PENNSYLVANIA VEHICLE TAX
Pennsylvania car sales tax: 6%, 7%, or 8%.
Pennsylvania's vehicle rate depends on the buyer's residence: 6% generally, 7% for Allegheny County residents, and 8% for Philadelphia residents.
Pennsylvania tax formula
(Vehicle purchase price − eligible dealer trade-in) × residence-based rate
PennDOT states that vehicle sales tax is based on the purchase price or current market value. When the seller takes a vehicle as a trade-in, tax is imposed on the difference between the purchased vehicle's price and the accepted trade value.
$40,000 Pennsylvania example
With no trade, estimated tax is $2,400 at 6%, $2,800 at 7%, or $3,200 at 8%. A documented $10,000 dealer trade-in would reduce the planning base to $30,000, producing estimates of $1,800, $2,100, or $2,400.
Choose the rate by residence
Do not use the dealer's location alone. The published motor-vehicle rates identify the 7% and 8% rates by the purchaser's residence in Allegheny County or Philadelphia. Title, registration, agent, lien, and participating-county fees can be separate.
Official Pennsylvania sources
Read PennDOT's buying or selling a vehicle fact sheet and the Department of Revenue's current sales-tax overview.
Educational estimate reviewed September 3, 2026. Market-value reviews, exemptions, leases, out-of-state purchases, and separate motor-vehicle fees can change the result.