Out-of-State Car Purchase Calculator

See the total cost of buying a car in one state and registering at home — sales tax follows the buyer.

The use-tax rule

You pay sales tax to your home state, not where the car is purchased. Selling-state dealers either collect nothing (no reciprocity) or collect the home-state rate (with reciprocity), and the rest is settled when you register at home. Five states have no sales tax: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska. Residents of those states genuinely save when buying anywhere.

For a deeper analysis, see the complete out-of-state purchase guide.