Illinois car registration and title fees

What the dealer collects in Illinois

Registration fee — $151.00. Standard Illinois passenger-vehicle registration (includes the plate). $151/yr as of 2026 (625 ILCS 5/3-806). (625 ILCS 5/3-806)
Title fee — $165.00. Certificate of title, $165 (625 ILCS 5/3-821). A family transfer (parent/child/spouse) is $95. (625 ILCS 5/3-821)
EV/PHEV registration surcharge — $100.00. Additional $100/yr for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, on top of the $151 base — a road-funding offset (created 2019). Due with registration; included as a first-year estimate. (625 ILCS 5/3-805.1)

Electric and hybrid vehicles

The $100 EV/PHEV surcharge recurs every year with your registration, on top of the standard $151.

What's specific to Illinois

Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles pay an extra $100/yr registration surcharge.

Run your own numbers

Vehicle price

$

The negotiated (or advertised) selling price, before fees and tax.

Your ZIP code

Tax and registration follow where YOU register — not the dealership.

Condition

New Used CPO

Fuel

EV/PHEV surcharges apply in many states.

More options — trade-in, rebates, doc fee, add-ons

Trade-in value

$

Reduces your taxable amount only in states that allow it.

Trade-in loan payoff

$

Display-only in the equity math — doesn't affect tax.

Manufacturer rebate

$

Taxed in some states, a tax-free discount in others.

Dealer discount

$

Off-invoice discount from the dealer — different from a rebate for tax.

Dealer doc fee (if quoted)

$

Leave blank to use your state's cap or the typical amount.

Dealer add-ons total

$

Nitrogen, VIN etch, protection packages… labeled negotiable in the output.

F&I products total (VSC, GAP…)

$

Excluded from tax in some states when itemized separately.

Model year

MSRP / vehicle value

$

Needed in states with value-based registration (AZ VLT, NV GST).

Financing the purchase I have a plate to transfer (matters in Florida — skips the $225 initial registration)

Truck / commercial (California weight fees)

Vehicle type

Pickups always use the unladen-weight schedule (VC §9400) — never CVRA.

Curb (unladen) weight, lbs

On the door-jamb sticker. Blank = typical half-ton bracket ($80).

Axles

Declared GVW/CGW, lbs

As declared on the REG 4008. CVRA vehicles skip the TIF.

Used vehicle details (California)

Plate expiration (month)

Expired or expiring within 120 days of purchase → renewal fees ride along with the deal. Blank = assume they're due (safe estimate).

No current California plates (out-of-state car — full first registration + smog test due)

My price already includes…

Some dealers now fold fees into the advertised price (FTC pressure; California's total-price law). Check what yours covers so nothing gets counted twice.

Doc fee Emissions / smog testing charge (used vehicles)

Common questions

How much does it cost to register a car in Illinois?

The charges at purchase are listed above. Several of them recur annually, which the page notes where it applies.

Illinois car registration and title fees

What the dealer collects in Illinois

Electric and hybrid vehicles

What's specific to Illinois

Run your own numbers

Common questions

How much does it cost to register a car in Illinois?

More on buying a car in Illinois

Illinois: Sales tax rules

Illinois: Doc fee rules

Full Illinois out-the-door guide