Shawnee County car sales tax: 7.85% to 9.35%

The rate in Shawnee County

Vehicle sales tax in Shawnee County is not a single number — it runs from 7.85% to 9.35% depending on which city you register in. Most of the county is at 9.35%.
That is above the 7.5% most Kansas counties charge — about $647.50 more tax on a $35,000 car than the typical county in the state.
2 other counties in Kansas charge the same rate, out of 105.

Where the rate changes inside Shawnee County

9.35% — Topeka, Auburn.
8.85% — Rossville, Silver Lake.
8.6% — Willard.
7.85% — Berryton, Dover, Tecumseh, Wakarusa.
This is why a county-wide figure is not enough here: two addresses in Shawnee County can carry different tax on the same car, and in 1 of its ZIP codes the boundary runs through the middle so the ZIP alone cannot settle it. The calculator asks you which side you are on.

What a $35,000 car actually costs in Shawnee County

Sales tax (9.35% — Topeka, Shawnee County) — $3,320.47
Doc fee (typical) — $513.00
Title fee — $10.00
Registration (by weight) (est.) — $30.00
County service fee — $5.00
County registration transaction fee (est.) — $5.00
Highway Patrol staffing and training surcharge — $2.00
Vehicle registration surcharge — $1.25
Division of vehicles modernization surcharge — $4.00
Temporary permit (est.) — $3.00
Out the door — $38,893.72 on a $35,000 used car, before any down payment or financing.

ZIP codes in Shawnee County

66402, 66409, 66420, 66533, 66539, 66542, 66546, 66601, 66603, 66604, 66605, 66606, 66607, 66608, 66609, 66610, 66611, 66612, 66614, 66615, 66616, 66617, 66618, 66619, 66620, 66621, 66622, 66624, 66625, 66626, 66629, 66630, 66636, 66647, 66667, 66675, 66683, 66699.
Any of these resolves to Shawnee County in the calculator, at whichever of the county's rates applies to that ZIP.

Shawnee County against nearby counties

Labette County is 9.25% — $35.00 LESS tax on a $35,000 car than Shawnee County.
Seward County is 9.25% — $35.00 LESS tax on a $35,000 car than Shawnee County.
Doniphan County is 9.5% — $52.50 MORE tax on a $35,000 car than Shawnee County.
Worth knowing in Kansas: the rate follows the DEALERSHIP, not your address, so buying from a dealer in Rush County is what would get you its lower rate — not moving there.

Run your own numbers

Vehicle price

$

The negotiated or advertised price, before tax and registration.

Your ZIP code

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

Dealer's ZIP code (optional)

A few states tax at the dealer's location instead of yours. If you know the dealer's ZIP, enter it for an exact tax.

Condition

New Used CPO

Fuel

EV/PHEV surcharges apply in many states.

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

Common questions

Why is the car sales tax different in parts of Shawnee County?

Cities inside the county can levy their own rate on top of the county and state rate, so the combined figure changes at the city line. In Shawnee County it ranges from 7.85% to 9.35%.