Registering car from MD (Arlington, Fairfax: sales, 2014, transfer)

[Popasinop]

Hello! I am new to NOVA and have a few questions if someone might be able to help.

1. I lived in MD where I work for 2 months before I moved to NOVA. During that time I had to purchase a new car and it was registered in MD at my temporary address because I hadn't found a place to live yet. Now that I am in VA, will I get hit with the excise tax on the car when I go to register it? Does it need to be registered or can I hang with the MD plates until they expire?

2. Since the car was purchased brand new in MD, will I need to have an emissions test done in VA before I register it?

Any help would really be appreciated. Thank you!!

[dkf747]

I'm not sure about number 2, but for number 1, if you paid the tax in MD then you shouldn't get hit with it again in VA.

[Vectorhead]

I'm pretty sure you will have to get your car emission-tested.

[VRE332]

Get the plates first, included with the new plates is a 2 week temporary registration to get your yellow emissions+inspection stickers on there. Go to any gas station or inspection station and the emissons should be like $45. Also you'll get some property tax bills in the mail so BOLO. Also tell the People's Republic of Maryland you have moved relocated so they stop taxing you to breathe.

[flrnova]

Wow, a cornucopia of bad info, which can be answered correctly by looking at the DMV website. Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

1. You will pay a pro-rated excise tax for 2014. They typically bill you in the summer with due date in October. The sales tax (4%) does not apply if you can document that you paid a sales tax in MD.

2. If you can prove MD emissions less than 12 months before the transfer then you don't have to do emissions. You do have to get an inspection sticker (~$15) from a gas station. The emissions ties to the registration, so they will let you register the car for 2 years.

Note that different counties have different formulas in the way they apply the "excise tax rebate". For a new car you will pay less in Fairfax than Arlington county, for example. Whereas in Arlington they exempt beaters up to $3000. In the late 1990s the Republican governor was phasing out the car tax but Warner put a stop to it when he took power in 2002.

[dkf747]

Bad info?

From the DMV site:

Exemptions from the SUT Tax

If you are exempt from the motor vehicle sales and use tax as provided by statute § 58.1-2403, bring proof of your exemption status or complete the Purchaser's Statement of Tax Exemption (SUT3) indicating the reason for exemption.
If you are titling your vehicle in Virginia for the first time and you hold a valid assignable title or registration issued in your name by another state or a branch of the United States Armed Forces, you will not have to pay the Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax. However, if you purchased the vehicle within the preceding 12 months, you must provide proof that the sales and use tax was paid elsewhere in order to be exempt in Virginia.

[z28lt1]

Just to try to help avoid some confusion, the definition of "Excise" tax varies between jurisdictions (although the common definition is generally a tax collected by a 3rd party and usually in the price of the goods (like on gasoline)). I was not an English major or tax accountant, so I'll stay out of any other debates on the definition.

I'll use the terms more commonly used here:

Sales Tax (what dkf747) is due in Virginia if you haven't paid it elsewhere. You almost certainly paid it in Maryland, so no further Sales Tax should be due.

Personal Property Tax (what flrnova referenced) is due and payable to the county/city the car is regularly garaged in, and should be pro-rated.

Note that while the DMV often notifies counties (or cities) of new registrations, but they may not, and you are responsible for notifying the county so you don't get hit with tickets and/or late charges.

Finally, legally you will be required to register the car here if you live here. Also, even if you keep it registered in Maryland, if you regularly garage it here (garage meaning kept, it could be outside on a driveway or street) you still are supposed to register it with the county and pay personal property tax.

[Popasinop]

Thank you very much for all of the feedback and help. With all of your recommendations I was able to get everything done for the most part in one trip. I was given temporary plates and told that I still needed to get the emissions/safety test done before the process is complete. The person helping me at the DMV was very short with me and really didn't want to answer any questions (I am not surprised but hey, it is DMV). He said that once I get the emmisons test done I can finish the registration online. I am a little confused about this. What more needs to be done? I thought the emissions information is automatically sent to the DMV.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Popasinop

Thank you very much for all of the feedback and help. With all of your recommendations I was able to get everything done for the most part in one trip. I was given temporary plates and told that I still needed to get the emissions/safety test done before the process is complete. The person helping me at the DMV was very short with me and really didn't want to answer any questions (I am not surprised but hey, it is DMV). He said that once I get the emmisons test done I can finish the registration online. I am a little confused about this. What more needs to be done? I thought the emissions information is automatically sent to the DMV.

It is sent to the DMV, but there are still some thing left in the process, according to the perso you talked to. Their website is easy to use to finish the process, so don't worry.

[flrnova]

I have not registered a car in Maryland but if the car is new and then you have surely done emissions within 12 months: bring whatever proof from MD that VA DMV may require and then you will be (would have been) able to register your car for 2 years in VA and not have to pay for emissions (~$40).

But I guess it's too late.......