Official fees
Missouri tax, title & license fee chart
Motor vehicle sales tax
4.225% + local
local rate = buyer's home city/county, not the dealer's
Title fee
$8.50
Title processing fee
$6.00
Registration, under 12 hp
$18.25/yr
Registration, 36–47 hp
$33.25/yr
typical sedan band
Registration, 72+ hp
$51.25/yr
Registration processing fee
$6.00/yr ($12 for 2-year plates)
Alternative fuel decal (EV)
$150/yr
plug-in hybrids MY2018+ pay half, $75/yr
Figures verified July 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with your local license office (a contracted agent, not a DOR branch) for titling and registration; your county collector for personal property tax - counties can add small local fees.
Step by step
How to title and register a vehicle in Missouri
- 1
Get the properly signed-over title (or dealer paperwork) and, for a private sale, a safety inspection certificate less than 60 days old unless the vehicle is exempt.
- 2
Fill out Form 108 (Application for Missouri Title and License).
- 3
Bring the title, Form 108, proof of insurance, and ID to any Missouri license office within 30 days of the purchase date.
- 4
Pay the combined sales tax for your home address, the $14.50 title cost, and the horsepower-based registration in one transaction.
- 5
Keep the receipt - you'll need it again every December when the county collector bills personal property tax on the vehicle.
- Sales tax
- 4.225% + local
- Title + processing
- $14.50
- Registration
- $18.25–$51.25/yr by hp
- Tax rate set by
- Buyer's address
- Deadline
- 30 days from purchase
Overview
That last part trips people up constantly: buy a car from a Springfield dealer but title it at your St. Louis address, and you owe St. Louis's combined rate, not Springfield's. Enter your numbers below - pick your actual home jurisdiction from the list - and the calculator itemizes every line your license office will charge, horsepower band and all.
Same state, other costs
More Missouri vehicle costs
Common questions
Missouri tax, title & license FAQ
- How much is tax, title and license on a $25,000 car in Missouri?
- It depends entirely on your home address. At the statewide average combined rate (about 8.44%), tax alone is roughly $2,110; add $14.50 in title costs and $39–$45 in first-year registration for a typical sedan, for a total near $2,165–$2,170. In the City of St. Louis (9.679%) the tax portion jumps to about $2,420.
- Why does registration cost more for some cars than others?
- Missouri prices annual registration by taxable horsepower, not vehicle weight or value. A low-power compact might pay $18.25–$24.25 a year; a high-horsepower truck or sports car pays up to $51.25. Two identically priced cars can have very different registration bills if their engines differ.
- Do I pay Missouri's sales tax rate or my county's rate?
- Both, added together - but the local piece is set by where you live and title the car, never by the dealership's address. A St. Louis County resident who buys from a Kansas City dealer still pays the St. Louis County combined rate.
- Does a trade-in lower my Missouri sales tax?
- Yes - Missouri taxes the purchase price minus your trade-in allowance, dealer sales only. Trade a $12,000 vehicle in against a $30,000 purchase and you're taxed on $18,000.
- What happens if I don't title the car within 30 days?
- A flat $25 penalty hits on day 31, then another $25 for every additional 30 days you're late, capped at $200. It applies regardless of whether you also owe sales tax, so a delayed private-party purchase gets expensive fast.
- Is there anything besides TTL I should budget for?
- Yes - the December personal property tax bill. Missouri taxes vehicles you own on January 1 each year through your county collector, separately from titling. It's not due at the license office counter, but you'll need the paid receipt to renew your plates later.
Receipts
Official sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.
