Registration question?

[jcal87]

If I buy a vehicle in a state that doesnt have sales tax and I register and title it in texas will I have to pay sales tax on it in texas? or what if i just register and title it in the state that doesnt have sales tax and then bring it to texas will they make make pay sales tax on it then?

I hope this makes sense...

[chr2002ca]

You typically have to live in a state for a period of time or have the car garaged in that state for a period of time in order to register it in that state. Maybe 6 months I think. It's probably different from state to state. So you'll most likely have to register it in your own state, and when you go to register it is when you're going to pay sales tax on whatever price was written on the bill of sale or title.

[jcal87]

well im a texas resident living in montana but i have enough "proof of residency" to make me a resident here in montana as well. im buying a new motorcycle but if i have to pay sales tax either way i might as well register it out of state but if i can buy it here and not pay sales tax and just register it in tx id rather do that

[GregWeld]

Each state no doubt has it's own laws so to try to apply one persons circumstances to another state/states could be problematic.... BUT -- I live in a sales tax state... (WA) but I had bought 2 Camaro Convertibles as possible project cars - and had them shipped to Oregon for storage at my brother in laws large shop... they were there a couple of years. I never registered them in that state nor did I license them. When I finally fetched one of them and took the paperwork to our DMV -- the sales/purchase agreement was dated - as was the sellers title... and the clerk asked where the car had been. I explained to her - and she said - that because I had "owned" the car for a year - that I didn't owe sales tax... So perhaps this same logic would apply to your situation.

It's kinda like "moving" from one state to another - you don't suddenly owe sales tax on stuff that is already yours...

[JamesJ]

You will pay the tax to where you register it. So if you register it in TX you will have to pay the TX tax, the dealer will do it, If you register it in Montana then you will just do whatever it is there....

[SWAPMEETCRAZY]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

It's kinda like "moving" from one state to another - you don't suddenly owe sales tax on stuff that is already yours...

Unless u live in Louisiana--Move here from another state and u have 60 days to transfer to LA tags AND PAY TAXES ON ITS VALUE (75% OF LOAN)

And get this Greg--If you and I trade vehicles --I have to pay taxes on its value regardless of how we traded!!!! But if i go out of state and trade with a dealer I only pay on the difference!!!! LAWMAKERS !!!! (KINDA LIKE THIS NEW HEALTH CARE LANGUAGE!!)

[jcal87]

so even if i paid taxes on my truck in california when i move back to Texas I'm going to have to pay taxes again?

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by jcal87

so even if i paid taxes on my truck in california when i move back to Texas I'm going to have to pay taxes again?

No way! You don't pay sales taxes again... you'll just have to register it and buy a license -- but you already OWN it -- so you're not taxed twice!

[GregWeld]

Every state is different - which is what I said in my first post - so you really need to ask the state you're going to go to...

If you trade in - in Washington - they subtract the value of your trade in from the purchase price - and you only pay tax on the difference... so it "pays" to trade in.. since we pay about 9% sales tax.

If you move to Washington from another state - you do not pay sales taxes on anything you already own. Even if you owned it in another state - like a boat that you may have owned and kept at your California lake house... if you owned it previously - it's yours - no sales taxes due...

[zbugger]

Maybe this page might help?

http://www.txdmv.gov/vehicles/registration/faq.htm

Check the third question down.