Used car sales tax and dealer fees in Florida
Florida charges 6% sales tax on a used car, plus your county's surtax on only the first $5,000 of the price (Miami-Dade adds 1%, so $50). A dealer trade-in lowers the taxed price. On a private sale you pay the tax to the county tax collector when you transfer the title.
By the LotGauge team
The short answer
Florida charges 6% sales tax on a used car, plus your county's surtax on only the first $5,000 of the price (Miami-Dade adds 1%, so $50). A dealer trade-in lowers the taxed price. On a private sale you pay the tax to the county tax collector when you transfer the title.
How the rate works in Florida
Florida's sales tax on a car is 6% of the sales price. Separately listed state title and registration fees aren't taxed.
Most counties add a discretionary sales surtax, but on a car it applies only to the first $5,000 of the price, so it adds at most $25 to $75. The county is the one where you live, as shown on the registration or title, not where the dealer is. 2026 rates include Miami-Dade 1%, Broward 1%, Hillsborough 1.5%, Duval 1.5%, Orange 0.5% and Palm Beach 0.5%.
Does a trade-in lower the tax in Florida?
When you trade in a car as part of the same purchase from a registered dealer, the dealer deducts the trade-in allowance from the taxable price, so a trade-in lowers your tax.
Between two private individuals, the deduction applies only when you trade a vehicle (or boat, aircraft or mobile home) for the one you're buying in the same transaction.
Buying from a private seller in Florida
A private seller doesn't collect sales tax. You pay it at the county tax collector's office when you transfer the title into your name, using the bill of sale to show the price.
Transfer the title within 30 days of the sale to avoid a late-transfer penalty.
Example: a $25,000 car with a $5,000 trade-in in Miami
At Miami's rate (6% + 1% Miami-Dade surtax on the first $5,000), the tax on a $25,000 used car from a dealer with a $5,000 trade-in is about $1,250. Without the trade-in it would be about $1,550, so the trade-in saves about $300 in tax.
6% of $20,000 (the $25,000 price minus the $5,000 trade-in) is $1,200, plus 1% Miami-Dade surtax on the first $5,000 ($50), for $1,250. Without a trade-in it's 6% of $25,000 ($1,500) plus $50, or $1,550. Open this example in the calculator, then change the price, trade-in and ZIP to your own.
Dealer doc fees in Florida
On top of tax, dealers charge a documentation ("doc") fee for paperwork. The average doc fee in Florida is about $969, against a national average of $471 (CarEdge, State of Dealer Fees 2026).
Florida has no legal cap on doc fees, so the amount is up to the dealer and it's negotiable. If a dealer's fee is well above $969, ask for it to come off the price.
The LotGauge calculator checks any doc fee you enter against the Florida average. See also how to get the out-the-door price.
Related guides
How sales tax works on a used car · The trade-in tax credit by state · Private seller vs. dealer · How to read a buyer's order
Sources
Florida Department of Revenue, GT-800030: Sales and Use Tax on Motor Vehicles (R. 08/22). Florida Department of Revenue, DR-15DSS: Discretionary Sales Surtax Information for Calendar Year 2026. Clay County Tax Collector, Vehicle Purchased from an Individual. Doc fee averages: CarEdge, State of Dealer Fees 2026. Checked November 2026. Tax figures are examples for a typical dealer purchase, not tax advice; confirm the exact amount on your purchase contract.