Missouri Used Car Sales Tax (2026): 4.225% State, Local Rates, Trade-Ins and Gifts

In Missouri you pay 4.225% state sales tax on a used car plus the local sales tax where you live, not where you bought it, and the tax is figured on the price after your trade-in. You pay it at a license office when you title the car, and you have 30 days. Miss that and the Department of Revenue adds a $25 title penalty on day 31, another $25 for each further 30 days, up to $200. As of Oct 19, 2026, that's the same rule for a dealer car and a private sale.

I went through the Missouri DOR's buying-a-vehicle page, its titling FAQ, the April 2026 revision of its Buying a Vehicle guide (Form 5687) and the local tax rate chart for October through December 2026. The state rate is easy. The local part is where people get surprised, because two neighbors on either side of a city line can owe different amounts on the same car.

How the math works

DOR's FAQ says the 4.225% is applied to the net purchase price, meaning the price after any rebate or trade-in, and that you add the local taxes of the city or county where you live. Its current rate chart, updated Aug. 25, 2026, lists those local rates by county and city. Columbia, in Boone County, is 3.75% on top of the state rate, for example.

So say you live in Columbia, buy a $12,000 car and trade in one worth $3,000. Tax is on $9,000. At 4.225% plus 3.75%, that's 7.975%, or about $718. That's my arithmetic from DOR's posted rates, so run your own address through DOR's sales tax calculator before you count on it. On top of tax you'll pay an $8.50 title fee and a $9 title processing fee, plus plate fees based on taxable horsepower or weight.

One quirk in the chart is worth knowing about. Many places list a second, sometimes lower rate marked "non-Missouri dealer," for cars bought from an out-of-state dealer. Springfield, for example, shows 3.875% normally and 2.125% for that line. Ask the license office which one applies to you rather than guessing.

Credits that cut the bill

Missouri gives you more ways to shrink the taxable amount than most states.

• Trade-in -- deducted before tax. Buying from an out-of-state dealer, you'll need proof of the trade, like a copy of the assigned title or the dealer invoice.
• Selling your old car yourself -- if you sell a vehicle and buy another within 180 days of each other, DOR allows a sales tax allowance. Bring the bill of sale or Notice of Sale (Form 5049). It doesn't have to be a like vehicle; DOR's own example is buying a car and selling a boat.
• Insurance total loss -- you can deduct the insurance settlement plus your deductible from the price of a replacement bought within 180 days of the payment, with a notarized statement from the insurer.
• Tax paid in another state -- credited against Missouri's tax, and if the car was titled in your name in another state for more than 90 days, DOR says no Missouri sales tax is assessed.

Private sales and the paperwork

On a private sale you bring the signed-over title, a signed Application for Missouri Title and License (Form 108), proof of insurance and a safety inspection no more than 60 days old. The inspection is waived if the car is under 11 years old with fewer than 150,000 miles. If you live in St. Louis City or Jefferson, St. Charles or St. Louis County, you'll also need an emissions inspection. For new plates, bring last year's paid personal property tax receipt or a statement of non-assessment from your county. Our Missouri private-sale title transfer guide walks through the title itself.

The seller has a job too. DOR says sellers other than dealers must report the sale within 30 days on Form 5049 or a bill of sale. DOR also has a warning about curbstoning, meaning unlicensed dealers posing as private sellers. If the name on the title doesn't match the person in front of you, stop there. That's how buyers end up with a car they can't title.

Gifts

A real gift is tax-free in Missouri. DOR's selling page says the giver writes "GIFT" in the sale price space on the title, not $1, and provides a General Affidavit (Form 768) or a written statement that it was a gift. The statement doesn't need a notary. The person getting the car pays no state or local tax, and DOR's exemption sheet says the giver must have paid sales tax on it. You can't keep the giver's plates, and the giver still has to report the transfer within 30 days. If money changes hands, it isn't a gift, and calling it one is a tax problem waiting to happen.

Check the car before the office

Paying tax doesn't clean up a bad title. Check it on NMVTIS, then run a CARFAX report or AutoCheck for damage and odometer history, and read our Missouri salvage and rebuilt title rules if anything looks off. For how other states handle this, see our used car sales tax overview.

CarVins is a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. Around mid October 2026 we charged about $5.50 for one guest report, about $4.50 for members and about $6.75 for the bundle, compared with roughly $39.99 to $44.99 retail. Prices can change, so check the checkout screen first.

Sources

• Missouri DOR: Buying a Vehicle
• Missouri DOR: Titling and Registration FAQs
• Missouri DOR: Motor Vehicle Sales Tax Rate Chart, Oct.-Dec. 2026
• Missouri DOR: Selling a Vehicle (gifts) and Form 4298A, Exemptions and Requirements
• Form 5687, Buying a Vehicle guide (rev. 04-2026)
• NMVTIS
• CARFAX Vehicle History Reports