In 2023, California had the most automobile registrations: almost 13.2 million such vehicles were registered in the most populous U.S. federal state. California also had the highest number of registered motor vehicles overall: nearly 30.4 million registrations.

In 2022, California was the federal state with the highest number of motor vehicle registrations in the United States. More than **** million motor vehicles were registered in the nation’s most populous state. Overall, the United States recorded over ***** million vehicle registrations. Vehicle classes Automobiles and trucks are the leading categories in terms of motor vehicle sales in the United States, accounting for roughly ** percent of all registrations. Motorcycles and buses comprise the remaining categories, with buses accounting for a miniscule **** percent of registrations. In terms of sales, light trucks were the most popular category in 2023 with retail sales of nearly **** million units. Leading state California recorded around **** million registrations of automobiles and trucks, having a resident population of just under ** million people. California is the largest market for car registration. The state is known for progressive state legislation that promotes the manufacturing and sale of electric vehicles.

In 2023, there were over two motor vehicles registered in Montana per resident of the state. This was the highest rate recorded across the United Sates. Wyoming, which had the second-highest rate of vehicle registration per capita, was still around 0.56 vehicles per capita below Montana.

Key information about US Number of Registered Vehicles

• US Number of Registered Vehicles was reported at 283,400,986 Unit in Dec 2022.
• This records an increase from the previous number of 282,354,993 Unit for Dec 2021.
• US Number of Registered Vehicles data is updated yearly, averaging 93,949,852 Unit from Dec 1910 to 2022, with 113 observations.
• The data reached an all-time high of 283,400,986 Unit in 2022 and a record low of 468,500 Unit in 1910.
• US Number of Registered Vehicles data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by CEIC Data.
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Global Economic Monitor – Table: No of Registered Vehicles: Annual.

The graph illustrates the number of registered cars in the United States from 1995 to 2023. The x-axis represents the years, spanning from 1995 to 2023, while the y-axis denotes the number of registered cars, ranging from 1,354 to 999,469. Throughout this period, the number of registered cars shows considerable fluctuations, with the highest count of 96,901,563 in 2022 and the lowest of 1,354 in 2006. Overall, there is a notable upward trend in car registrations over the years, despite intermittent decreases. The data is presented in a line graph format, effectively highlighting the annual changes and long-term growth in the number of registered vehicles in the United States.

Total vehicle registration counts per month by county

Data reporting on U.S. private and commercial motor vehicle registrations in 2020 reveal that there were just under 29.8 million private and commercial motor vehicles registered in California. By comparison, in Wyoming, a far less populated U.S. state, there were close to 845,100 registered private and commercial motor vehicles that same year.

United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Automobiles: Public data was reported at 1.471 Unit mn in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.453 Unit mn for 2015. United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Automobiles: Public data is updated yearly, averaging 0.483 Unit mn from Dec 1925 (Median) to 2016, with 92 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.638 Unit mn in 2014 and a record low of 0.041 Unit mn in 1925. United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Automobiles: Public data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Highway Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.TA002: Motor Vehicle Registration.

Some 283.4 million vehicles were registered in the United States in 2022. The figures include passenger cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses, and other vehicles. The number of light trucks sold in the U.S. stood at 10.9 million units in 2022. U.S. vehicle registrations The United States is one of the world’s largest automobile markets based on the number of new light vehicle registrations, with more than 13.8 million new light vehicle registrations in 2021. However, domestic production of automobiles fell to around 1.6 million units in 2021 and has struggled to increase in 2022. At the same time, the United States imports a significant number of vehicles from various countries, such as Japan, Mexico, and Canada. Leading car manufacturers in the United States The leading car manufacturers overall in the United States include the domestic heavyweights General Motors and Ford. With respect to car brands, the Ford brand clocked in at number one in 2022, selling around 1.8 million vehicles in the United States alone. The brand's holding company is the Ford Motor Company; it was founded by Henry Ford in 1903 in Dearborn, Michigan. The company pioneered in large-scale car manufacturing and introduced production methods such as the assembly line.

The Indian state of Maharashtra had the highest number of registered motor vehicles, at over ** million, at the end of fiscal year 2020. India’s automotive market was dominated by two-wheelers and passenger vehicles. Two-wheeler sales have been constantly over ** percent.

United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Private and Commercial data was reported at 278.870 Unit mn in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 278.052 Unit mn for 2021. United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Private and Commercial data is updated yearly, averaging 125.881 Unit mn from Dec 1925 (Median) to 2022, with 98 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 278.870 Unit mn in 2022 and a record low of 19.941 Unit mn in 1925. United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Private and Commercial data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Highway Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.TA011: Motor Vehicle Registration. Data starting 2011 includes information on motorcycle registrations.

On average, there are 1.88 vehicles per U.S. household. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the percentage of households without a car or light truck came to around nine percent in 2017, meaning that about 90 percent of households had at least one light vehicle at their disposal in that same year.

Most Americans drive daily

In a recent Gallup poll among U.S. adults, about 64 percent of respondents claimed to drive daily, while another 19 percent of respondents stated that they would use a motor vehicle multiple times in an average week. These figures are in line with the U.S. motorization rate, which stood at 821 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015.

 These streets were made for driving  

The United States has the most extensive road network, compared to any other country in the world: its road network encompasses almost 6.6 million kilometers or about four million miles. In 2018, there were about 270 million vehicles roaming the streets of the country.

Ecuador Motor Vehicles Registered: State data was reported at 29,428.000 Unit in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 24,655.000 Unit for 2014. Ecuador Motor Vehicles Registered: State data is updated yearly, averaging 6,800.000 Unit from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2015, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29,428.000 Unit in 2015 and a record low of 4,481.000 Unit in 2000. Ecuador Motor Vehicles Registered: State data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Census. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ecuador – Table EC.TA001: Motor Vehicle Registration.

United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Trucks: Public data was reported at 2.269 Unit mn in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.166 Unit mn for 2015. United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Trucks: Public data is updated yearly, averaging 0.975 Unit mn from Dec 1925 (Median) to 2016, with 92 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.319 Unit mn in 2010 and a record low of 0.087 Unit mn in 1925. United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Trucks: Public data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Highway Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.TA002: Motor Vehicle Registration.

United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Total data was reported at 283.401 Unit mn in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 282.355 Unit mn for 2021. United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 93.950 Unit mn from Dec 1910 (Median) to 2022, with 113 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 283.401 Unit mn in 2022 and a record low of 0.469 Unit mn in 1910. United States Motor Vehicle Registration: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Highway Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.TA011: Motor Vehicle Registration. Data starting 2011 includes information on motorcycle registrations.

The graph illustrates the average number of cars per household in the United States from 1969 to 2022. The x-axis represents the years, labeled from '69 to '22, while the y-axis displays the average number of cars per household. Over this period, the average increased from 1.16 cars per household in 1969 to a peak of 1.89 in 2001. The lowest recorded average was 1.16 in 1969, and the highest was 1.89 in 2001. After 2001, the average slightly decreased to 1.83 in 2022. The data indicates an overall upward trend in the average number of cars per household over the decades, with a slight decline in recent years.

The Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS) is conducted in partnership with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Federal Highway Administration, and the U.S. Department of Energy to better understand the characteristics and use of trucks on our nation's roads. The survey universe for the VIUS includes all private and commercial trucks registered (or licensed) in the United States. This includes: pickups; minivans, other light vans, and sport utility vehicles; other light single-unit trucks (GVW = 26,000 lbs.); and truck tractors. The VIUS sample excludes vehicles owned by federal, state, and local governments; ambulances; buses; motor homes; farm tractors; unpowered trailer units; and trucks reported to have been disposed of prior to January 1 of the survey year. VIUS provides data on the physical and operational characteristics of the nation's truck population. Its primary goal is to produce estimates of the total number of trucks and truck miles. This dataset provides national and state-level summary statistics for in-scope vehicles that were used at least partially for commercial purposes.

The graph displays the number of retail car sales in the United States from 1976 to 2025. The x-axis represents the years, ranging from 1976 to 2025, while the y-axis indicates the number of cars sold, spanning from 10,357,300 to 17,477,300. Throughout this period, car sales exhibit significant fluctuations, with the highest sales of 17,477,300 units occurring in 2016 and the lowest of 10,357,300 units in 1982. Overall, the data reveals an upward trend in retail car sales over the decades, despite occasional declines during certain years. The information is presented in a line graph format, effectively highlighting the annual variations and long-term growth in car sales within the United States.

Release Date: 2023-09-28.Release Schedule:.The data in this file was released in September 2023...Key Table Information:.The estimates presented are based on data from the 2021 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS)..These estimates only cover vehicles registered during 2021 in one of the fifty United States (except New Hampshire) or the District of Columbia that are classified by vehicle manufacturers as trucks, minivans, vans, or sport utility vehicles. Additionally, vehicles owned by federal, state, and local governments, ambulances, buses, motor homes, farm tractors, unpowered trailer units, and any vehicle reported to have been disposed prior to January 1, 2021, are considered out of scope for the VIUS..There are no additional scope conditions for the estimates on this table..Estimates may not be additive due to rounding..The Census Bureau has reviewed this data product to ensure appropriate access, use, and disclosure avoidance protection of the confidential source data (Project No. P-7527235, Disclosure Review Board (DRB) approval number: CBDRB-FY23-032)...Data Items and Other Identifying Records:.Primary characteristics that appear in this table:..Body/Trailer type.Model year.Transmission.Cylinders.Towing capacity.Months operated.Vehicle Acquisition.Lease status.Driving axles.Cab height.Vehicle type and trailer configuration...Secondary characteristics that appear in this table:.Standard features (under body/trailer type).Fuel economy features (under body/trailer type).Driving control assistance features (under body/trailer type).Collision warning features (under body/trailer type).Collision intervention features (under body/trailer type).Parking assistance features (under body/trailer type).Other driver assistance systems features (under body/trailer type).Other features (under body/trailer type).Primary axle configuration (under vehicle type and trailer configuration)...Estimates on this table:.Number of vehicles (thousands).Vehicle miles (millions).Average miles per vehicle (thousands).Coefficients of variation for all of the above estimates (percentages)...Data Item Notes:..Vehicle Type and Trailer Configuration.Estimates of 'Truck Tractor, Single Trailer Pulled', 'Truck Tractor, Double Trailer Pulled', 'Truck Tractor, Triple Trailer Pulled', and 'Single Unit Truck, Trailer Pulled' exclude vehicles that pulled a trailer for less than half of all miles driven. Estimates of 'Any Vehicle Type, No Trailer Pulled or Vehicle Not in Use' include vehicles that pulled a trailer for less than half of all miles driven..Model Year, Cylinders.Data were derived from administrative records....Geography Coverage:.On this table, geography refers to the address on a given vehicle's registration..Data are shown for the United States, 49 states (every state except New Hampshire), and the District of Columbia..Note that estimates at the 'United States' level also do not include vehicles with registration addresses in New Hampshire because the state did not consent to sharing registrant data for this survey. See https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/vius/data.html for model-based estimates at the United States level that do include New Hampshire...Industry Coverage:.Not applicable...FTP Download:.Download the entire table at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/vius/data/2021/VIUS213A.zip..API Information:.Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey data are housed in the Census Bureau API. For more information, see https://api.census.gov/data/2021/viusa.html..Methodology:.Estimates are based on a sample of in-scope vehicles and are subject to both sampling and nonsampling error. Estimated measures of sampling variability are provided in the tables. For information on sampling or nonsampling error and other design and methodological details, see Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS): Technical Documentation: Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey Methodology...Symbols:.S - Estimate does not meet publication standards because of high sampling variability, poor response quality, or other concerns about the estimate quality. Unpublished estimates derived from this table by subtraction are subject to these same limitations and should not be attributed to the U.S. Census Bureau. For a description of publication standards and the total quantity response rate, see Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS): Technical Documentation: Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey Methodology..Z - Rounds to Zero..X - Not Applicable..For a complete list of all economic programs symbols, see Economic Census: Technical Documentation: Data Dictionary...Source:.Suggested Citation: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics; and, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau. (9/28/23). All Vehicles by Registration State and Vehicle Size: 2021 [VIUSA2021]. 2021 Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey. U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics; U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Depar...