StatesIllinois › Chicago
Chicago, IL · Local numbers

Buying a car in Chicago.

Vehicle tax in Chicago runs about 8.75% all in, the rate for Cook County. Illinois credits your trade-in, so you are taxed on the price after it comes off. The doc fee is capped at $378.

8.75%
Combined tax on a vehicle here
~$316.00
Title and registration on a $35,000 car
Full credit
Trade-in reduces the taxable price
$378
Doc fee, capped by law

On a $35,000 car.

LineEstimate
Illinois Retailers' occupation tax / private party vehicle use tax (Form ST-556) (8.75%, your local rate, paid at registration)$3,062.50
Doc Fee (typical for the state)$377.63
Title fee$165.00
Registration (estimate)$151.00

Estimates on a $35,000 new car registered in Chicago, with no trade-in. Your exact figures depend on the car, the dealer, and the day.

Shipped by the dealer, so no Arizona tax applies (A.R.S. 42-5061). Illinois tax and fees are due when you register the car; the figures here are estimates from the state's published rates and are confirmed at registration.
Partner dealers ship nationwide. Ask the Concierge for a shipping quote to Chicago, IL. A mobile notary comes to you to sign; the car ships once the paperwork is verified.
Illinois caps dealer documentary fees at $377.63; the Arizona partner dealer's published fee applies to this sale.
What is my car worth? Illinois taxes and fees How it works

Questions.

How much is sales tax on a car in Chicago?

About 8.75% all in for Cook County. Illinois charges 6.25% and local jurisdictions add the rest, set by the dealer location.

Does my trade-in lower the tax in Chicago?

The $10,000 trade-in credit cap was repealed effective January 1, 2022; the full trade-in value now reduces the taxable price.

Can I buy from The Broker Black if I live in Chicago?

Yes. Partner dealers ship, and a car shipped out of the selling state carries no tax there; you pay Illinois tax when you register it. Any shipping charge is shown on your deal before you sign.

What is the doc fee in Chicago?

Illinois caps it at $378. Cap is $300 (2020) indexed to CPI each January; 2026 figure of $377.63 is from dealer-industry sources, not fetched from the Attorney General's page in this run (secondary).

Where these numbers come from.

Rates, fees, and rules change. These figures are estimates for planning, not tax advice; confirm the final numbers with the dealer and your state's motor vehicle agency before you buy.