I know many people here make TX their home due to tax advantages for income tax. On the other hand TX is not any bargin when dealing with initial vehicle registration. Does anyone know how they deal with moving into TX with a vehicle you already own. There are 3 potential scenarios. 1) Vehicle is already registered in a high tax state so what has already been paid to the previous state usually counts to avoid paying new taxes in TX. 2) Vehicle is registered in a somewhat low tax state. Specifically I am thinking of NC where they have a property tax on a motor home that tops out at $1500 a year. So if I buy in NC I pay $1500 in tax and then move to TX before year 1 is up, what happens on arrival to TX. This is the scenario I am most curious about since a 6 or 8 mo residency stop in NC would be easy with close family there. 3) Vehicle is registered in a no tax state such as MT or DE. Upon relocating to TX are you forced to pay sales tax then. This could also make sense with (less close) relatives here, but it would have to be worthwhile to do it.
I just can not seem to find a clear answer. -- Bruce
-- Edited by brucedelta at 19:44, 2007-12-12
Howard said
10:17 PM Dec 12, 2007
You have to provide a title and proof of sales tax paid in another state.
You get a credit for sales tax paid in other state. If the tax you paid is more than Texas tax would have been, no additional sales/use tax due. If you paid less sales tax in another state than would have been due in Texas, then you will have to make up the difference when registering in Texas.
There is no personal property tax in Texas on vehicles used only for personal use.
brucedelta said
12:07 AM Dec 13, 2007
Is there a time frame for this to occur. If the coach is owned for X years and was bought in delaware (0% tax) the do they tax the TX registration at original cost or figure depreciation. If X is 10 then charging tax seems just silly.
In the escapees guide they have a number for some states, but this is not spelled out for TX.
I know CA has a 90 day waivier. Apparently this is a recent change from 1 yr and many expect it to go back to a year. If you owned the vehicle for more than 90 days registered in another state and never brought into CA then you can move it to CA and register there with no tax due.
-- Bruce
brucedelta said
08:33 PM Jan 2, 2008
I called the polk county Tax office and asked about the rules for new residents who already owned a RV.
Basically what they told me was if you owned your vehicle for more than 6 months then there is no tax due no matter what was paid or not paid previously.
They told me you just pay the $90 reg fee and you are good to go as a newly minted Texan.
Can anyone confirm this is the case based on personal experience?
-- Bruce
ahoweth said
08:55 AM Jan 3, 2008
Hi Bruce:
We became Texans about 3 years ago and we already owned our RV. We paid only the $90 registration fee upon registering the vehicle.
You don't say whether your RV is a pull type RV (trailer, fifth wheel or motor home) but if it is a motor home and weighs more than 13 tons with air brakes, Texas requires a special drivers license to legally drive in Texas. It is called a "Class D, non-commercial" drivers license and you are required to take a written test and a driving test in your motor home to get it.
1) Vehicle is already registered in a high tax state so what has already been paid to the previous state usually counts to avoid paying new taxes in TX.
2) Vehicle is registered in a somewhat low tax state. Specifically I am thinking of NC where they have a property tax on a motor home that tops out at $1500 a year. So if I buy in NC I pay $1500 in tax and then move to TX before year 1 is up, what happens on arrival to TX. This is the scenario I am most curious about since a 6 or 8 mo residency stop in NC would be easy with close family there.
3) Vehicle is registered in a no tax state such as MT or DE. Upon relocating to TX are you forced to pay sales tax then. This could also make sense with (less close) relatives here, but it would have to be worthwhile to do it.
I just can not seem to find a clear answer.
-- Bruce
-- Edited by brucedelta at 19:44, 2007-12-12
You get a credit for sales tax paid in other state. If the tax you paid is more than Texas tax would have been, no additional sales/use tax due. If you paid less sales tax in another state than would have been due in Texas, then you will have to make up the difference when registering in Texas.
There is no personal property tax in Texas on vehicles used only for personal use.
In the escapees guide they have a number for some states, but this is not spelled out for TX.
I know CA has a 90 day waivier. Apparently this is a recent change from 1 yr and many expect it to go back to a year. If you owned the vehicle for more than 90 days registered in another state and never brought into CA then you can move it to CA and register there with no tax due.
-- Bruce
We became Texans about 3 years ago and we already owned our RV. We paid only the $90 registration fee upon registering the vehicle.
You don't say whether your RV is a pull type RV (trailer, fifth wheel or motor home) but if it is a motor home and weighs more than 13 tons with air brakes, Texas requires a special drivers license to legally drive in Texas. It is called a "Class D, non-commercial" drivers license and you are required to take a written test and a driving test in your motor home to get it.
Good luck.