Time to register my care in WA- why so bad? (for sale, 2013)

[iuecon99]

My tags are up in a couple months. Paid about 5K in 2013 but car is worth $1000 or so now. How bad are they going to hit me?

[Jane917]

You can go to the DOL site and walk through the estimator. Your figures sound way off. I recently paid $100+ for a car worth much more than yours. Are you sure you are talking about the license tags? We have to pay every year, so I am not sure why you have not paid since 2013.

[Hemlock140]

It will be 10% tax on the current value when you came into the state, unless you bought it within 6 months of moving and have a bill of sale, plus a fine for failure to register within 30 days of moving here, if I understand your question. You would also need a smog test at $15 and possibly a State Patrol VIN# inspection.

[iuecon99]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

It will be 10% tax on the current value when you came into the state, unless you bought it within 6 months of moving and have a bill of sale, plus a fine for failure to register within 30 days of moving here, if I understand your question. You would also need a smog test at $15 and possibly a State Patrol VIN# inspection.

How will they know I didn't register it within 30 days?

[iuecon99]

Originally Posted by Jane917

You can go to the DOL site and walk through the estimator. Your figures sound way off. I recently paid $100+ for a car worth much more than yours. Are you sure you are talking about the license tags? We have to pay every year, so I am not sure why you have not paid since 2013.

I had OR tags expiring in Jan 2016. Moved to WA in August. I guess I'm busted! All my neighbors have done the same thing. I once kept my Indiana tags for almost 2 years when I moved out of state. We'll see how it goes, maybe I end up in the slammer.

[NCDavid]

RCW 46.16A.030 says you must obtain a Washington State drivers license and register your vehicle within 30 days of moving into Washington State. Failure to do so is a traffic infraction mandating a $529 fine which may not be suspended deferred or reduced.
It also says that it is a gross misdemeanor to register a car in another state once you become a Washington resident. The fine for a first offense for willfully registering a car in another stare is a 364-day jail sentence, plus a $529 fine, plus another $1,000 fine.
If I were you, I'd get myself down to a state licensing office ASAP, and under no circumstance try to re-register the car in Oregon.

[Jumpindogs]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

It will be 10% tax on the current value when you came into the state, unless you bought it within 6 months of moving and have a bill of sale, plus a fine for failure to register within 30 days of moving here, if I understand your question. You would also need a smog test at $15 and possibly a State Patrol VIN# inspection.

So moving to WA requires a 10% tax paid on the current value of any and all vehicles, due within 30 days of arrival? Even though sales tax was already paid in the other state? I had previously perused this link WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: Moving? Get Washington license plates and didn't see anything about that with the exception of the ambiguous "Everyone’s situation is different, call a vehicle licensing office to find out what your fees will be and exactly what you need to do."

[bler144]

When I moved to IL they had an exemption for sales tax paid in the state of purchase, though I think I ended up having to pay IL the calculated difference between assessed/paid.

It's been well over a decade so memory is a bit hazy on the details.

[notnamed]

Originally Posted by Jumpindogs

So moving to WA requires a 10% tax paid on the current value of any and all vehicles, due within 30 days of arrival? Even though sales tax was already paid in the other state? I had previously perused this link WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: Moving? Get Washington license plates and didn't see anything about that with the exception of the ambiguous "Everyone’s situation is different, call a vehicle licensing office to find out what your fees will be and exactly what you need to do."

There isn't a value component to the registration. Just a question of whether you owe any sales tax like having bought a car in OR recently(less than 90 days) and the dealer didn't collect WA sales tax. There is a weight component to the registration for trucks though.

[NCDavid]

Originally Posted by Jumpindogs

So moving to WA requires a 10% tax paid on the current value of any and all vehicles, due within 30 days of arrival? Even though sales tax was already paid in the other state? I had previously perused this link WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: Moving? Get Washington license plates and didn't see anything about that with the exception of the ambiguous "Everyone’s situation is different, call a vehicle licensing office to find out what your fees will be and exactly what you need to do."

With respect to posters who have offered advice on vehicle license fees, you'd be better off just calling a state DOL office and ask them for the correct information.