Car Registration Fees by State (2026)
Annual car registration is cheapest in Georgia (about $20/year) and most expensive in Nevada (about $492.38/year) for a typical 3-year-old $35,000 vehicle — a 25× difference. States that tax vehicle value (Colorado, Arizona, California) sit at the top; flat-fee states sit at the bottom.
Registration cost depends heavily on whether your state charges a flat fee or a value-based tax. We computed the annual cost for the same vehicle — a 3-year-old $35,000 gas car — in every state from official DMV fee schedules. Your own cost varies with vehicle value, weight, county, and fuel type; use any state's calculator for an exact figure.
The full 50-state ranking
| Rank | State | Typical annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia | $20 |
| 2 | South Carolina | $20 |
| 3 | Kentucky | $21 |
| 4 | Alabama | $23 |
| 5 | Missouri | $24.25 |
| 6 | Arkansas | $25 |
| 7 | Mississippi | $29 |
| 8 | New York | $29 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $29 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $30 |
| 11 | Virginia | $30.75 |
| 12 | Louisiana | $31 |
| 13 | Ohio | $36 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $40 |
| 15 | Delaware | $40 |
| 16 | Kansas | $42.5 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $46 |
| 18 | Florida | $46.1 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $46.25 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $48 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $48.75 |
| 22 | Alaska | $50 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $51.5 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $51.75 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $59 |
| 26 | Idaho | $65 |
| 27 | Oregon | $68 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $72 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $73 |
| 30 | Texas | $79.5 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $85 |
| 32 | Vermont | $91 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $97.5 |
| 34 | Maryland | $120.5 |
| 35 | Michigan | $150.54 |
| 36 | Illinois | $151 |
| 37 | Utah | $154 |
| 38 | Indiana | $213.64 |
| 39 | Montana | $217 |
| 40 | California | $287 |
| 41 | Colorado | $332.05 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $345 |
| 43 | Iowa | $365.2 |
| 44 | Arizona | $366.01 |
| 45 | New Hampshire | $369 |
| 46 | Maine | $385 |
| 47 | Washington | $401.55 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $470.9 |
| 49 | Minnesota | $475.5 |
| 50 | Nevada | $492.38 |
Cheapest: Georgia ($20). Most expensive: Nevada ($492.38). That's a 25× difference between the top and bottom of the list. All figures computed from official fee schedules verified July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the cheapest car registration?
Georgia has among the lowest annual registration costs at about $20 for a typical vehicle. Flat-fee states generally cost far less than states that tax vehicle value each year.
Which state has the most expensive car registration?
Nevada is the most expensive in this comparison at about $492.38/year, because it taxes the vehicle's value annually rather than charging a flat fee.
Why does car registration cost so much more in some states?
States like Colorado (Specific Ownership Tax), Arizona (Vehicle License Tax), and California (Vehicle License Fee) charge a percentage of the car's value every year, so a newer or pricier car costs much more to register than in a flat-fee state.
Cite this data
Free to use with attribution (CC-BY 4.0). Read how we verify every fee. Custom data for journalists: admin@registryfee.com.