What's new

Doc fee corrections. A statute-level research pass corrected Mississippi's doc fee cap (a widely repeated "7 districts" claim traced back to unverified copied text — the real regulation sets a flat $425 cap) and Rhode Island's (previously listed as uncapped; actually capped at $400). Citations and sources refreshed for 16 more states.
Foundational sourcing groundwork laid for the next 40 states — official tax and doc fee data sources on file for future builds.

Illinois is live. Full statewide coverage — all 102 counties, origin-based vehicle tax, uncapped trade-in credit, and the correct $377.63 doc fee cap.
Flat-tax states now work everywhere. Texas, Idaho, and Oregon compute correctly for any ZIP in the state, not just a handful of metros — those states have one statewide rate, so there was never a reason to limit them. Every ZIP now resolves to the right state even before we have full local rate data for it.

Guides. A new section of plain-English explainers on car fees and pricing rules. First up: what the FTC's struck-down CARS Rule, California's SB 766, and the doc-fee dispute actually mean for the price a dealer quotes you.

Upload your quote, skip the typing. Add a photo or PDF of your written quote or buyer's order to a submission — we read it and pre-fill the numbers (you verify every one). Files are never displayed publicly, are stored off the web, and are deleted after review.
Document-verified reports are live. A moderator checks your uploaded paperwork against your entered numbers; verified reports carry the gold badge and weigh highest in the averages.

Real California truck weight fees. Pickups and light trucks now use the actual unladen-weight bracket schedule (VC §9400 — two-axle and three-plus-axle tables, plus the separate electric-commercial schedule). Enter the curb weight from the door jamb, or leave it blank for a typical half-ton estimate.
Heavy commercial (CVRA) supported — declared gross weight brackets from $332 (10,001–15,000 lbs) to $2,064 (75,001–80,000 lbs) per VC §9400.1, plus the $3 Cargo Theft Interdiction Program fee. CVRA vehicles correctly skip the TIF — they pay weight fees instead.

California used-car fees, dealer-desk accurate. The CA used path now runs the same decision tree a franchise dealer's fee desk uses: enter the plate expiration month and the calculator knows whether registration, VLF, TIF, and county fees ride along with the deal (expired or expiring within 120 days) or wait for your next renewal.
Out-of-state cars handled. No current California plates? Full first registration is due and a smog test is required regardless of the car's age.
Smog, itemized correctly. Used vehicles four or fewer model years old pay an $8 exemption fee — no $50 test. Five or older: $50 test + $8.25 certificate. Pre-1976 classics: no smog charges at all. Smog abatement now uses the real tier schedule ($20/$25).
Used deals get the $15 DMV transfer fee instead of the $28 new-title fee, and used trucks get California's $80 weight fee.

“My price already includes…” — dealers increasingly fold fees into the advertised price (FTC enforcement posture; California's total-price law effective Oct 1, 2026). Tell the calculator your price already covers the doc fee or the emissions testing charge and nothing gets double-counted — tax math adjusts too.
Used-vehicle emissions testing charge (California) — the $50 smog-check charge now appears on used-car estimates. It's set under CA Bureau of Automotive Repair rules, so it's labeled “Capped by law,” not negotiable. EVs exempt.
California's 120-day registration rule — buying used with registration that's good for more than 120 days past your purchase? Renewal fees (registration, CHP, VLF, TIF, county fees) aren't due at sale. Check the box and the estimate drops accordingly.
California ZIP coverage expanded from seed data to all 2,593 ZIP codes with current CDTFA rates, refreshed quarterly.

OTD calculator with full rules engines for CA, TX, FL, WA, NY, ID, AZ, NV, and OR — trade-in credit, rebate taxation, doc fee caps, value-based registration, and EV fees per state.
Shareable calculation permalinks, printable dealer worksheet, and email-me-this.
Real-price database: itemized deal and quote submissions with add-on and F&I line items, moderation, and anonymous display.
Reference pages: doc fees for all 50 states with statute citations; registration fee stacks per active state.