Buying from a dealer
A dealer sale carries 15% HST: 5% federal and 10% provincial.
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Harmonized Sales Tax · dated 2026-08-29
Car sales tax in Newfoundland and Labrador, worked out
Buy a $30,000 vehicle from a dealer in Newfoundland and Labrador and tax adds $4,500, so the deal is $34,500 before licensing and registration. Buy the same car privately and Newfoundland and Labrador charges 15% when you register it, which is $4,500 on that price. Drive the same purchase across the border into Ontario and the tax is $3,900, which is $600 less.
Newfoundland and Labrador is one of 11 jurisdictions this calculator holds a sourced tax rule for. Every figure on this page comes from a government page you can open, dated, and the arithmetic is done in front of you rather than behind a "results" button.
Tax at a dealer
15%
5% Federal GST plus 10% Provincial portion of the HST
Tax on a private sale
15%
collected when you register the vehicle
Tax on a $30,000 car
$4,500
bought from a dealer
The rules, and where they come from
Buying privately
A private sale carries 15% retail sales tax, which has applied since 1 July 2016.
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Taxation on Private Sale of Vehicles · dated 2016-07-01
What the tax is charged on
The tax is paid on the greater of what you actually gave for the vehicle and its current average wholesale value in an approved valuation guide.
Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Finance, Information Circular RAA-UV-2021-11-09 · dated 2021-11-09
Trading a car in
Trade a vehicle you already paid the tax on and you pay only on the difference between the price of the one you are buying and the value allowed on the trade.
Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Finance, Information Circular RAA-UV-2021-11-09 · dated 2021-11-09
Worth knowing
Paid less than book? An affidavit signed by both buyer and seller puts the tax back on the price actually paid. No affidavit is needed where the wholesale value is under $1,200.
Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Finance, Information Circular RAA-UV-2021-11-09 · dated 2021-11-09
| Jurisdiction | At a dealer | Tax on the example | Bought privately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 15% | $4,500 | 15% at registration |
| Nova Scotia | 14% | $4,200 | rate not published |
| New Brunswick | 15% | $4,500 | 15% at registration |
| Ontario | 13% | $3,900 | 13% at registration |
Run the numbers
The calculator prices a vehicle over its whole life, not just the loan: insurance, fuel, maintenance and licensing on top of the payment. Today it does that with Ontario figures.
Open the calculatorPeople also ask
How much tax do you pay on a car in Newfoundland and Labrador?
A dealer sale carries 15% HST: 5% federal and 10% provincial. On a $30,000 vehicle that is $4,500, for $34,500 all in before licensing.
Do you pay tax on a private car sale in Newfoundland and Labrador?
A private sale carries 15% retail sales tax, which has applied since 1 July 2016. The tax is paid on the greater of what you actually gave for the vehicle and its current average wholesale value in an approved valuation guide.
Does a trade-in cut the tax in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Trade a vehicle you already paid the tax on and you pay only on the difference between the price of the one you are buying and the value allowed on the trade.
Sources
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Harmonized Sales Tax · dated 2026-08-29
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Taxation on Private Sale of Vehicles · dated 2016-07-01
- Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Finance, Information Circular RAA-UV-2021-11-09 · dated 2021-11-09
Every market figure the calculator itself uses is listed with its source on the assumptions page.