Sales/use tax? - Nevada business buying a private-party car from CA. (assessors)

[kinimod]

If my Nevada based business purchases a vehicle from a private party in CA, does the sales tax in NV apply?

And then, can the car be driven from CA to NV upon purchase? Or does it have to be transported?

Thank you!

[Erratikmind]

Excellent question. I am thinking of doing the same.

[uli2000]

They changed it a few years back. If you can show proof that the car had sales tax paid on it in CA you wont have to pay any additional sales tax. So if you can, have the seller include the sales docs from when the car was new. If you cant show sales tax was paid on it, you will have to pay sales tax here in NV, but the DMV has a list of licensed assessors that can tell you what your car is worth now, most of these are car dealers and body shops. When I had to do this, I took it to a dealer and said give me a low ball estimate like I was trading it into you, he saved me about $400 in sales tax.

As far as bringing it back from CA, as long as its currently registered in CA there will be no problem. If it's not, you can go to CA DMV and get a 3 day movement permit. I believe if its a weekend and the DMV is closed, you can drive it without the movement permit.

[2sleepy]

When I lived in Nevada I bought a new car in California. The dealer gave me a trip permit, when I registered it in Nevada I had to show the sales tax I paid, the tax rate in Nevada is lower than California so I thought I would be ok, but I had to pay more because California bases sales tax on the actual sales price, Nevada bases it on MSRP. The car I bought was $6,000 less than MSRP. Doesn't matter though, I still saved money, the Northern Nevada dealers wouldn't cut the price more than $500 off MSRP.