Out-the-door price calculator for Florida
The advertised price is not what you pay. Add the dealer fee, 6% sales tax, your county's surtax, title, plate and registration, and this is the number that goes on the buyer's order. The fee comes from each dealer's own website; the tax and fee rates are Florida's own, checked Oct 2026.
How the number is figured
How is sales tax on a used car figured in Florida?
Florida charges 6% state sales tax on the price you pay the dealer, less the value of a trade-in, and your county adds its discretionary surtax (0 to 2%, depending on the county) on the first $5,000 of that amount. The dealer fee is part of the price for tax purposes, so it is taxed too. The county that counts is the one where the car will be registered, not the dealer's.
What are the tag, title and registration fees?
A used-car title transfer is $85.25 (plus $2 to record a lien when the car is financed). If you do not have a plate to transfer, the state charges a one-time $225 initial registration fee plus $28 for the plate, and the first year's registration (about $32.50 for a mid-weight car, more for a heavy one). Transferring a plate you already own costs a few dollars instead.
Why does the dealer fee matter so much?
Because it is added to every advertised price and the sticker never shows it: a $19,500 car at a dealer with a $995 fee costs $20,495 before tax, and the tax is figured on that larger number. Dealers in Florida charge anywhere from nothing to several thousand dollars, which is why this calculator starts from each dealer's own fee.
Is this the exact amount I will pay?
It is a close estimate from the state's own tax and fee schedules and the dealer's disclosed fee. Registration varies by vehicle weight and county, a dealer may add optional items, and fees change, so confirm the figures on the buyer's order before you sign.