Tampa buyers can shop dealers across the Tampa Bay area, from Hillsborough County to Pinellas and Pasco. We compare them, negotiate, and make sure Hillsborough’s surtax is charged only on the first $5,000.
Car Concierge is a licensed auto broker and car buying concierge based in Minnesota, working for buyers in Tampa and across the country. We don’t take money from dealers. You pay one flat fee, and our only job is getting you the right vehicle at the best price.
How it works for Tampa buyers
- Tell us what you’re looking for, your budget, and your timeline, by phone or through our contact form.
- We search dealer inventory around Tampa and nationwide, and bring you the best options with real pricing.
- We negotiate the price and check the buyer’s order for markups, add-ons, and fees before you sign.
- You sign and pick up locally, or we arrange delivery through our auto transport service.
Taxes and fees for Tampa car buyers
Here’s what Tampa buyers should expect on a dealer purchase. Rates were checked against official sources in October 2026 and can change, so confirm with your local office before you buy.
- Sales tax: Hillsborough’s county surtax is 1.5%, for a 7.5% combined rate in 2026. Because the surtax applies only to the first $5,000 of the price, it adds at most $75.
- How Florida taxes vehicles: Florida charges 6% state sales tax on a vehicle purchase, plus the discretionary sales surtax of the county listed as the buyer’s residence on the title or registration. The county surtax applies only to the first $5,000 of the sale price, so it adds at most $50 for each 1% of surtax.
- Trade-in credit: Yes. When you trade in a vehicle to a registered Florida dealer in the same transaction, the trade-in allowance is deducted from the taxable sales price.
- Dealer doc fees: Florida does not cap dealer fees, but any predelivery or dealer fee must carry the printed disclosure that it “represents costs and profit to the dealer,” and a dealer’s advertised price must include every fee the buyer has to pay except taxes, tag, registration, and title fees. Dealer preparation and closing fees are also subject to sales tax.
- Title and registration: A buyer must transfer the title within 30 days to avoid a $20 late fee, and new residents must register an out-of-state vehicle within 10 days of starting a job, enrolling children in public school, or establishing residency. FLHSMV charges a $225 initial registration fee when the owner has no plate to transfer, and an electronic title costs $77.25 for a new vehicle, $85.25 for an original title on a used vehicle, or $75.25 for a transfer, plus $2.50 for a paper title and $2 to record a lien.
Registration and inspections in Hillsborough County
Where to title: Title and register at a Hillsborough County Tax Collector office. Dealers usually handle the paperwork for you..
Inspections: Tampa has no safety or emissions inspection. For a vehicle coming from out of state, bring it to a tax collector office or provide a completed VIN verification form (HSMV 82042).
Good to know in Tampa
- The Selmon Expressway has been all-electronic since 2010, so you pay with SunPass or get a Toll-By-Plate invoice mailed to the registered owner.
- Hillsborough’s surtax rate has changed in recent years. Two half-cent surtaxes were briefly suspended in early 2025, and the full 1.5% has applied since June 1, 2025.
- Florida’s lemon law rights period runs 24 months from the date the new vehicle was first delivered to the consumer.
Buying from another state
If you buy out of state and register the car in Florida, you owe Florida use tax plus your county surtax. Florida credits sales tax lawfully paid to another state, so if you paid 4% elsewhere, you owe the 2% difference plus any surtax. We handle the logistics and make sure the dealer’s paperwork matches your home state’s rules.
What it costs
Our service is a flat fee: $900 for Standard Concierge, $1,000 with trade-in help, and $1,200 for luxury vehicles over $120,000. You’ll know the total up front. See pricing for details.
Tampa car buying FAQs
Hillsborough’s county surtax is 1.5%, for a 7.5% combined rate in 2026. Because the surtax applies only to the first $5,000 of the price, it adds at most $75.
Yes. When you trade in a vehicle to a registered Florida dealer in the same transaction, the trade-in allowance is deducted from the taxable sales price.
Florida does not cap dealer fees, but any predelivery or dealer fee must carry the printed disclosure that it “represents costs and profit to the dealer,” and a dealer’s advertised price must include every fee the buyer has to pay except taxes, tag, registration, and title fees. Dealer preparation and closing fees are also subject to sales tax.
Tampa has no safety or emissions inspection. For a vehicle coming from out of state, bring it to a tax collector office or provide a completed VIN verification form (HSMV 82042).
Yes. We search dealers nationwide and can arrange delivery through our auto transport service. If you buy out of state and register the car in Florida, you owe Florida use tax plus your county surtax. Florida credits sales tax lawfully paid to another state, so if you paid 4% elsewhere, you owe the 2% difference plus any surtax.
We charge a flat fee: $900 for Standard Concierge, $1,000 with trade-in help, and $1,200 for luxury vehicles over $120,000. We don’t accept dealer compensation.
Get started
Ready to buy your next vehicle in Tampa without the dealership hassle? Schedule a consultation or call 612.662.7788. Want to see the other markets we serve? Browse all service areas.
Sources: Florida DOR: DR-15DSS 2026; Florida DOR TIP 25A01-12: Hillsborough County Surtax Rate Update; Florida DOR TIP 25A01-02: Resume Collecting Hillsborough Surtaxes; Florida DOR TIP 24A01-15: Temporary Suspension of Hillsborough Surtaxes; Hillsborough County Tax Collector: Calculating Sales Tax; Hillsborough County Tax Collector: FAQs; Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority: Understanding Toll-By-Plate; Florida DOR: Sales and Use Tax on Motor Vehicles (GT-800030); Florida DOR: Discretionary Sales Surtax Information for 2026 (DR-15DSS); Florida DOR: Discretionary Sales Surtax brochure (GT-800019); FLHSMV: Fees; FLHSMV: Motor Vehicle Registrations; FLHSMV: Buying from a Private Sale; FLHSMV: VIN and Odometer Verification (HSMV 82042); Florida Statutes 501.976 (dealer practices); Florida Statutes 681.102 (lemon law definitions); Federal Register: Florida removal of motor vehicle I/M rules.