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Milwaukee County car sales tax: 5.9% to 7.9%
The rate in Milwaukee County
- Vehicle sales tax in Milwaukee County is not a single number — it runs from 5.9% to 7.9% depending on which city you register in. Most of the county is at 7.9%.
- That is above the 5.5% most Wisconsin counties charge — about $840.00 more tax on a $35,000 car than the typical county in the state.
- No other county in Wisconsin charges this rate — Milwaukee sits at number 1 of 72 by combined rate.
Where the rate changes inside Milwaukee County
- 7.9% — Milwaukee.
- 5.9% — Wauwatosa, Greenfield, West Allis, Brown Deer, Cudahy, Franklin, Glendale, Greendale and 6 more.
- This is why a county-wide figure is not enough here: two addresses in Milwaukee County can carry different tax on the same car, and in 14 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 Milwaukee County
- Sales tax (7.9% — Milwaukee, Milwaukee County) — $2,787.04
- Doc fee (typical) — $279.00
- Title fee — $214.50
- Registration (annual) — $85.00
- New plate fee — $12.00
- County wheel tax ($30/yr) — $30.00
- City or village wheel tax ($41/yr) (est.) — $41.00
- Out the door — $38,448.54 on a $35,000 used car, before any down payment or financing.
Charges that apply only in Milwaukee County
- County wheel tax ($30/yr) — $30.00. Annual local registration fee ("wheel tax") where the car is kept. Not charged again if you transfer plates from a car you are replacing. (Wis. Stat. 341.35; WisDOT wheel tax list)
- These apply in Milwaukee County specifically and not across the rest of Wisconsin, so a statewide estimate will miss them.
ZIP codes in Milwaukee County
- 53110, 53129, 53130, 53132, 53154, 53172, 53201, 53202, 53203, 53204, 53205, 53206, 53207, 53208, 53209, 53210, 53211, 53212, 53213, 53214, 53215, 53216, 53217, 53218, 53219, 53220, 53221, 53222, 53223, 53224, 53225, 53226, 53227, 53228, 53233, 53234, 53235, 53237, 53259, 53263, 53267, 53268, 53274, 53278, 53288, 53290, 53293, 53295.
- Any of these resolves to Milwaukee County in the calculator, at whichever of the county's rates applies to that ZIP.
Milwaukee County against nearby counties
- Crawford County is 5.5% — $840.00 LESS tax on a $35,000 car than Milwaukee County.
- Dane County is 5.5% — $840.00 LESS tax on a $35,000 car than Milwaukee County.
- This follows where you REGISTER, not where the dealer is, so a lower rate nearby only helps if you actually live there. It is not something you can choose at the dealership.
Run your own numbers
Common questions
Why is the car sales tax different in parts of Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee County it ranges from 5.9% to 7.9%.
Are there extra car fees in Milwaukee County?
Yes — 1 charge applies here that does not apply statewide. The amounts and the statute behind each are listed above.
What is the car sales tax rate in Milwaukee County?
It ranges from 5.9% to 7.9% depending on the city; most of the county is 7.9%.
How much is tax and fees on a $35,000 car in Milwaukee County?
About $3,448.54 on top of the price, bringing it to roughly $38,448.54 out the door. The breakdown is above.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
Crawford County
5.5% on a vehicle purchase
Dane County
5.5% on a vehicle purchase
Dunn County
5.5% on a vehicle purchase
Eau Claire County
5.5% on a vehicle purchase
Green County
5.5% on a vehicle purchase
Full Wisconsin out-the-door guide
Rates, doc fees, registration and title for the whole state
How Wisconsin sales tax works
What sits in the taxable amount, and how the rate is sourced