Registering a Vehicle in Georgia

Georgia titles and registrations are handled by the Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), but you actually do the paperwork at a county Tag and Title Office run by your local Tax Commissioner. The standout cost item is Georgia's Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT), currently 7% of the vehicle's fair market value, paid one time at title.

The 30-day deadline

You have 30 days from the date of purchase or from establishing Georgia residency to title and register your vehicle. Late registration adds a $10 penalty plus 1% per month of any unpaid TAVT.

What to bring to the county tag office

• The signed Certificate of Title from the seller (or the dealer's manufacturer's certificate of origin for new vehicles).
• A completed MV-1 Title and Registration Application.
• A bill of sale showing the purchase price (used to calculate TAVT for private-party transactions).
• An odometer disclosure on the title or on a separate Federal Odometer Disclosure form.
• A passing emissions inspection if the vehicle is registered in Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, or Rockdale counties (the 13 Atlanta-metro counties; vehicles 1996-2022 model year typically subject, with 3 most-recent model years exempt).
• Proof of Georgia liability insurance meeting the 25/50/25 minimum (verified electronically through the GEICO database).
• Your Georgia driver's license or state ID.
• Payment for the TAVT, $18 title fee, and $20 annual registration fee.

Title Ad Valorem Tax (TAVT)

TAVT replaced sales tax and annual ad valorem tax on most Georgia vehicles in March 2013. The current rate is 7% of fair market value, paid one time at title. Fair market value is determined by:

• For dealer purchases: the higher of the agreed price or the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) less reasonable adjustments.
• For private-party purchases: the state-published valuation table, which reflects depreciation by year and trim.
• For out-of-state vehicles becoming Georgia-titled: the same private-party valuation table.

TAVT is paid at the county tag office at the time of titling. Vehicles still under the older "ad valorem" system pay annual ad valorem at each registration renewal — that affects only vehicles titled before 2013 that haven't transferred.

Other registration fees

• Title fee: $18.
• Annual registration fee: $20 for passenger vehicles.
• Personalized plate (vanity): $35 first year, $35 to renew.
• Specialty plate fees: vary by plate; many add $25-$80 to the standard $20 fee.
• Trailer registration: $12 to $36 depending on weight.

Emissions testing

Georgia requires an annual emissions inspection for most 1996-2022 model year gasoline vehicles registered in the 13 Atlanta-metro counties. The 3 most recent model years are exempt; vehicles 25+ years old are exempt; diesel vehicles, motorcycles, and electric vehicles are exempt. The test costs roughly $25 at certified Clean Air Force inspection stations and is electronically transmitted to the MVD database.

License plates

Georgia issues a single rear plate (no front plate required). Standard plates carry a peach graphic and the state slogan; more than 200 specialty plates are available — university, military, "Choose Life," wildlife, conservation. Standard plates are issued at the county tag office on the spot for new registrations. Specialty plates ship in 4-8 weeks. Vintage Georgia plates (year-of-manufacture plates) can be reused on a vehicle 25+ years old with a Form MV-PYOM application.

Out-of-state vehicles

Moving to Georgia with an out-of-state vehicle means paying TAVT (7% of the state-published fair market value), the $18 title fee, and the $20 registration fee within 30 days of establishing residency. Bring the out-of-state title, current registration card, proof of identity, two proofs of Georgia residency, and proof of insurance. If your previous state had no title (e.g., Vermont registration only), you'll need a Form T-22B inspection at a Georgia State Patrol office before titling.

For broader registration questions, see our national vehicle registration guide.