Maine Car Registration Fee Calculator

Why Use a Maine Car Registration Fee Calculator?

Car ownership involves more than just the purchase price. In Maine, fees vary depending on:

• The purchase price of the vehicle.
• The original MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price), which determines your excise tax.
• The age of the car, since excise tax rates drop as the vehicle gets older.
• Any extra one-time fees, such as the title fee for a newly purchased car.

Instead of manually crunching numbers, the calculator gives you an instant estimate with a clear breakdown.

How the Calculator Works

The Maine DMV Fee Calculator is simple to use. You just enter a few details:

1. Vehicle Purchase Price ($)
   • This is what you paid for the car.
   • A 5.5% sales tax applies (one-time only).
2. Original MSRP (for Excise Tax)
   • Enter the vehicle’s original sticker price, not what you paid.
   • This number is used by your town to calculate the annual excise tax.
3. Vehicle Age
   • Maine uses a “mill rate” (a dollar amount per $1,000 of MSRP) that changes each year:
     • 1st year: $24 per $1,000
     • 2nd year: $17.50 per $1,000
     • 3rd year: $13.50 per $1,000
     • 4th year: $10.00 per $1,000
     • 5th year: $6.50 per $1,000
     • 6th year or older: $4.00 per $1,000
4. One-Time Title Fee (if applicable)
   • For new purchases, Maine charges $33.00 for a vehicle title.
5. Standard Registration Fee
   • A flat $35.00 annual fee set by the state.

Once you click Calculate Fees, the tool adds everything up and shows a line-by-line estimate.

Example Calculation

Let’s say you bought a car with:

• Purchase Price: $35,000
• Original MSRP: $38,500
• Vehicle Age: 2 years
• Title Fee: Yes

Here’s how it breaks down:

• Sales Tax (5.5% of $35,000): $1,925.00
• Excise Tax (MSRP ÷ 1,000 × 17.5): $673.75
• Annual State Registration Fee: $35.00
• One-Time Title Fee: $33.00

Estimated Total: $2,666.75

Key Things to Remember

• Sales tax and title fees are paid once, when you buy the car.
• Excise tax and the registration fee are annual costs.
• Excise tax is paid to your local town or city office, not directly to the state BMV.
• This calculator provides an estimate. The final amount may vary slightly depending on your municipality.

Benefits of Using the Calculator

• Budgeting made easy – Know your one-time and recurring costs in advance.
• Time saver – Skip manual math with quick, accurate results.
• Transparency – Understand exactly where your money goes.