Overview
Enter your purchase price, weight class, and registration age below and the calculator adds the excise tax, title fee, and matrix-based registration into one out-the-door number. If this is the vehicle's first North Dakota title - new from a dealer or just brought in from another state - toggle that on to include the small $1.50 abandoned motor vehicle disposal fee that rides along with initial titling only.
01 - Official fees
North Dakota tax, title & license fees at a glance
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle excise tax | 5% | of purchase price minus trade-in |
| Certificate of title | $5.00 | |
| Abandoned motor vehicle disposal fee | $1.50 | initial ND title only - new or out-of-state vehicles |
| Passenger registration | $49–$274/yr | by weight class and registration year |
| Motorcycle registration | $15/yr | flat, any weight or age |
| EV road use fee | $120/yr | fully electric only |
| Plug-in hybrid road use fee | $50/yr |
Figures verified June 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with your county's NDDOT motor vehicle branch office - counties can add small local fees.
02 - Step by step
How to pay TTL in North Dakota
- 1
Get the seller's signature on the title's assignment section (a dealer handles this for you on a new purchase).
- 2
Complete the Application for Certificate of Title & Registration of a Vehicle (Form SFN 2872).
- 3
Bring the signed title, Form SFN 2872, and ID to your county's NDDOT motor vehicle branch office.
- 4
Pay the 5% excise tax on price minus trade-in, the $5 title fee, and the weight×age registration in one transaction.
- 5
Drive off with your plates or tabs the same visit - there's no inspection to schedule first.
03 - Same state, other costs
More North Dakota vehicle costs
04 - Common questions
North Dakota tax, title & license FAQ
How much is tax, title and license on a $25,000 car in North Dakota?
About $1,368 for a newer 3,200–4,499 lb vehicle: $1,250 excise tax (5%), $5 title, $93 first-registration-year fee, plus $20 in small statutory fees. The registration line drops to $57 once the vehicle reaches its 10th–12th registration year.
Does North Dakota compare my price to a book value like Texas's SPV?
Yes, informally. If your declared private-sale price looks well under fair market value, NDDOT can substitute a Kelley Blue Book or NADA figure and tax that instead - there's no fixed 80% floor like Texas, but a bill of sale explaining condition or damage helps if your price is genuinely low.
Why does my registration fee go down over time instead of staying the same?
North Dakota's fee schedule is built as a weight-by-age matrix (NDCC 39-04-19): the same 3,200–4,499 lb vehicle pays $93 in its 1st–6th registration year, $81 in years 7–9, $69 in years 10–12, and $57 from year 13 on. Heavier classes step down by more dollars at each break.
Do I pay both sales tax and excise tax in North Dakota?
No - the 5% motor vehicle excise tax stands in for sales tax entirely on any vehicle required to be registered. There's no separate city or county sales tax layered on top, unlike states that tax vehicles at the local retail rate.
What if the car was a gift from a family member?
Gifts between spouses, parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and siblings are fully exempt from the 5% excise tax - you still pay the $5 title fee. See our North Dakota gift-a-car page for exactly who qualifies.
Does North Dakota require a safety or emissions inspection before I can register?
No. North Dakota has never required a routine safety or emissions inspection for standard registration - the only inspection scenario is a VIN verification for certain out-of-state salvage-titled vehicles.
What extra fee applies to EVs and hybrids?
Fully electric vehicles pay a $120 annual road use fee, plug-in hybrids pay $50, and electric motorcycles pay $20 - all on top of normal registration, since those vehicles buy little or no taxed motor fuel.
05 - Receipts
Official sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.