do I need to register the car immediately after receiving it as a gift?
Only if you plan to drive it - you can hold a title without active registration. Once you do register, the MPG-tiered 2-year fee ($126–$376) applies, plus any Multnomah, Washington, or Clackamas County surcharge.
What if we miss the 30-day window on a gifted car?
The same late presentation fee applies as any title transfer: $25 for 31–60 days late, $50 for 61 or more days late. Being a gift doesn't exempt you from the deadline.

Receipts

Official sources

Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.

Disclaimer

DMVCosts provides fee estimates for general informational purposes only - it is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and no calculator can account for every county surcharge, exemption, or mid-year rate change. Figures are verified against official sources on the date shown, but fees change over time.

The final, binding amount is always the one quoted by the Oregon DMV (ODOT). Confirm with them before making payment decisions. To the fullest extent permitted by law, DMVCosts disclaims all liability for decisions made based on these estimates.