How Much are Used Car Sales Taxes in New Hampshire?

If you’re planning to shop for used cars in New Hampshire, you won't have to worry about paying sales tax on your purchase. New Hampshire is one of the five states that imposes no sales tax on car purchases.

The Granite State lets you off the hook for sales tax, but you still need to pay the fees involved with registering and titling the vehicle. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of New Hampshire license plates as well.

We're about to spill the beans on everything you need to know about buying a used car privately in sales tax-free New Hampshire, and you don’t want to miss it.

When you buy a motor vehicle in New Hampshire, whether it’s from a private party or a car dealer, you don’t owe sales tax. Where other states rely on sales tax to fund infrastructure and programs, New Hampshire funds these from personal registration tax and property tax. As a result, New Hampshire residents pay some of the highest income and registration taxes in the country.

Like in other states, you’ll still have to pay registration, license, and title fees after buying a used car in New Hampshire.

In addition to the car's purchase price, you have to factor in the title transfer, registration, and new license plate fees for your used car.

The fee for transferring a New Hampshire car title is $25. To transfer New Hampshire vehicle titles successfully, sellers must complete the transfer of title by seller section on the front of the certificate of title. You will need to submit the following to your local DMV office.


A salvage title will cost you $10 to transfer.

New Hampshire's registration fee ranges from $31.2 to $55.20, depending on the vehicle's weight.


To register the vehicle in New Hampshire, you will have to present a properly assigned title certificate to the city clerk where you reside. You will also have to provide proof of residency.

Standard New Hampshire plates cost $8, which is included in the vehicle registration fee. If you’re applying for new license plates, you will go to your local county treasurer's office. The standard issue plates come with the "old man of the mountain" design.

The state of New Hampshire requires cars to have both front and rear plates. While New Hampshire requires a front license plate, some states require only rear plates.

Consider yourself fortunate if you are purchasing a vehicle in New Hampshire: the state does not levy sales tax on used or new vehicle purchases. Be glad you don’t live in Kansas, where the sales tax rate on a car purchase is 7.5% (plus local taxes that vary depending on the county or city). California has the second-highest car sales tax after Kansas, with a whopping average of 7.2%.

If you take a look at the states bordering New Hampshire, you’ll see that the sales tax on cars in Massachusetts is 6.25%, and in Maine, it’s 5.50%. These states also impose local (city, county, or both) taxes, resulting in an even higher total sales tax on motor vehicles.

If you want to buy an out-of-state vehicle but you’re not sure how much tax you’ll pay, here’s our used car sales tax calculator to help you figure it out.

Many people think buying from car dealers is a great way to avoid hassle and reduce fees. In fact, when you go to a dealer, you end up coughing up more cash.

When you buy a car from a New Hampshire dealership, you pay all the same fees that you’d pay if you bought it from a private seller. Car dealers have a way of rolling it all up in the fine print, but the charges are still there.

Additionally, dealerships charge a "documentation fee" above and beyond all the other taxes and fees you have to pay. The state limit for the documentation fee is $25.

Perhaps more significantly, nine times out of ten, you’ll pay more for a used vehicle when you buy it from a dealer compared to buying the same vehicle from a private seller. Dealers are notorious for buying low and selling high to make a profit. Cut out the middleman and get the best price possible by transacting peer-to-peer on PrivateAuto.

Dealers bring convenience that private sellers typically don’t, but that is where PrivateAuto comes in. Our platform offers the same dealer-like experience while allowing you to buy or sell from regular people without paying hefty fees—unlike our competitors. Get lower prices when you shop used cars from private sellers right here on PrivateAuto.

Conduct private car transactions easily and safely with PrivateAuto. Our transactional marketplace gives buyers and sellers all the tools to complete the deal, from in-app financing to secure messaging to integrated payments.

We allow you to negotiate the best price, schedule test drive meetups, and pay for the car all within our convenient app without giving out any personal information.

Whether you want to buy a car or are trying to sell your used car for top dollar, PrivateAuto will help you get the deal done.

Get started with PrivateAuto today.

Here’s how you can sell your car in New Hampshire with a few simple steps:

1. Gather necessary paperwork
2. Register on PrivateAuto and get verified
3. List your car
4. Set your terms
5. Vet incoming offers
6. Choose a buyer
7. Schedule a meeting
8. E-sign documents
9. Get paid, instantly
10. Transfer the title