does anyone have a DMV elf up their sleeve that can help me? because the car was last titled in Arizona and then ran through 2 dealerships that owned it but never titled it ... I need to get a CA DMV inspection - which I could either do at the DMV lol that's not happening but there are private inspectors who do this service it is not expensive they just verify the VIN on your car and give you a doc that you can then take to DMV HOWEVER ... some of these guys can also get your car titled and plates as well I am talking to one such guy he lives in Sacramento and has been hard to nail down as you can imagine there is a lot of money to be saved by not just waltzing into the DMV and paying %9.25 of the actual purchase price anyone know anyone ?
Any police officer can also do a VIN verification which is required when the car needs to be registered in CA for the first time or hasn't been registered recently, or has no current title. With that completed form plus an Application for New (CA) Title, and a Statement of Facts form completed, that's all that's needed. Good piece of advice is to bring every conceivable piece of documentation you can (eg, old registrations or titles, or even photocopies of them). I had to get CA titles for a number of a friend's cars that either hadn't been registered for many years (DMV tosses records for cars not registered in the last 5(?) years), or were last registered in AZ (so no previous CA title or CA registration).
If you can show you purchased it over 1 year ago, and sign a statement that it has not entered CA. for that year as a car to be driven in the State, you do not pay sales tax. So if you have paperwork depicting this, just make a appointment at DMV, they will inspect the vehicle, have it smogged prior to, if required, 30 minutes out the door titled in CA. and no sales tax. Easy peasey.. If dealer sale, AAA can not do this transaction, if private AAA can.....good luck.
I bought my TR out of state through auction. I had Fast Cars do the VIN verification and smog. They were great and one stop. They gave me the forms that I mailed into the DMV. Yes, I did pay the 9.25% tax to help fund the California pension and social welfare problem. You're welcome California.
Do I understand this correctly : I can buy any car outside of California and as long as I wait at least 366 days before bringing it in to State and have a dated sales receipt (and perhaps proof of storage ?) to prove this, I can get it registered without having to pay sales tax, regardless of purchase price ? For example, I buy a (new, used, $2K 0r $2M) car in AZ or NY today, but by waiting until, lets say May 1st, 2019 before bringing it to CA, I don't have to pay sales tax when getting it registered, ever ???
Yes, buy a new car off a out of State dealer, wait 366 days, stroll into DMV with your sales contract and MSO, and pay only registration/plate fees. Buy used car from anyone, have say the signed off Title from say Wash. State, wait 366 days and have AAA, DMV, etc. do the paperwork, again, no sales tax. Obviously you are not supposed to drive the car on Cali roads......but.... This is all right on DMV website and have seen it done a few times before.....
Interesting. In Pennsylvania (and, I believe, Florida) you need to get registration within 30 days of the car being in the state. Matt
I believe it's the same (30 day grace period) in CA if the registration application or transfer is for a vehicle already in and being driven on States public roads, but I do find Berts suggestion interesting and worth looking into.
New Registered Owners If the registered owner is new (changing ownership) and the nonresident vehicle is: Purchased outside California, fees become due on the date the vehicle enters California.
As a former California resident who fled the State, it sounds like a good idea to me. Only a California resident knows how the State bleeds the people with taxes. I see this as a protest against the unfair taxation and government thievery that is so prevalent in The Golden State.
Exception is if car has been kep t outside CA for 365 days. Simply go to CA DMV, look up registration fees calculator, go to nonresident vehicle calculator, enter the 411 showing car was bought at least a year before and voila! No tax. I have personally done this myself, at the DMV, if more than a year since purchase, with proof in hand, no tax. The DMV gal was more interested in the car, all perfectly legal. Again, obviously if you are driving this car around in CA before a year you are in violation, and if pulled over likely numerous fines and penalties.
In PA, it has teeth. Cops can stop you and write you a VERY expensive ticket for it, and, they do. 18 years ago it was about $400.00. Don't know what it is now. In FL, you have to register your car before its current registration (from whatever state you left) expires. You have to get a driver's license in 30 days. D
I will be honest the prospect of handing the state of California 35 thousand dollars for a car made in 1974 that has had plenty of taxes paid on it throughout its life ... seems like a lovely idea I could think of no better place to give 35 thousand dollars of money on top of the state income tax I pay and my property taxes the car is insured to the teeth I'm just having a hard time parting with that much money on something like California State Tax for a lovely but older car and for the record the last 2 owners never titled the car and I have sold 10 cars at auctions through the years and CA still asks me to pay registration as the new owners never register and title these cars in their home states I will probably pay the tax as I do want to title the car etc. I'm just not running to the glorious world of a Los Angeles DMV have any of you been inside a DMV in Los Angeles? I was just there to get my License renewed another service that AAA cannot perform it is a lovely place to be clear I am an incredibly generous guy I'm just having a difficult moment being THAT generous with the state of California
Well if the amount of CA state income you pay (and likely deduct on your Fed tax return) is less than the $35k CA sales tax you face with the car, you can switch over to deducting CA sales tax INSTEAD of CA state income tax on your Fed return. Sales tax deduction on your Fed return is only for sales tax paid on automobiles and major home improvements.
Call: https://www.yellowpages.com/carmichael-ca/mip/sacramento-registration-service-532203225 They are the best. Regards, Alberto
Have you considered moving to a state with slightly less punitive tax policies? Many ex-Californians have taken that route.
