Overview
Add the $15 title fee and, in a small number of places, a genuine local sales tax collected at the point of sale (Juneau's 5%, capped at $15,000 of price; the Kenai Peninsula Borough's 3%, capped at just $500), and you get the real Alaska total. Pick your borough and vehicle details below - the calculator applies the exact schedule from the 2026 DMV chart, not a statewide average.
01 - Official fees
Alaska tax, title & license fees at a glance
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| State registration (passenger vehicle) | $100 | biennial, 24 months |
| Motor Vehicle Registration Tax (MVRT) | $0–$300 | set by your borough/city, based on vehicle age |
| Title fee | $15 | |
| Lien recording (if financed) | $15 | |
| Local point-of-sale sales tax | 0%–5% | only in a handful of cities; most of Alaska charges none |
Figures verified June 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) - counties can add small local fees.
02 - Step by step
How to title and register in Alaska
- 1
Get an Alaska title within 30 days of buying the vehicle - bring the signed-over out-of-state title or dealer paperwork and a completed Form 812.
- 2
Check whether your city collects a point-of-sale sales tax (Juneau and a few others do) and pay it there if so.
- 3
Apply for registration at any DMV office, by mail, or online at online.dmv.alaska.gov.
- 4
Pay the $100 state fee plus whatever MVRT your borough charges for the vehicle's age.
- 5
Your registration and MVRT are both good for 2 years - mark the expiration month, since Alaska mails a reminder but doesn't chase you after that.
03 - Same state, other costs
More Alaska vehicle costs
04 - Common questions
Alaska tax, title & license FAQ
How much is tax, title and license on a car in Alaska?
It depends almost entirely on your borough. In Fairbanks, a new car costs $100 registration + $15 title = $115, because Fairbanks charges no MVRT and has no local sales tax. The same car in Anchorage or Mat-Su adds $150 in MVRT for a total of $265. In Juneau, add the flat $70 MVRT plus a 5% sales tax on the purchase (capped at $750) - a $30,000 car there runs about $935 in TTL.
Is the Motor Vehicle Registration Tax the same as sales tax?
No - they're different taxes with different rules. The MVRT is a biennial tax on owning the vehicle, billed by the DMV every time you register, and it shrinks as the vehicle ages. A local sales tax (where one exists) is a one-time tax on the purchase price, paid once at the sale. Juneau and the Kenai Peninsula Borough charge both.
Why does my neighbor pay less MVRT than I do for the same car?
MVRT is set by where the vehicle is registered, not by the dealer or the vehicle itself. Move from Fairbanks (no MVRT) to Anchorage and the identical truck starts owing $70–$150 every two years. The DMV determines your taxable location from your registered address.
Does Alaska tax electric vehicles differently?
No. As of 2026, Alaska has no EV-specific registration surcharge - an EV pays the same $100 biennial fee and the same local MVRT as a gas vehicle. Several bills to add an EV fee have been introduced but none had passed as of this writing.
What if I live in a rural area not connected to any road?
Communities that aren't connected by road to the state highway system (and see under roughly 500 vehicles a day) are exempt from both vehicle registration and mandatory insurance under AS 28.22.011. If your community isn't on that exempt list, though, you still register and pay MVRT like anywhere else - several off-road hub communities (Bethel, Nome, Dillingham) are actually on the MVRT chart.
Can I skip all of this with permanent registration?
If your vehicle is 8 years or older (or it's a trailer of any age) and you're in an eligible area - Mat-Su Borough, Fairbanks North Star Borough, or Anchorage for trailers only - you can pay a one-time $25 surcharge on top of your normal registration and MVRT and never renew that vehicle again.
05 - Receipts
Official sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.