Data / Rankings / Registered motor vehicles / US states

US states by registered motor vehicles

California had the highest registered motor vehicles of 51 states in 2016, at 30.22 million. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 337,100. The median was 3.9 million and the figure for the United States was 268.8 million. Source: the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.

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Highest30,221,033California
Lowest337,100District of Columbia
Median3,904,96251 states
United States268,799,083History

Map of states, 2016

Alabama: 5,468,301 countAlaska: 794,614 countArizona: 5,786,891 countArkansas: 2,808,138 countCalifornia: 30,221,033 countColorado: 5,116,341 countConnecticut: 2,841,842 countDelaware: 1,003,840 countDistrict of Columbia: 337,100 countFlorida: 16,600,317 countGeorgia: 8,239,779 countHawaii: 1,231,728 countIdaho: 1,842,245 countIllinois: 10,277,182 countIndiana: 6,140,530 countIowa: 3,676,290 countKansas: 2,649,736 countKentucky: 4,224,788 countLouisiana: 3,904,962 countMaine: 1,107,674 countMaryland: 4,178,873 countMassachusetts: 5,069,559 countMichigan: 8,332,895 countMinnesota: 5,358,317 countMississippi: 2,067,222 countMissouri: 5,684,525 countMontana: 1,794,732 countNebraska: 1,951,766 countNevada: 2,398,659 countNew Hampshire: 1,322,682 countNew Jersey: 5,940,997 countNew Mexico: 1,823,961 countNew York: 11,122,392 countNorth Carolina: 8,270,643 countNorth Dakota: 894,954 countOhio: 10,686,057 countOklahoma: 3,737,405 countOregon: 3,811,706 countPennsylvania: 10,748,822 countRhode Island: 876,228 countSouth Carolina: 4,324,423 countSouth Dakota: 1,246,359 countTennessee: 5,709,923 countTexas: 21,766,166 countUtah: 2,317,282 countVermont: 615,950 countVirginia: 7,301,081 countWashington: 7,047,689 countWest Virginia: 1,704,825 countWisconsin: 5,564,429 countWyoming: 855,230 count
  • Under 1.2M
  • 1.2M to 2.2M
  • 2.2M to 3.9M
  • 3.9M to 5.6M
  • 5.6M to 8.3M
  • 8.3M and over
count, 2016. Source: FHWA, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2016

California: 30,221,033 countCalifornia30,221,033Texas: 21,766,166 countTexas21,766,166Florida: 16,600,317 countFlorida16,600,317New York: 11,122,392 countNew York11,122,392Pennsylvania: 10,748,822 countPennsylvania10,748,822Ohio: 10,686,057 countOhio10,686,057Illinois: 10,277,182 countIllinois10,277,182Michigan: 8,332,895 countMichigan8,332,895North Carolina: 8,270,643 countNorth Carolina8,270,643Georgia: 8,239,779 countGeorgia8,239,779Virginia: 7,301,081 countVirginia7,301,081Washington: 7,047,689 countWashington7,047,689Indiana: 6,140,530 countIndiana6,140,530New Jersey: 5,940,997 countNew Jersey5,940,997Arizona: 5,786,891 countArizona5,786,891Tennessee: 5,709,923 countTennessee5,709,923Missouri: 5,684,525 countMissouri5,684,525Wisconsin: 5,564,429 countWisconsin5,564,429Alabama: 5,468,301 countAlabama5,468,301Minnesota: 5,358,317 countMinnesota5,358,317Colorado: 5,116,341 countColorado5,116,341Massachusetts: 5,069,559 countMassachusetts5,069,559South Carolina: 4,324,423 countSouth Carolina4,324,423Kentucky: 4,224,788 countKentucky4,224,788Maryland: 4,178,873 countMaryland4,178,873Louisiana: 3,904,962 countLouisiana3,904,962Oregon: 3,811,706 countOregon3,811,706Oklahoma: 3,737,405 countOklahoma3,737,405Iowa: 3,676,290 countIowa3,676,290Connecticut: 2,841,842 countConnecticut2,841,842Arkansas: 2,808,138 countArkansas2,808,138Kansas: 2,649,736 countKansas2,649,736Nevada: 2,398,659 countNevada2,398,659Utah: 2,317,282 countUtah2,317,282Mississippi: 2,067,222 countMississippi2,067,222Nebraska: 1,951,766 countNebraska1,951,766Idaho: 1,842,245 countIdaho1,842,245New Mexico: 1,823,961 countNew Mexico1,823,961Montana: 1,794,732 countMontana1,794,732West Virginia: 1,704,825 countWest Virginia1,704,825New Hampshire: 1,322,682 countNew Hampshire1,322,682South Dakota: 1,246,359 countSouth Dakota1,246,359Hawaii: 1,231,728 countHawaii1,231,728Maine: 1,107,674 countMaine1,107,674Delaware: 1,003,840 countDelaware1,003,840North Dakota: 894,954 countNorth Dakota894,954Rhode Island: 876,228 countRhode Island876,228Wyoming: 855,230 countWyoming855,230Alaska: 794,614 countAlaska794,614Vermont: 615,950 countVermont615,950District of Columbia: 337,100 countDistrict of Columbia337,100California: 30,221,033 countCalifornia30,221,033Texas: 21,766,166 countTexas21,766,166Florida: 16,600,317 countFlorida16,600,317New York: 11,122,392 countNew York11,122,392Pennsylvania: 10,748,822 countPennsylvania10,748,822Ohio: 10,686,057 countOhio10,686,057Illinois: 10,277,182 countIllinois10,277,182Michigan: 8,332,895 countMichigan8,332,895North Carolina: 8,270,643 countNorth Carolina8,270,643Georgia: 8,239,779 countGeorgia8,239,779Virginia: 7,301,081 countVirginia7,301,081Washington: 7,047,689 countWashington7,047,689Indiana: 6,140,530 countIndiana6,140,530New Jersey: 5,940,997 countNew Jersey5,940,997Arizona: 5,786,891 countArizona5,786,891Tennessee: 5,709,923 countTennessee5,709,923Missouri: 5,684,525 countMissouri5,684,525Wisconsin: 5,564,429 countWisconsin5,564,429Alabama: 5,468,301 countAlabama5,468,301Minnesota: 5,358,317 countMinnesota5,358,317Colorado: 5,116,341 countColorado5,116,341Massachusetts: 5,069,559 countMassachusetts5,069,559South Carolina: 4,324,423 countSouth Carolina4,324,423Kentucky: 4,224,788 countKentucky4,224,788Maryland: 4,178,873 countMaryland4,178,873Louisiana: 3,904,962 countLouisiana3,904,962Oregon: 3,811,706 countOregon3,811,706Oklahoma: 3,737,405 countOklahoma3,737,405Iowa: 3,676,290 countIowa3,676,290Connecticut: 2,841,842 countConnecticut2,841,842Arkansas: 2,808,138 countArkansas2,808,138Kansas: 2,649,736 countKansas2,649,736Nevada: 2,398,659 countNevada2,398,659Utah: 2,317,282 countUtah2,317,282Mississippi: 2,067,222 countMississippi2,067,222Nebraska: 1,951,766 countNebraska1,951,766Idaho: 1,842,245 countIdaho1,842,245New Mexico: 1,823,961 countNew Mexico1,823,961Montana: 1,794,732 countMontana1,794,732West Virginia: 1,704,825 countWest Virginia1,704,825New Hampshire: 1,322,682 countNew Hampshire1,322,682South Dakota: 1,246,359 countSouth Dakota1,246,359Hawaii: 1,231,728 countHawaii1,231,728Maine: 1,107,674 countMaine1,107,674Delaware: 1,003,840 countDelaware1,003,840North Dakota: 894,954 countNorth Dakota894,954Rhode Island: 876,228 countRhode Island876,228Wyoming: 855,230 countWyoming855,230Alaska: 794,614 countAlaska794,614Vermont: 615,950 countVermont615,950District of Columbia: 337,100 countDistrict of Columbia337,100
count. Source: FHWA, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

Full ranking

RankStates2016
count		Change on 2015
1California30,221,033+2.7%
2Texas21,766,166-0.5%
3Florida16,600,317+3.1%
4New York11,122,392+4.5%
5Pennsylvania10,748,822+1.4%
6Ohio10,686,057+1.2%
7Illinois10,277,182-3%
8Michigan8,332,895+0.5%
9North Carolina8,270,643+4.3%
10Georgia8,239,779+1.3%
11Virginia7,301,081+0.9%
12Washington7,047,689+4.8%
13Indiana Estimated6,140,530+1.6%
14New Jersey5,940,9970%
15Arizona5,786,891+2.8%
16Tennessee5,709,923+1.7%
17Missouri5,684,525+1.1%
18Wisconsin5,564,429+1.8%
19Alabama5,468,301+1.3%
20Minnesota5,358,317+1.5%
21Colorado5,116,341+2.2%
22Massachusetts Estimated5,069,559-0%
23South Carolina4,324,423+3.9%
24Kentucky4,224,788+1.8%
25Maryland4,178,873+1.1%
26Louisiana3,904,962+0.1%
27Oregon3,811,706+5.7%
28Oklahoma3,737,405+25.1%
29Iowa3,676,290+1.1%
30Connecticut Estimated2,841,8420%
31Arkansas2,808,138+1.3%
32Kansas2,649,736+0.6%
33Nevada2,398,659+3.6%
34Utah2,317,282+4%
35Mississippi2,067,222-0.1%
36Nebraska1,951,766-1.5%
37Idaho1,842,245-0.6%
38New Mexico1,823,9610%
39Montana1,794,732+9.1%
40West Virginia1,704,825+5.7%
41New Hampshire1,322,682+2%
42South Dakota1,246,359+15.2%
43Hawaii1,231,728-0.9%
44Maine1,107,674+0.3%
45Delaware1,003,840+4.1%
46North Dakota894,954+0.5%
47Rhode Island876,228+0.1%
48Wyoming855,230+4.9%
49Alaska Estimated794,614-2.5%
50Vermont615,950-6%
51District of Columbia337,100+4.4%

Other periods

About this ranking

All motor vehicles registered during the year: automobiles, buses, trucks and motorcycles.

More on how it is measured
  • FHWA Highway Statistics table MV-1 counts the vehicles registered in each state during the year, from the records of the state motor vehicle agencies: private, commercial and publicly owned vehicles, but not those of the armed forces.
  • A vehicle is counted in the state that registered it.

States keep their registers differently: some report registration transactions during the year or vehicles on multi-year registrations instead of active registrations, and a change in what a state reports can move its count sharply from one year to the next (Delaware in 2021, New York in 2024). Values for states FHWA estimated, or for which it repeated the previous year, are marked estimated. FHWA publishes some counts with fractions; they are rounded to whole vehicles. Trailers are not motor vehicles and are not counted.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. Highway Statistics, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. (2026). Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states (US states by registered motor vehicles, 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm

MLA 9

Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states, US states by registered motor vehicles, 2016. Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 23 Feb. 2026, https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-motor-vehicles/us-states?period=2016. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. 2026. Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states. US states by registered motor vehicles, 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 18, 2026. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-motor-vehicles/us-states?period=2016.

Harvard

Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation (2026) Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states, US states by registered motor vehicles, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-motor-vehicles/us-states?period=2016 (Accessed: 18 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{federal_us_states_by_registered_2016,
  author = {{Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation}},
  title = {{Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states: US states by registered motor vehicles, 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm},
  urldate = {2026-10-18},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-motor-vehicles/us-states?period=2016. Publisher attribution: Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. Highway Statistics, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Retrieved 2026-10-18.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
TI  - Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states: US states by registered motor vehicles, 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/23
PB  - Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-motor-vehicles/us-states?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/18
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/registered-motor-vehicles/us-states?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation. Highway Statistics, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm. Retrieved 2026-10-18.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest registered motor vehicles?

California, with 30.22 million in 2016, according to the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.

Which state has the lowest registered motor vehicles?

District of Columbia, with 337,100 in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Table MV-1, State Motor-Vehicle Registrations (all motor vehicles, total), United States and states. Retrieved 2026-10-18.

US states: more rankings