Delaware car registration and title fees

• Title fee — $35.00. Certificate of title, issued by the DMV. A dealer has to send your application to the DMV within 30 days of delivery, or hand it to you to file within that time. (21 Del. C. 2305; DMV fees page)
• Lien recording fee — $20.00. Recording your lender's lien on the title. The DMV lists a title with a lien at $55, which is the $35 title fee plus $20. Your lender or the dealer files the lien. (DMV fees page ('Title with Lien' $55); 21 Del. C. 2335(a))
• Registration (one year) — $40.00. One year of registration and a new plate for a passenger car or SUV, $40 a year. Delaware lets you register a new car for up to 7 years at once and many used cars for up to 6, at $40 for each year, so a longer registration costs more up front. This shows one year. (21 Del. C. 2151(2), 2109(c); DMV fees page)
• Truck weight charge — varies. A pickup or van is registered by weight: $40 for the first 5,000 pounds, then $18 for each 1,000 pounds or fraction over that. You choose a registered weight between the vehicle's empty weight and the manufacturer's maximum. Without a weight this assumes 6,001 to 7,000 pounds, two steps. (21 Del. C. 2151(3); DMV fees page)
• Plate transfer (retained plate) — $20.00. Delaware lets you keep your plate number when you sell or trade a car and move it to the new one. The DMV lists a $20 retain-tag fee and a $20 switch-tag fee, and says the fees depend on whether there is a lien and how much registration time is left on the plate. The plate carries its own expiration date, so this shows $20 and no new registration fee. (DMV fees page ('Retain Tag Fee', 'Switch Tag Fee'); DMV tag retention page)
• Hybrid alternative fuel fee (one year) — varies. A yearly fee on a hybrid that does not plug in, charged with registration: $60 for a vehicle of 6,000 pounds or less, $80 from 6,001 to 10,000. Without the manufacturer's weight rating this assumes 6,000 pounds or less. (21 Del. C. 2151A(3) (HB 164, 2025); DMV fees page)
• Plug-in hybrid alternative fuel fee (one year) — varies. A yearly fee on a plug-in hybrid, charged with registration: $85 for a vehicle of 6,000 pounds or less, $115 from 6,001 to 10,000. Without the manufacturer's weight rating this assumes 6,000 pounds or less. (21 Del. C. 2151A(2) (HB 164, 2025); DMV fees page)
• Electric vehicle alternative fuel fee (one year) — varies. A yearly fee on an electric car, charged with registration: $110 for a vehicle of 6,000 pounds or less, $150 from 6,001 to 10,000, which covers some electric SUVs and trucks. Without the manufacturer's weight rating this assumes 6,000 pounds or less. (21 Del. C. 2151A(1) (HB 164, 2025); DMV fees page)

• Temporary plate (est.) — $20.00 (dealer fee). The dealer issues a temporary plate, good for up to 90 days, so you can drive until the DMV issues your plate. The law lets the dealer charge up to $20 for it, the same $20 it pays the DMV. Not needed if you move your own plate. It is a dealer charge that belongs in the advertised price. (21 Del. C. 2129(b), 2130(a), 2131(a))

• Title paperwork has a 30-day clock. The dealer either sends your title application to the DMV within 30 days of delivery, or gives it to you and you file it within that 30 days. The DMV lists a $35 penalty on a title issued after 30 days.
• Registration is a flat fee by vehicle type and weight, $40 a year for a car. It does not depend on what the car is worth.
• Renewal needs proof of Delaware insurance and, once a car is past its first several model years, an inspection. DMV inspections are free. A $20 late fee applies after the registration expires.

• The alternative fuel fee comes back every year with registration, and a multi-year registration pays it for each year.

• Delaware has no sales tax. When a car is titled it charges a document fee instead: 5.25% of the purchase price, paid to the DMV, the same everywhere in the state. It was 4.25% until October 1, 2025. It is not the dealer's own doc fee.
• Your trade-in comes off the price before the 5.25% is figured, but only a trade-in that is titled in Delaware, and only one vehicle per purchase. A trade-in titled in another state gets no credit. The calculator assumes your trade-in qualifies. If it is titled in another state, tick that box under More options and the credit is dropped.
• Registration is $40 a year for a car or SUV. A new car can be registered for up to 7 years at once, at $40 a year, and the DMV lists up to 6 years for many used cars. The calculator shows one year. A hybrid adds $60 a year, a plug-in hybrid $85 and an electric car $110, for vehicles of 6,000 pounds or less.
• Your plate stays with you in Delaware. You can retain your plate number when you sell or trade a car and move it to the new one for about $20. If you need a new plate, the dealer's temporary plate (up to $20) covers you for up to 90 days.
• A new car sold by a Delaware dealer with a Delaware title application does not need an inspection, and DMV inspections carry no fee. Some used cars need a VIN check at a DMV lane before they can be titled.

Source: Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles - Fee Schedule (Document Fee) · rules last verified Oct 11, 2026. Methodology.