Purchasing a car in IL and moving out of state

[helena101]

Originally Posted by flyonpa

One word of warning on GA Drivers Licences, You don't walk out of DDS (GA Version of DMV) with your permanent licence, you get a Temporary Paper Licence, GA Licences are done for security reasons (and cost) at the DDS Central Office, and Mailed to your GA address of record, about a week later.

Car Registration and Drivers Licences are done by two different Department.

Drivers Licences are done by DDS
Car Registration is done at the county where you will be living Tax Commissioner Office (or Satellite Office)

Home - Department of Driver Services

I would suggest at least temporary you get a Box at a Private Mail Center for 3-6months (ie: UPS Store ) so when you licence comes in they can Mail it to you in IL. To avoid the Tax in IL, you will need to be able to show that you are NOT a IL resident any more. So all the paperwork goes to your GA address.

Thank you for your response. You're saying I should apply for a GA driver's licence and have it mailed to a PO box in IL? I'm confused, why to a PO box? I don't know if this option will work for me because it would mean flying down to Georgia after getting an address there and applying for a driver's license and receiving the license, and all of this may not be possible to do in the small window between signing a lease down there and moving down.

[helena101]

Originally Posted by flyonpa

One word of warning on GA Drivers Licences, You don't walk out of DDS (GA Version of DMV) with your permanent licence, you get a Temporary Paper Licence, GA Licences are done for security reasons (and cost) at the DDS Central Office, and Mailed to your GA address of record, about a week later.

Car Registration and Drivers Licences are done by two different Department.

Drivers Licences are done by DDS
Car Registration is done at the county where you will be living Tax Commissioner Office (or Satellite Office)

Home - Department of Driver Services

I would suggest at least temporary you get a Box at a Private Mail Center for 3-6months (ie: UPS Store ) so when you licence comes in they can Mail it to you in IL. To avoid the Tax in IL, you will need to be able to show that you are NOT a IL resident any more. So all the paperwork goes to your GA address.

I'm continuing to look at the rules for the Illinois use tax, and it does say in several places on their website that the use tax applies only to items that you buy for use in Illinois. It doesn't say you automatically pay use tax if you're an Illinois resident even if you never plan to use the items in the state of Illinois:

In 1955, the General Assembly passed the Use Tax Act. Use Tax is a sales tax that you, as the purchaser, owe on items that you buy for use in Illinois.

Illinois Use Tax

[flyonpa]

Originally Posted by helena101

Thank you for your response. You're saying I should apply for a GA driver's licence and have it mailed to a PO box in IL? I'm confused, why to a PO box? I don't know if this option will work for me because it would mean flying down to Georgia after getting an address there and applying for a driver's license and receiving the license, and all of this may not be possible to do in the small window between signing a lease down there and moving down.

Georgia DDS will NOT mail your GA Drivers Licence to IL, They assume you Live in Georgia and get your Mail in Georgia.

When you fly down and do your House/Apt Hunting, I assume you will Sign a Lease then on that visit.

To get a Georgia DL, so when you buy the car you can use your GA DL to show you Live in GA, you will need your permanent Georgia Drivers licence (the Plastic one, Not the Paper one) to show (They will Photo Copy it) the dealer in WI/IN, so they don't charge your sales tax there.

To get your Licence you need to show several pieces of "mail" and ID.

Secure ID: New License/ID Document Requirements - Department of Driver Services

[flyonpa]

Originally Posted by helena101

I'm continuing to look at the rules for the Illinois use tax, and it does say in several places on their website that the use tax applies only to items that you buy for use in Illinois. It doesn't say you automatically pay use tax if you're an Illinois resident even if you never plan to use the items in the state of Illinois:

In 1955, the General Assembly passed the Use Tax Act. Use Tax is a sales tax that you, as the purchaser, owe on items that you buy for use in Illinois.

Illinois Use Tax

That is for "Stuff" Someone buys in IL, and has shipped out of IL. It was never Used/received/taken possession of in IL.

If When you are house/apt hunting in Georgia you buy a Tent online from a store in IL, and its Shipped to GA, You don't pay IL Sales Tax on it, Your suppose to pay GA Sales Tax (if the store does not have a nexus in GA) on it, when you file Tax Forms (Income Tax Forms) next year. There is a line on the income tax form to self-report & Pay. (Not many actually do it but they are suppose to).

If you are still living in IL when you buy it you have to pay IL Sales Tax on it, Even if you only Use/Have it in IL for 1 minute.

[flyonpa]

Since Cars Sales Tax is big $$'s to the state. the they look for the sales tax on it, to get every dollar they can.

[myrc60]

Is there anyway you can avoid buying a car before you move? Maybe fly to Atlanta or GSP instead? As long as your drivers license has an IL address I believe you are going to be charged that use tax by IL. I'd find a way to put off that purchase till you get down south. If you are buying from a dealer, they may have another option for you and that would mean you need to show that lease you have for your new home. Not sure it will help but it is worth a try.