West Virginia car registration and title fees

• Title fee — $15.00. Certificate of title: $10 for the title plus a $5 fee that pays for waste-tire cleanup. The dealer files the title for you and collects this with the sales tax. If you finance, your lender's lien goes on the same title and has its own fee below. (W. Va. Code 17A-10-10; 17A-10-16; DMV titles page (dmv.wv.gov/titles))
• Registration (12 months) — $51.50. One year of registration with a new plate: $50, plus a $1 litter fee and a 50 cent insurance enforcement fee. West Virginia charges the same $51.50 on a passenger car whatever its age, weight or value. It runs for 12 calendar months and renews every year. You can choose a two-year registration at double the amount. (W. Va. Code 17A-10-3(a)(1); 17A-10-15; 17A-3-3(g); 17A-3-16(b); DMV Registration Fees brochure (rev. 05/2024))
• Plate transfer fee — $10.50. Moving your own plates from the car you are replacing: $10 plus the 50 cent insurance enforcement fee, instead of the $51.50 new plate. You have 60 days from the purchase to apply. If the new car costs more to register, such as a hybrid or electric car, you pay the difference. (W. Va. Code 17A-4-1; 17A-3-3(g); DMV Motor Vehicles Titling Seminar (2025), DMV fees slide)
• Hybrid registration surcharge — $100.00. West Virginia adds $100 a year to registration for a car that runs on both electricity and gasoline, plug-in or not. It comes back with every yearly renewal. (W. Va. Code 17A-10-3c(b), (d); DMV Registration Fees brochure (rev. 05/2024))
• Electric vehicle registration surcharge — $200.00. West Virginia adds $200 a year to registration for a car that runs only on electricity. It comes back with every yearly renewal. (W. Va. Code 17A-10-3c(c), (d); DMV Registration Fees brochure (rev. 05/2024))
• Lien recording fee — $10.00. Recording your lender's lien on the title, on paper or electronically. The dealer files it with the DMV and collects this with the title and registration fees. (W. Va. Code 17A-4A-10; 17A-4A-4(d))

• West Virginia taxes a car as personal property every year, on top of the one-time 6%. The county assessor values it at 60% of its worth as of July 1, and the county sheriff bills it about 14 months later, in two parts: September 1 and March 1 (2.5% off if paid by the due date). Outside a city or town the statewide average rate for 2025 was $2.19 per $100 of assessed value, which works out to roughly 1.3% of the car's value a year; inside a municipality it was $2.95, or about 1.8%. The exact rate depends on your county, school district and town. A car you buy this fall is first assessed next July 1. It is not part of this total.
• You need proof that your personal property taxes are paid, or a statement from the county assessor, to register a car or renew a registration.
• Registration renews every 12 months at $51.50, on the month printed on your plate. Class A cars can also be registered for 24 months at double the amount.
• West Virginia requires a safety inspection every 24 months. A car you buy in West Virginia without a valid inspection sticker has to be inspected within 10 days.

• The hybrid ($100) or electric ($200) surcharge is added to the $51.50 at every yearly renewal.

• West Virginia charges 6% sales tax on a car's price, the same in every county and city. No city or county adds a sales tax on vehicles. The dealer collects it at the sale and sends it to the DMV with your title application, and it is never less than $30. If you buy out of state and title the car in West Virginia, you pay the same 6% here, with no credit for tax paid to the other state.
• Your trade-in reduces the taxable price on a new or a used car, with no dollar limit. It has to be titled in West Virginia in the same name as the new car, or the DMV will not give the credit. If your trade-in is titled in another state, tick that box under More options and the calculator drops the credit. A dealer's discount comes off the taxable price too.
• Registering the car: the dealer registers it for you at the sale. It collects the tax, title fee, registration and lien fee and files them with the DMV, and it may issue a temporary plate, good for up to 90 days, while the plate and title come. You have 60 days from the purchase to move your old plates to the new car.
• Registration is a flat $51.50 a year for a passenger car, whatever its age, weight or value. A hybrid pays $100 more and an electric car $200 more each year.

Source: West Virginia Code §11-15-3c (Sales tax on sale of motor vehicles) · rules last verified Oct 11, 2026. Methodology.