car sales tax question
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,876
Likes: 8
From: Las Vegas NV
St. Jude Donor '06 & '12
I was told that if you buy a car out of state (private party) and bring it to CA you are exemt from sales tax.
This is third party info, so I dont know if there is ANY truth to it.
In my state, you pay the tax when you register it.
This is third party info, so I dont know if there is ANY truth to it.
In my state, you pay the tax when you register it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 28
From: Kingman, AZ
i've done it both ways. depends on the dealers knowledge. one way is to pay the tax at the dealer according to your county's tax rate. some dealers don't know that they can do this for you. the other is when you bring the car down to d.m.v. to be varified (this is a must) you pay the tax and registration then. if it's newer than 75 or 76 (somewhere around those years) it should be the 30 years old rule, but they haven't gotten that far yet with the rule. you have to get it smogged. depending on how brave you are, you can fudge the figures a bit and save on the taxes. good luck. it shouldn't be a problem.
sorry!!! i didn't see the "private party" part. that's even better because you pay everything when it gets here and you can certainly fudge the figures with a private party transaction.
sorry!!! i didn't see the "private party" part. that's even better because you pay everything when it gets here and you can certainly fudge the figures with a private party transaction.
Last edited by bumperkar kid; Feb 24, 2008 at 11:03 AM. Reason: missed a phrase.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: Southern California
This is what I had been told as well, but wasn't sure if it is true or not. I'm looking at getting an 2004 Z, would it be exempt from getting smogged, or if i do, would it be smogged in AZ or CA
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA
Taxes on cars have always been one of my pet-peeves. The original buyer pays taxes on the price of the car. Now, a couple years later, they look to sell that C5 from 1999. The next buyer gets to pay the tax on a lower value of the car, but still taxed on the same item. Did these DMV's ever hear of double-taxation?? 
Cannot be taxed on an item already paid tax on, especially since there is no value-add (VAT tax). Don't get me started!!!
Cannot be taxed on an item already paid tax on, especially since there is no value-add (VAT tax). Don't get me started!!!
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 18,681
Likes: 47
From: Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks , State Of Confusion
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
Taxes on cars have always been one of my pet-peeves. The original buyer pays taxes on the price of the car. Now, a couple years later, they look to sell that C5 from 1999. The next buyer gets to pay the tax on a lower value of the car, but still taxed on the same item. Did these DMV's ever hear of double-taxation?? Cannot be taxed on an item already paid tax on, especially since there is no value-add (VAT tax). Don't get me started!!!
Cannot be taxed on an item already paid tax on, especially since there is no value-add (VAT tax). Don't get me started!!!Corvette Stories
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Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 669
Likes: 0
From: CA
To expand mpw32's answer. The form you fill out to register the car will have a place on it for you to list what you paid for it. Of course you should always tell the truth. The 25 (30 ?) year rule on age of the vehicle relates to the smog testing requirement only.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
From: Lockport NY
I work in a Chevy dealer and tax is based where you register it. If you buy from a dealer they can collect the tax for the county you register it in and submit it with your ppwk or you can pay the tax to the DMV when you go to register and title the vehicle.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,916
Likes: 1
From: West Palm Beach Florida
Taxes on cars have always been one of my pet-peeves. The original buyer pays taxes on the price of the car. Now, a couple years later, they look to sell that C5 from 1999. The next buyer gets to pay the tax on a lower value of the car, but still taxed on the same item. Did these DMV's ever hear of double-taxation?? Cannot be taxed on an item already paid tax on, especially since there is no value-add (VAT tax). Don't get me started!!!
Cannot be taxed on an item already paid tax on, especially since there is no value-add (VAT tax). Don't get me started!!!This is so the politicians have pocket money to give family & friends contracts to do nothin...or charge 20x value of services rendered.
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