Tax on out of state vehicle registration, 2 weeks shy of 1 year (apartment, homes)

[Kharma99]

Hi, just relocated from the easy coast and need to register my car ASAP. I’m coming up on 20 days since the car entered CA. I just found out at that I have to pay taxes on a car that was purchased less than a year ago. My car entered CA literally 2 weeks before the 1 year anniversary... what are the chances I can get an exemption??

[Electrician4you]

You already paid the purchase tax in your state. You shouldn't have to pay again as you're just registering it not purchasing it. If you bought it out of state but did not pay the tax in the state you bought it then you would be paying use tax in California for the purchase.

[Kharma99]

Thanks for your reply. There’s about a $1K difference in registration fees if I list car entered CA before vs after 1 year anniversary.

[marcopolo666]

Dude, Wait three weeks THEN register it.

[Electrician4you]

Then just wait three weeks like ^^^^

[cb73]

Originally Posted by Kharma99

Hi, just relocated from the easy coast and need to register my car ASAP. I’m coming up on 20 days since the car entered CA. I just found out at that I have to pay taxes on a car that was purchased less than a year ago. My car entered CA literally 2 weeks before the 1 year anniversary... what are the chances I can get an exemption??

Unless you took a selfie next to the Welcome to California sign that went viral--who exactly knows what day you entered California?

California had to move that requirement from 90 days to 365 days due to the purchasers of those huge $500,000 motor homes that were conveniently taking delivery on day 91 to evade taxes. The change worked, but it also affects the regular people that weren't planning on cheating anything.

Do your 365 days, then make your appointment with DMV. Use the "date you became a resident"--i.e. rented an apartment, started a job, etc. as your entry date--a lot of people do that as they come to the state hoping to stay if they can get a job.