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Residents of King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties who live within the Sound Transit District (www.soundtransit.org) are required to pay the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) tax upon purchase or renewal of a new or used vehicle. This tax helps fund construction and operation of Sound Transit's regional mass transit services. The current rate of 1.1% has been approved by the voters in the Sound Transit District.
For more information on Sound Transit's system expansion, please visit Sound Transit.
The RTA tax is a motor vehicle excise tax (MVET) calculated from the depreciated value of your vehicle. It is determined by using a formula based on the vehicle manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP), or purchase price for commercial trucks and commercial trailer, and a depreciation schedule set by state law based on the age of the vehicle (years of service).
Current year - year of vehicle + 1 = years of service (value decreases each year in service)
Original MSRP x depreciated percentage = Depreciated value (based on years in service)
Depreciated value x 1.1% (current RTA rate) = RTA amount due
MSRP: $24,000
Depreciation years: 2018 (or "current year") - 2012 (year make of vehicle) = 6 + 1 year (to account for first year of offer) = 7 total years of depreciation
7th year depreciation amount = 57% (according to current schedule)
$24,000.00 (original MSRP) x 57% (depreciation) = $13,680.00 (reduced value)
$13,680.00 (reduced value) x 1.1% (current RTA excise tax rate) = $150.00 due
This method of calculating the tax ensures that owners of the same type of vehicle pay the same amount of tax. The MVET value is not based on the fair market value of the vehicle and can be either higher or lower than the vehicle's fair market value or the amount the owner paid for the vehicle.
Yes. If you have questions about your vehicle valuation or to dispute it, contact us:
State law requires us to use the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) to calculate the tax. When the MSRP isn't available at the time of initial registration in Washington State, we'll determine the value using:
Find out if you're required to pay and get an estimate of the fee:
Vehicle type | Is RTA charged? (Vehicle scale weight 6,000 lbs or less) |
Is RTA charged? (Vehicle scale weight 6,001 lbs or more) |
---|---|---|
Antique car | Yes | Yes |
Cargo van | Yes | No |
Commercial vehicles | Yes | No |
Exempt (state, county, local, tribal) | No | No |
Farm exempt | No | No |
Farm use | No | No |
For hire | Yes | No |
Government (Federal) | No | No |
Medium electric car | Yes | Yes |
Neighborhood electric car | Yes | Yes |
Passenger vehicle | Yes | Yes |
Private school | No | No |
Stage | Yes | No |
Taxi cab | Yes | Yes |
Vehicle type | Is RTA charged? (Vehicle scale weight 6,000 lbs or less) |
Is RTA charged? (Vehicle scale weight 6,001 lbs or more) |
---|---|---|
Antique truck | Yes | No |
Cargo van | Yes | No |
Combination (farm use) | No | No |
Combination (non-farm use) | Yes | No |
Commercial | Yes | No |
Exempt (state/county/local/tribal) | No | No |
Farm exempt | No | No |
Farm use | No | No |
Fixed load | Yes | No |
For hire | Yes | No |
Government (federal) | No | No |
Logging | Yes | No |
Medium electric truck | Yes | No |
Neighborhood electric truck | Yes | No |
Off road vehicle (ORV) | No | No |
Passenger truck | Yes | No |
Private school truck | No | No |
Stage | Yes | No |
Tow truck | Yes | No |
Vehicle type | Is RTA charged? (Vehicle scale weight 6,000 lbs or less) |
Is RTA charged? (Vehicle scale weight 6,001 lbs or more) |
---|---|---|
Combination (non-farm use) | Yes | No |
Commercial | No | No |
Government (Federal) | No | No |
Exempt (state/county/local/tribal) | No | No |
Farm exempt | No | No |
House dolly | Yes | Yes |
Intermittent use trailer | Yes | N/A |
Logging | No | No |
Motorcycle trailer - commercial use | No | No |
Personal use trailer | Yes | N/A |
Travel trailer - antique | No | No |
Travel trailer | No | No |
Vehicle type | Is RTA charged? (Vehicle scale weight 6,000 lbs or less) |
Is RTA charged? (Vehicle scale weight 6,001 lbs or more) |
---|---|---|
Antique motorcycle | Yes | Yes |
Exempt (state/county/local/tribal) | No | No |
Farm exempt | No | No |
Government (Federal) | No | No |
Moped | No | No |
Motorcycle | Yes | Yes |
Off-road motorcycle | No | No |
Vehicle type | Is RTA charged? (Vehicle scale weight 6,000 lbs or less) |
Is RTA charged? (Vehicle scale weight 6,001 lbs or more) |
---|---|---|
ATV - All Terrain Vehicle (WATV) | No | No |
Converter gear | No | No |
Camper | No | No |
Farm exempt off-road | No | No |
Mobile home | No | No |
Motorhome | Yes | Yes |
Off-road vehicles (ORV) | No | No |
Snowmobile | No | No |
Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Motor Vehicle Excise Tax and Watercraft Excise Tax may be deductible. Check with your tax advisor.
For tax purposes, you may want to know your previous year's RTA fee. You can find this amount in the box labeled RTA on your vehicle registration.