What It Costs to Register a Car in Massachusetts

What it costs to register a car in Massachusetts

Registering a standard passenger car in Massachusetts runs about $135 in state fees before tax. That figure is made of two parts: a $60 registration that covers two years, and a $75 certificate of title fee. If you are moving plates over from a car you already own, the transfer fee is $25 instead of a new registration.

Those are the base numbers. What pushes the real total higher is the 6.25 percent sales tax on the vehicle, which the Registry collects at the same time. Fees do get revised, so confirm the current schedule on the Mass.gov RMV fees page before you budget.

The full list of what you pay

• Registration, standard passenger plate: $60 for two years.
• Certificate of title: $75.
• Plate transfer from another vehicle you own: $25.
• Sales tax: 6.25 percent of the purchase price or the National Automobile Dealers Association clean trade-in value, whichever is higher.
• State inspection: $35, due within seven days of registering.
• Motor vehicle excise tax: billed separately by your city or town at $25 per $1,000 of the vehicle’s assessed value.

The excise bill is the one that surprises people, because it does not arrive at the counter. It comes later, from the municipality where the car is garaged.

What you need to bring

For a car bought from a private seller, the Registry expects:

• The certificate of title, signed over to you by the seller.
• A completed Registration and Title Application, stamped by a licensed Massachusetts insurance agent.
• Proof of insurance.
• Your driver’s license or acceptable identification.
• Payment for the fees and the sales tax.

The insurance stamp is the step that catches people out. You cannot register the car until an agent has signed off on the application, so line that up before you take a number at the RMV.

The fee schedule is the same everywhere in the state. What changes is which service center you drive to, whether that is from Cambridge, Worcester or down on Cape Cod. Worth knowing too: the registration fee does not scale with the car. A Toyota and a Porsche pay the same $60. It is the sales tax and the excise bill that move with value.

Registering after you sell your old car

Most people registering a car have just gotten rid of another one, and the order matters. If you cancel the old registration before the new car is ready, you are left without plates. If you transfer the plates instead, you keep the same registration and pay the smaller transfer fee.

There is also a tax angle worth knowing. Trading a car in at a dealer reduces the taxable amount on the new purchase. Selling privately does not, but private sales usually bring more for the car in the first place, which is the comparison we break down in trade in or sell your car. When the old car is gone, what to do with your plates covers cancelling the registration and claiming the excise abatement you are owed. If you have not sold it yet, you can get a written offer on your car before you register the next one.

Common questions

How much does it cost to register a car in Massachusetts?

About $135 in state fees for a standard passenger vehicle, made up of $60 for a two year registration and $75 for the title. Sales tax and the $35 inspection come on top.

Is registration annual or every two years?

Standard passenger registrations run two years. Some plate types renew annually.

Can I register a car online in Massachusetts?

Some transactions can be done online through the RMV, but a first time registration for a car bought privately generally means an in person visit with the stamped application.

Do I pay sales tax on a car bought from a private seller?

Yes. The buyer pays the 6.25 percent at the Registry when they register the car. The private seller does not collect it.

What if I do not have the title?

You cannot register the car without it. The seller has to supply the title or apply for a duplicate first, which we cover in selling a car without a title.