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Calculate Used Vehicle Fees
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Calculate Used Vehicle Fees

Phone number
- DMV Customer Service: 1-800-777-0133 (General inquiries and assistance) - Vehicle Registration Contact Center: 1-800-777-0133 (Registration-related inquiries and assistance) - Occupational Licensing: 1-916-229-3126 (Dealer-related inquiries and assistance) - Vehicle Industry Services Contact Center: 1-916-445-1888 (Industry-related inquiries and assistance) - Auto Theft Information: 1-916-229-3128 (Auto theft-related inquiries and assistance) - Special Interest and Personalized License Plates: 1-916-657-8035 (Inquiries related to special interest and personalized license plates) - Disabled Person Parking Placard: 1-800-777-0133 (Inquiries related to disabled person parking placards) - Driver Safety Offices: None
Category
Car
Auto tags
Eligibility
California vehicle buyers and owners
Auto Summary
This document provides information and forms for calculating used vehicle fees in California. It includes sections for vehicle information, purchase information, and home address information.
Value
$0
Espanol
Calcula las tarifas de vehículos usados
URL
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/wasapp/FeeCalculatorWeb/usedVehicleForm.do
Last verified 2026-05-17 — calculator is live at dmv.ca.gov.

What this is

The California DMV's online calculator that estimates the registration fees and use tax you'll owe when you buy or are gifted a used vehicle in California. Free, no login.
Open the calculator: dmv.ca.gov — Used Vehicle Fee Calculator

Who it's for

  • You bought a used car, truck, or motorcycle from a private party in California
  • You received a vehicle as a gift or family transfer (different rules — the calculator handles both)
  • You want to know what you'll owe at DMV before you walk in
It does not cover new vehicles purchased from a dealer (the dealer collects fees) or vehicles brought in from another state — those use different DMV calculators on the same site.

What you'll need before you start

  • The vehicle's license plate number (or CF number if no plate)
  • The VIN — full 17 characters, or at least the last 5
  • How you got it: purchase, gift, or family transfer
  • Purchase price (whole dollars — no $, commas, or decimals). For gifts/family transfers, enter the fair market value.
  • Purchase date
  • Your county, city, and ZIP — local use-tax rates vary

What it tells you

An estimate that bundles together:
  • Registration fee
  • California Highway Patrol (CHP) fee
  • Vehicle license fee (a value-based fee that decreases as the car ages)
  • Use tax (the sales-tax equivalent on private-party sales, based on your home address rate)
  • Transfer fee
  • County / district fees where applicable
The total it prints is an estimate — the final amount DMV charges at the counter or online can vary by a few dollars based on exact registration dates and late penalties.

What to skip / good to know

  • You don't need a DMV account to use it.
  • Don't enter $ or commas in the price field — the form rejects them silently.
  • Family-transfer exemptions (parent ↔ child, spouse, grandparent ↔ grandchild, sibling) can waive use tax. Pick "Family Transfer" — the calculator applies the exemption automatically.
  • If you can't find your plate or VIN, the calculator has a "No" path that still gives a rough estimate based on purchase price and county.

When to call DMV instead

If the calculator's result looks wildly off (e.g., a late-registration penalty you weren't expecting), call 1-800-777-0133 (DMV customer service, English/Spanish, weekdays). Have your VIN and purchase date ready.

Related

  • New-resident vehicle calculator and other fee tools are linked from the same Registration Fees page.
Source: California DMV Fee Calculator and Registration Fees pages, verified 2026-05-17.