Vermont Car Registration Cost and Renewal Calculator
Vermont car registration costs $91 a year or $167 for two years for a gas car, flat, whatever it weighs or is worth. Fees rose 19.8% on January 1, 2024. A plug-in pays more: $135.50 for a plug-in hybrid and $178 for an electric car. The bigger number is the 6% Purchase and Use Tax, and Vermont has two ways to shrink it that most buyers never hear about. Both are below.
How much does it cost to register a car in Vermont?
A new $30,000 car costs about $1,941 to register in Vermont the first year, then about $91 a year to renew. The first year adds the sales or use tax on the purchase, the title and the plate, one-time charges you do not pay at renewal.
Enter your own price and details in the calculator above for an itemized breakdown, or see renewing your registration below for the yearly cost.
One year or two: what Vermont charges by fuel type
| Car type | 1 year | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Gas or diesel (and regular hybrids) | $91.00 | $167.00 |
| Plug-in hybrid | $135.50 | $256.00 |
| Battery electric | $178.00 | $341.00 |
The two-year option saves $15 on a gas car. Notice the electric car is $87 more than a gas car, not the $89 infrastructure fee people quote: its base registration is $89 because it skips the $2 Clean Air Fund fee. A hybrid that never plugs in pays the gas rate. When you buy, add the $42 title, $14 if there's a loan, and an $8 warranty fee on a brand-new car. You can renew on myDMV up to 60 days early, and there's no grace period once it expires. Renewal steps are in the renewal section below.
Buying a car adds Vermont's 6% purchase and use tax. What it is charged on, and how a trade-in or a private sale of your old car cuts it, is on the Vermont tax, title and license calculator.
Moving to Vermont, and the loophole that closed
Register within 60 days of moving, or before your old state's registration expires if that's sooner. You'll need a Vermont driver license or ID first, and after registering you have 15 days to pass a Vermont inspection.
The tax surprises people. A car already registered to you elsewhere is still taxed at 6% of its J.D. Power value, unless you can show tax you paid on it in another state (you pay any difference) or that it's been registered to you for at least three years in a state with a sales tax. Both go on Form VT-014, and a retail installment agreement doesn't count as proof.
Vermont used to let anyone register a car there by mail, which is why its green plates turned up all over the country. That ended on July 1, 2023. Now you need a real connection to the state: residency, or proof you're a part-time resident, a student at a Vermont school or a contracted employee.
Vermont registration fees at a glance
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Registration feeVermont registers a gas or diesel car for $91 for one year or $167 for two, whatever it weighs or is worth. That includes the $2 Clean Air Fund fee. It went up from $76 on January 1, 2024, when Act 62 raised DMV fees 19.8% to catch up with inflation since 2016. | $91 |
| Title fee, new vehicleA Vermont certificate of title is $42. | $42 |
| Title fee, used vehicle | $42 |
| New vehicle warranty feeAn $8 fee charged when a new car is first registered in Vermont (23 V.S.A. 476). | $8 |
| Electric vehicle feeVermont adds an infrastructure fee to every plug-in car at registration. A battery-electric car pays $178 a year in total, an $89 registration plus an $89 infrastructure fee; it skips the $2 Clean Air Fund fee, so it costs $87 more than a gas car. A plug-in hybrid pays the regular $91 plus $44.50, or $135.50. A regular hybrid pays nothing extra. The money goes to charging infrastructure until Vermont designs a mileage-based fee. | $87 / year |
Buying the car as well? The tax on the purchase is a separate, one-time bill, about $1,500 on a $25,000 car in Vermont. For your own price and trade-in, and what a dealer adds on top, use the Vermont tax, title and license calculator.
How to register a car in Vermont
If you have just bought a car, here is the whole process in Vermont, from insurance to plates.
- Line up Vermont insurance. Set up auto insurance that meets Vermont minimum coverage. Most offices will not register a car without proof of active insurance.
- Gather your documents. You usually need the signed title, or the manufacturer's certificate of origin for a new car, plus a bill of sale, proof of insurance, and photo ID.
- Get the inspection. Vermont requires a safety inspection with an emissions check. What it costs is in our inspection table by state.
- Apply at Vermont DMV. Submit the title and registration application with your documents, online, by mail, or in person, whichever Vermont DMV offers.
- Pay the fees. Pay the registration, title and plate fees, plus the sales or use tax on the purchase. The calculator at the top of this page gives your exact total.
- Get your plates and registration. Vermont DMV issues your plates and registration. Keep the registration document in the car and fit the plate or sticker as directed.
Putting the car in your name
The title is the document that says who owns the vehicle; the registration is what lets you drive it. Transferring the title into your name costs $42 in Vermont and is a separate transaction with its own paperwork and deadline. For the forms, who has to be present, and how a family gift is taxed, use the Vermont title transfer calculator. Buying from a private seller? Our private car sale guide covers the paperwork and the tax, and the branded title guide explains salvage and rebuilt titles.
How much are license plates in Vermont?
Your plates come with the registration, and since Act 41 of 2023 they no longer carry a validation sticker.
A vanity plate in Vermont is $58 a year on top of the registration. If a plate is lost or damaged, a replacement is $15 for one or $29 for the pair. source 1 source 11 source 12 source 13 source 14 source 15
| Optional plate | Extra cost |
|---|---|
| Vanity (personalized) | $58 every year |
| Conservation | $32 every year |
| Building Bright Futures | $29 every year |
| Safety or service organization | $21 once |
What can a Vermont vanity plate say?
Up to 7 characters, or 6 on a motorcycle, 5 on a disabled plate and 4 on antique and exhibition plates. Letters, numbers and spaces only, with no more than two numbers, and the letter O is read as a zero. A single letter is fine unless it is I, J or O. Delivery can take up to 30 days, so check your idea first on the DMV’s vanity plate page.
Are faded plates replaced for free?
Yes, when the fading comes from faulty materials or manufacturing. Send Form VD-016 with “FADED PLATES” written across the top and new plates arrive in 3 to 4 weeks. They carry a new number unless yours is a vanity plate or a low number of four digits or fewer; keeping an ordinary number means paying the replacement fee.
Are Vermont Strong plates still sold?
Yes. The Vermont Strong ’23 commemorative plates, made after the July 2023 floods, are $5 each at any DMV office.
Does the Vermont loophole still work?
No. On July 1, 2023 the DMV closed the route that let people anywhere in the country register a car in Vermont without ever going there, so out-of-state owners now have to start with their own state’s DMV.
Electric and hybrid vehicles
Vermont charges $87 a year on top of the normal registration for an electric vehicle, while a plug-in hybrid pays $44.50 a year, and a regular hybrid that does not plug in pays nothing extra. It is a flat charge that stands in for the fuel tax an electric car does not pay, billed every year. Full detail and how it compares with other states is on the Vermont EV registration fees page.
Renewing your registration in Vermont
A renewal costs about $91 a year on a typical car. The tax, title and plate were one-time charges, so they do not come round again. For your own car, work out your renewal in the calculator at the top of this page.
- Watch for the renewal notice. Vermont DMV sends it before your registration expires, and renewing early does not move your renewal month.
- Have the details ready. Your plate number, the last digits of your VIN or title number, proof of insurance, a passing inspection if your county requires one, and a way to pay.
- Renew online, by mail or in person. Online through Vermont DMV is fastest and gives you a receipt straight away; you can also mail the notice with payment or renew at an office or authorized agent.
Missed the date? The grace period and the late fee are in renewing late below.
Registering a car in Vermont from another state
Moving in with a car you already own is a different transaction from buying one. You are not making a purchase, so there is usually no full sales tax to pay on it again.
A car already registered to you in another state is taxed at 6% of its J.D. Power clean trade-in value unless an exemption applies. Sales tax you paid on it elsewhere is credited (you pay any difference), and a car registered to you for 3 or more years in a state with a sales or use tax can qualify too. source 6
What you will still pay in Vermont is the title, which is $42, and the registration itself, which is $91 a year. Expect a check that the VIN on the car matches the title, since Vermont has not seen this vehicle before.
Register within 60 days of moving to Vermont, or before your out-of-state registration runs out if that comes first. You need a Vermont driver license or ID first, and once the car is registered you have 15 days to get it inspected at a Vermont-licensed station. source 6
Registering or renewing late in Vermont
Vermont does not publish a grace period, so treat the expiry date on your registration as the deadline.
Vermont has no grace period: once the registration expires, the car cannot legally be driven until it is renewed. You can renew up to 60 days before the expiration date, online through myDMV, for one or two years.
Driving on an expired registration is a ticket in every state, and in some places grounds for a tow, so renew as soon as you can and keep the receipt. What happens with an expired registration in each state is in our expired registration guide.
Are Vermont registration fees tax deductible?
Probably not. Vermont charges a flat registration fee that is the same whatever the car is worth, so there is no value based portion to deduct.
The IRS test has three parts, and a charge has to meet all three. It must be based only on the value of the property, it must be charged to you on a yearly basis, and it must be imposed on personal property. A flat fee fails the first part. A one off charge fails the second.
Two practical points that catch people out. It is an itemized deduction, claimed on Schedule A, so it is worth nothing to you if you take the standard deduction. And it counts against the same state and local tax cap as your income and property taxes, which is $40,000 for 2026, or $20,000 if you are married filing separately.
The sales tax you paid when you bought the car is a different question with a different answer, and so is a car used for business. We set out the rule and where each state falls on it, but we are not tax advisers and this is not advice about your return. The state by state breakdown is here.
Exemptions and low sale prices
Not every change of owner is a sale, and the tax follows what actually happened rather than what the paperwork looks like. A car handed over for nothing is a title transfer matter; see how Vermont taxes a gifted car.
Vermont is one of the states where writing a low price on the bill of sale does not work. On a private sale the tax is charged on the higher of your price and the J.D. Power clean trade-in value, so the number you agree only matters if it is above the book figure.
Inheritances, active duty military exemptions, disabled veteran plates, salvage titles and temporary permits all change what you pay, and none of them is automatic. Vermont DMV publishes the conditions for each, and every one of them has to be claimed.
What you need to bring to Vermont DMV
A Vermont DMV office, or myDMV online for renewals. You need a Vermont driver license or non-driver ID to register, unless you qualify as a part-time resident, student or contracted employee. source 6
Vermont names these specifically: The Vermont Registration, Tax and Title Application, the title signed over to you, and proof of insurance. A gift or an out-of-state tax credit is claimed on the Certification of Tax Exemption (VT-014). source 8
Beyond whatever Vermont DMV lists for your transaction, almost every counter visit needs the same six things (the full checklist, state by state, is in what you need to register a car):
- The title certificate, signed over to you by the seller. On a brand new car this is the manufacturer's certificate of origin instead.
- A bill of sale showing the price, the date and both names. In Vermont the tax may be worked out on the state's own valuation rather than this figure, but you still need it.
- An odometer disclosure, usually printed on the title itself. Federal law requires it on most vehicles under 20 years old.
- Proof of insurance that meets the Vermont minimum, in your name, for this vehicle.
- Photo identification, and proof of your Vermont address if your license is from somewhere else.
- Payment. Many county offices do not take credit cards, or charge extra for them.
Depending on the vehicle and the county you may also need an inspection certificate, an emissions test, or a VIN verification. Vermont DMV publishes the checklist for each transaction type, and it is worth reading it the day before rather than in the queue. What each state inspects, and what it costs, is on the car inspection cost by state page.
Why is car registration so expensive in Vermont?
Because most of what you are paying is not registration. On a $28,000 car in Vermont, tax is about 93% of the total bill. The registration fee itself is the small line.
Three things drive the number up:
- The tax on the purchase. Charged once, on the price of the car, at the same sort of rate as anything else you buy.
- Fees you did not expect. County charges, processing fees and inspection fees are small on their own and add up at the counter.
- Local rates. Two people buying the same car pay different amounts because the local rate follows the buyer's address.
The part you can actually control is the timing and the paperwork. Registering late adds penalties, getting the trade-in structured as one transaction protects the credit where one exists, and knowing the figure before you walk in stops a dealer's estimate from becoming the number you accept.
What the Vermont fee names mean
The wording on a registration bill is not consistent between states, which is half of why the whole thing is confusing. Here is what each term on a Vermont bill actually is.
| Term | What it means in Vermont |
|---|---|
| Registration fee | In Vermont this is $91 a year, and it is the part that comes round again every year. |
| Title fee | A one off charge for putting the ownership document in your name. Vermont charges $42. |
| Plate or tag fee | Vermont folds the plate into the registration rather than charging for it separately, which is why there is no plate line in the estimate above. |
| Purchase and Use Tax | Vermont does not call it sales tax. The Purchase and Use Tax is charged at 6% and does the same job. |
| Use tax | The same tax under another name, charged when you bring a car into Vermont that you bought somewhere else. |
| Trade-in tax credit | Taking the trade-in off the price before the tax is worked out. Vermont allows it in full. |
| Documentation fee | The dealer's own charge for the paperwork. It is not a government fee, and Vermont sets no maximum on it. |
| Lien recording fee | Charged when a lender is named on the title because the car is financed. Vermont charges $14. |
| J.D. Power clean trade-in value | The book value Vermont uses on a private sale when it is higher than the price you paid. Writing a low number on the bill of sale does not lower the tax. |
| Grace period | The window after your registration expires before a penalty starts. Vermont does not publish one, so treat the expiry date as the deadline. |
Vermont calls its agency Vermont DMV. The names change state to state, and so do several of the charges above. There is a full glossary of registration and title fee terms covering the ones Vermont does not use.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my vehicle registration fees in Vermont?
Add five things: the registration fee, the title fee, the plate fee, any county charge, and the sales or use tax on what you paid for the vehicle. The calculator at the top of this page does it line by line from Vermont DMV's own published figures and shows you the source for each number.
How much does it cost to register a car in Vermont?
A new $30,000 car costs about $1,941 to register the first year, then about $91 a year to renew. The first year is bigger because of one-time charges you do not pay again: the tax on the purchase, the title and the plate. Registration itself is $91. Enter your own price above for a full breakdown.
How much are tags and registration in Vermont?
On a new $30,000 car the tags and registration fees come to about $141 the first year, covering the registration, title and plates. Tax on the purchase is separate and comes to about $1,800. Renewing your tags after that runs about $91 a year. The calculator above gives your own registration estimate.
How much is it to register a car in Vermont if I bought it private?
The same fees apply, but nobody collects the tax for you. A dealer rolls it into the paperwork. On a private sale you pay it yourself at the counter when you title the vehicle, so the whole amount lands in one go.
Is car registration a one-time fee?
No. The title fee and the plate fee are one-time and the tax is paid once on the purchase, but the registration fee comes round every year. The calculator separates the two so you can see what you pay today and what you pay each year after that.
Why is car registration so expensive in Vermont?
Because most of it is not registration. Vermont charges 6% tax on the purchase, and on a typical car that dwarfs every other line on the bill.
What are the requirements to register a car in Vermont?
Generally the title signed over to you or a manufacturer's certificate of origin, a bill of sale, proof of Vermont insurance, photo identification, an odometer disclosure and payment. Some counties also want an inspection or emissions certificate. Vermont DMV publishes a checklist for each transaction type and it is worth reading it the day before.
Do you need a front license plate in Vermont?
Yes. Vermont requires the plate on the front as well as the rear (23 V.S.A. § 511); see the front plate laws by state.
Is there an electric vehicle fee in Vermont?
Yes, $87 a year on top of normal registration. Vermont adds an infrastructure fee to every plug-in car at registration. A battery-electric car pays $178 a year in total, an $89 registration plus an $89 infrastructure fee; it skips the $2 Clean Air Fund fee, so it costs $87 more than a gas car. A plug-in hybrid pays the regular $91 plus $44.50, or $135.50. A regular hybrid pays nothing extra. The money goes to charging infrastructure until Vermont designs a mileage-based fee.
How much is registration renewal in Vermont?
About $91 a year on a typical car. That is the recurring cost only: the sales tax, title fee and plate from your first registration do not come round again. Switch the calculator above to renewing for your own car.
Can I renew my Vermont car registration online?
Your renewal notice from Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles lists the ways to renew, which in most states include online, by mail and in person; the agency's own pages start at Vermont DMV. The renewal section above covers how and when.
Is there a late fee for car registration in Vermont?
There is no grace period in Vermont, so the car is off the road the day after the registration expires until you renew. Renewing early is the fix: myDMV accepts renewals up to 60 days ahead, for one or two years.
Do I pay tax again if I move to Vermont with a car I already own?
Possibly. Vermont charges its 6% tax on the J.D. Power clean trade-in value of a car you bring in, but it credits sales tax you already paid on it in another state, and a car registered to you for 3 or more years in a state with a sales tax can qualify for a credit. Claim either on Form VT-014.
How accurate is this estimate?
Every figure comes from Vermont DMV's own published fee schedule, linked in the sources at the bottom of this page, and was last checked on 2026-11-07. Where a fee varies by county or by address we say so and mark it as an estimate. Where a fee is not published as one figure, the calculator lists it under "Not included" instead of estimating it. The agency's own figure at the counter is always the one that counts.
Can I register a car in Vermont if I don't live there?
Not any more, unless you have a real link to the state. Since July 1, 2023 the DMV wants proof of a connection: a Vermont license or ID, or documents showing you are a part-time resident (a property tax bill, lease or utility bill), a student at a Vermont school, or a contracted employee (Form VN-106).
Is a two-year Vermont registration cheaper?
Slightly. A gas car is $167 for two years against $91 for one, a $15 saving, and the same $15 applies to plug-in hybrids ($256) and electric cars ($341). You choose the term when you renew on myDMV, and you can renew up to 60 days before the current one expires.
Where these numbers come from
We only publish a figure if we can point at the agency that set it.
- Vermont DMV, Registration Fees, retrieved 2026-10-17
- Vermont DMV, Vehicle Taxation (Purchase and Use Tax), retrieved 2026-10-17
- 32 V.S.A. section 8903, Motor Vehicle Purchase and Use Tax (6%, cap only above 10,100 lbs), retrieved 2026-10-17
- Vermont DMV, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fee, retrieved 2026-10-17
- Vermont DMV, Title Fees ($42 title, $14 lien, March 19, 2026), retrieved 2026-10-17
- Vermont DMV, Moving to Vermont (60 days, inspection within 15 days), retrieved 2026-10-17
- Vermont DMV, Purchase and Use Tax credits and refunds (3-month sale rule), retrieved 2026-10-17
- Vermont DMV, Purchase and Use Tax exemptions (tax paid elsewhere, 3+ years registered out of state), retrieved 2026-10-17
- Vermont DMV, Gifts (32 V.S.A. 8911(8) family list), retrieved 2026-10-17
- Vermont DMV FAQ, grace period and early renewal (no grace period, renew 60 days early), retrieved 2026-10-17
- Vermont DMV, Vanity (Personalized) Plates (character rules), retrieved 2026-10-28
- Vermont DMV, Faded Plates (free replacement for manufacturing faults, Form VD-016), retrieved 2026-10-28
- Vermont DMV, Registration, New (Act 41 of 2023 ended validation stickers), retrieved 2026-10-28
- Vermont DMV, Vermont Strong ’23 commemorative plates ($5 per plate), retrieved 2026-10-28
- Road & Track, Vermont closes loophole allowing out-of-state registrations, July 7, 2023, retrieved 2026-10-28
Not affiliated with Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles.
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Registering in a different state, or want to change the price? Use the national car registration calculator, or see how much it costs to register a car by state.