Cost to Register a Car After Moving to Maine
Moving to Mainemeans re-titling and re-registering your vehicle as a new resident — and usually transferring your license and passing any required inspection first. Here's the full cost and the order to do it in, computed from Maine's current fee schedule.
One-time costs when you arrive
- Title fee$33.00
- One-time total$33.00
Your ongoing annual cost
For a typical three-year-old gas vehicle, expect about $385.00 per year. Maine's $35 registration fee is the small part of the bill. The dominant cost is the municipal excise tax, computed on your vehicle's original MSRP: 24 mills ($24 per $1,000) in year one, then 17.5, 13.5, 10, and 6.5, bottoming out at 4 mills from year six on. A new $40,000 vehicle owes $960 in excise the first year — but only $160 a year once it's six years old. Maine has no EV or hybrid surcharge; the fees proposed in 2025 were never enacted.
Inspection you'll need before Maine will register it
Maine requires a annual safety inspection and an emissions test in Cumberland County (Portland area) ($12.50 ($18.50 with emissions)). You must pass it before the state will issue or renew your registration, so budget the time as well as the fee. Maine requires an annual safety inspection to register.
Transfer your out-of-state driver's license
New residents also swap their license. In Maine a license runs $30.00 to transfer, then $30.00 to renew every 6 years, issued by the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles. A REAL ID-compliant license adds about $25.00. Do this before you register — most states want a local license or proof of residency on the registration application.
Registering in Maine: common questions
How is Maine excise tax calculated?
Multiply the vehicle's original MSRP by the mill rate for its age: 24 mills in year one, 17.5 in year two, 13.5, 10, 6.5, and 4 mills from year six onward. A $30,000 car pays $720 the first year and $120 a year from year six.
Does Maine charge an EV fee?
No. Annual EV fees of $250 (and $150 for hybrids) were proposed in the 2025 legislature but were not enacted — EVs pay the same registration and excise as any other vehicle.
Is Maine excise tax deductible?
Yes — it's assessed on value annually, so it generally qualifies as a deductible personal property tax if you itemize federally.
Estimate your exact Maine cost
Your vehicle
- Municipal excise tax10.0 mills on original MSRP (year 4 rate)$350.00
- State registration fee$35.00
- Title fee$33.00
Estimate only — actual fees are set by your state and county at the time of registration. Data last reviewed 2026-07-16.
All figures computed from official fee schedules — sources: https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/vehicles/registration-fees · https://www.maine.gov/revenue/taxes/property-tax/excise-tax — last reviewed 2026-07-16.