Sale/Use Tax for Gifted Car (Seattle: sales, transfer, inspection)

[mrbonner2]

My father-in-law wants to gives my wife his car which he owns for 6 years now and he is currently in Texas.

I'd like to know if anybody here is familiar with the process of getting a new tittle for the car in WA and also the sale/use tax involved.

Apparently, my wife could go back to Texas and has her dad transfer the tittle to her as gift (some small tax involved I guess) and bring the tittle back to WA to do a conversion to WA state tittle and license plate.

Or could she just apply for a new tittle and licence plate here in WA her dad Texas tittle?

Thanks

[Hemlock140]

If he's signed off the old title, it can be registered here but will require an inspection (VIN#) by the state patrol office. The law requires it to be registered within 30 days of coming into the state. use tax depends. If Texas has no sales or use tax, you will pay use tax based on the value, at the sales tax rate (9.6% in Seattle) plus an additional 0.3%. If the FIL has owned it at least 7 years or can give proof that sales tax was paid in Texas, it won't have to be paid here. "Average Fair Market Value" is used to determine the amount to be taxed, and the state uses Price Digests.

[PollyGlott]

Several years ago, when I lived in CA, I gifted my car to my daughter, who lived in Seattle. She drove it here from San Diego and when she went to register it, she didn't have to pay a thing. (The car was already paid off).

[509]

State of Washington will let you GIFT a car a maximum of THREE times without payment of sales tax. After the THIRD time the state charges $30 to register the title.

Every illegal in the state of Washington knows this!!!

Not sure how it works with out of state cars, but you can check with the Department of Licensing.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

Our SIL gifted his vehicle to my husband, and we had to prove that sales tax had been paid in the state of purchase, which was California. The Dept. of Licensing gave us the contact info. for Board of Equalization, which is the governing body for that state. We mailed the required Washington DOL form & when completed & returned, took it to DOL. Only then were we able to register the vehicle without paying a hefty tax. There was no vehicle inspection, but we don't live in King Co.