Short answer
State vehicle tax rules changed more in the last two years than most reference pages have caught up with: Louisiana raised its state rate to 5%, Kentucky doubled its temp-tag window and Minnesota went from 31 to 60 days, Oklahoma cut dealer tags to 10 days, and doc fee caps moved in Indiana, Missouri, and Louisiana on CPI schedules while Minnesota stepped its cap up by statute. Each change below links the official source it was verified against, and the stale figure you'll still find elsewhere is called out.
| State | What changed | The details | Effective | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | Doc fee cap adjusted to $261.72 | Indiana's CPI-indexed cap (IC 9-32-13-7, $200 statutory base) republishes each July; $261.72 is the figure in force from July 1, 2026. | Jul 1, 2026 | in.gov |
| Indiana | Document fees became taxable | The May 2026 revision of DOR Bulletin #28S treats dealer document fees as part of the taxable price, reversing the April 2023 treatment. Only a separately stated convenience fee stays out. | May 1, 2026 | in.gov |
| Missouri | Doc fee cap set at $620.79 for 2026 | Missouri's CPI-indexed cap (12 CSR 10-26.231, $500 base) was republished for the 2026 licensure year. From 2026 forward the annual figure posts each February. | Feb 20, 2026 | dor.mo.gov |
| Washington | Motor vehicle add-on tax rose to 0.5% | Washington's extra motor vehicle sales/lease tax on top of the retail sales tax increased from 0.3% to 0.5%, putting the state-level total at 7.0% before local rates. | Jan 1, 2026 | app.leg.wa.gov |
| Louisiana | Doc fee cap became CPI-indexed | Act 502 of 2025 started annual CPI-U indexing of Louisiana's $425 statutory maximum, capped at 3% per year. | Jan 1, 2026 | legis.la.gov |
| Vermont | In-transit plate fee doubled to $2 | The 30-day validity and the 20-day extension for nonresidents awaiting home-state registration are unchanged; the fee rose from $1 to fund electronic temporary plates. | Jan 1, 2026 | legislature.vermont.gov |
| Minnesota | Doc fee cap rose to $350 (or 10% of value) | Minnesota's cap stepped from $200 (FY24) to $275 (FY25) to the lesser of $350 or 10% of the sale or lease value from July 1, 2025 (Minn. Stat. 168.27, subd. 31). | Jul 1, 2025 | revisor.mn.gov |
| Kentucky | Dealer temp tags doubled to 60 days | 2025 Ky. Acts chs. 39, 70, and 95 extended the dealer-issued temporary tag from 30 to 60 days from delivery, and it expressly covers buyers titling in another state. Anything published before mid-2025 still says 30. | Jun 27, 2025 | apps.legislature.ky.gov |
| Minnesota | Nonresident permit now runs 60 days | Minn. Stat. 168.091 is now titled the 60-Day Temporary Vehicle Permit; the old 31-day figure still circulates on training pages and third-party sites. | Jan 1, 2025 | revisor.mn.gov |
| Louisiana | State rate rose from 4.45% to 5% | Louisiana's 2024 special session set a 5% state rate through 2029. The state's own motor vehicle publication still prints 4.45% in places; 5% is the operative rate. | Jan 1, 2025 | revenue.louisiana.gov |
| Oklahoma | Dealer temp tags cut to 10 days | Oklahoma's pre-registration system (SB 2035) replaced the 30-day paper tag: dealers pre-register within two business days and issue a 10-day tag, even when the vehicle is leaving the state. The old 30-day rule is still on the books in stale administrative pages. | Sep 1, 2024 | oklahoma.gov |
| Massachusetts | Nonresident temp plates extended to 15 days | Massachusetts' $20 short-term registration for out-of-state buyers runs 15 days for registrations issued January 18, 2024 or later, up from 9. | Jan 18, 2024 | mass.gov |
General information, not tax or legal advice. Every populated row was compiled from the official state publication linked beside it, with its verification date, but rates and rules change and errors are possible. Voltra makes no warranty as to accuracy or completeness and accepts no liability for decisions made on this data. Confirm current figures with the state's own guidance or a licensed professional before you quote a deal or sign one.
More guides: All states + the out-of-state checker · Trade-in tax credit by state
Cite this page
“What Changed in State Car Sales Tax Rules.” Voltra. Last verified August 30, 2026. https://voltra.ai/car-sales-tax/changes/