Registration & Licensing - Fees and Taxes

The purchaser of the vehicle pays registration and licensing fees. The fees vary based on the type of vehicle being registered (car, truck, tractor, boat, etc.)

Passenger car or trailer renewel currently licensed in Washington:

$3.00 filing
$.75 license service fee
$30.00 State license fee
Vehicle Weight fee based on scale weight -
0-4000 pounds $10.00
4001-6000 pounds $20.00
6001-8000 pounds $30.00
PLUS RTA/Sound Transit tax of .003% of market value if you live within the RTA boundaries. Click here to find out if you live within the RTA boundaries.

Pick-up truck renewel currently licensed in Washington: License fees for trucks are based on the declared gross weight. The most common are:

Gross weight fee:
4000 lbs - $38.00
6000 lbs - $48.00
8000 lbs - $58.00
10000 lbs - $60.00
12000 lbs - $77.00

- Plus

$3.00 filing
$.75 license service fee

Transfer of Washington title: $15.50 plus the applicable sales/use tax listed below. (The sales/use tax is calculated on the purchase price or current market value.)

License fee and title for vehicles licensed out of state:

Passenger vehicle: $68.25 plus RTA tax, sales/use tax, and an additional fee based on the vehicle weight. (The sales/use tax is calculated on the purchase price or current market value.)
Pick-up truck: $37.50 plus RTA tax, sales/use tax and gross weight fee.
Gross weight fee:
4000 lbs - $38.00
6000 lbs - $48.00
8000 lbs - $58.00
10000 lbs - $60.00
12000 lbs - $77.00

Temporary Trip Permits

3 Day Trip Permit - $25.00

Sales / Use Tax

This is paid when a vehicle is purchased either from a dealership or a private party. The tax rate when purchased from a Washington Dealer is the rate at point of purchase.
If a private party sale or out of state Dealer, the rate is based on registered owners primary residence address. The tax rates for the jurisdictions in Pierce County are as follows:

Vehicle Sales tax rate is 9.1% for the following Cities:


Auburn	Bonney Lake	Dupont
Edgewood	Fife	Fircrest
Lakewood	Milton	Orting
Puyallup	Ruston	Steilacoom
Sumner	Tacoma	University Place

Vehicle Sales tax rate is 8.1% for the following Cities:


Carbonado	Eatonville	South Prairie
Roy	Wilkeson

The Sales Tax rate for the City of Gig Harbor is 8.7%

If you live in Unincorporated Pierce County the Sales tax rate is 8.5%. This includes Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base.

If you live in Unincorporated Pierce County and in the Public Transportation Benefit Area (P.T.B.A.), the Sales/Use tax rate is 9.1%.

The areas located outside the RTA district do not pay the additional .004% that is included in the rates listed above.

Engrossed Substitute House Bill (ESHB) 2231 imposes an additional tax of three-tenths of one percent (.03%) on motor vehicles effective July 1, 2003. The tax rates will increase to 8.5% and 9.1% accordingly for all motor vehicles.

The fees listed here do not include any surcharges that are added at the vehicle licensing sub-agencies by the subagents (sub-agencies are any vehicle licensing agency in the county except for the main licensing office in the Pierce County Auditors office).

Payment of Fees and Taxes
Cash or check can be accepted for payment of licensing fees and taxes. At this time, credit cards and debit cards cannot be accepted for payment (unless renewing online).