2026 Texas private-party purchase tax
Buying from a private seller? Texas may use Standard Presumptive Value to calculate your vehicle tax. Compare your purchase price with the SPV-based amount, including a qualifying certified appraisal if applicable.
Tax only · Estimate date: 2026-10-07. Change the date in Advanced options.
Enter the purchase price and full SPV to compare taxable values. This estimate includes vehicle tax only, without title, registration or other government fees.
Title fees and other transfer-related costs are not included in this tax-only estimate. The title-transfer calculator adds the applicable title fee to the transaction tax.
Calculate Texas Title Transfer CostNeed the complete Texas tax, title and registration estimate? Use the full Texas Tax, Title & License Calculator.
Buying from a dealer instead? Use the Texas Car Sales Tax Calculator.
Car Cost Proof does not calculate the official SPV, retrieve it automatically, or store a permanent vehicle valuation. SPV does not apply to every vehicle or transaction; verify applicability with Texas authorities.
SPV is the Texas/TxDMV reference value used for certain private-party used-vehicle tax calculations. Use the official lookup rather than a market-price estimate or a value generated by this site. The official SPV can change before the county processes title.
Under the verified rule for applicable private-party transactions, taxable value generally cannot be lower than 80% of full SPV when that threshold exceeds actual purchase price, subject to applicable exceptions and qualifying appraisals. A lower sale price alone does not change the threshold.
When the SPV threshold is higher, it controls the taxable value. These examples assume SPV applies and no certified appraisal is used.
When the actual purchase price is higher than the threshold, the purchase price controls. These examples assume SPV applies and no certified appraisal is used.
A qualifying certified appraisal can establish taxable value when the purchase price is below the SPV threshold. It cannot establish a value below the actual price. This calculator requires your explicit confirmation that the appraisal meets Texas requirements; it does not verify the form, appraiser or documents.
Review Texas certified-appraisal requirements (opens in a new tab).
This page is for private-party purchases subject to SPV. Dealer transactions use taxable consideration, including applicable trade-in, rebate and accessory adjustments. Use the dealer and general sales-tax calculator for that purchase.
SPV is a reference value provided by Texas/TxDMV for certain used-vehicle tax calculations. It is not a market-value estimate generated by Car Cost Proof.
For an applicable used private-party purchase, the modeled rule compares actual price with 80% of full SPV and uses the greater value, unless a qualifying certified appraisal applies. Tax is 6.25% of the taxable value.
Ordinary private-party purchases are subject to the 6.25% motor-vehicle tax. Special transactions and exemptions may have different treatment; this page estimates purchases subject to SPV only.
For a purchase subject to SPV without a qualifying appraisal, it is based on the higher of actual purchase price and 80% of full SPV.
It is four-fifths of the full value from the official lookup, rounded to the nearest cent. Enter the full SPV here; the calculator determines the threshold.
If the actual price is higher than the 80% SPV threshold, the modeled rule uses the purchase price. This also applies when your price exceeds full SPV.
A qualifying certified appraisal may establish taxable value when the price is below 80% of SPV. Its value cannot be below the actual purchase price. The appraisal must satisfy Texas requirements; an entered value alone does not establish validity.
Use the official TxDMV SPV lookup linked on this page. Enter your vehicle information there, then copy the full returned SPV into this calculator. No official SPV is generated or fetched here.
Dealer purchases use the separate taxable-consideration rules rather than the private-party SPV branch. Use the general Texas car sales-tax calculator for a dealer purchase.
No. It includes only motor-vehicle tax. Use the title-transfer calculator for tax plus title fees, or the full TTL calculator for registration and other applicable government costs.