Title/Registration info for your state

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EMan508

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Joined
Jan 2, 2012
Posts
146
Location
Lake Havasu City, AZ
I've been doing research on picking my domicile state. South Dakota sounds good with a 3% one time excise tax and easy full-timing requirements for the license etc.

I was wondering if people from various states would be willing to share what their expenses are for titling/registration for an RV? A while back I read a posting that made me think SD was a lot lower in costs.  The SD gov just sent me this for a 22,000lb, 2004 RV:

"At this time, the annual license fee would be $300 ($25 per month). Effective July 1, 2013, the fee will raise to $330 annually.

South Dakota licenses on a staggered registration system, so depending on when you are registering, your fees could vary from 3-18 months (license for no less than 3 months nor more than 18 months). Staggered registration is based on the first letter of the applicant?s last name.

Other fees include: annual $1 solid waste and annual $1 highway patrol fee; $5 title fee and $5 lien notation fee, if applicable; some counties assess an annual county wheel tax (usually $4/wheel); and a 3% motor vehicle excise tax, unless you have previously paid a similar and equal amount of tax to another state."

 
EMan508 said:
I've been doing research on picking my domicile state. South Dakota sounds good with a 3% one time excise tax and easy full-timing requirements for the license etc.

I was wondering if people from various states would be willing to share what their expenses are for titling/registration for an RV? A while back I read a posting that made me think SD was a lot lower in costs.  The SD gov just sent me this for a 22,000lb, 2004 RV:

"At this time, the annual license fee would be $300 ($25 per month). Effective July 1, 2013, the fee will raise to $330 annually.

South Dakota licenses on a staggered registration system, so depending on when you are registering, your fees could vary from 3-18 months (license for no less than 3 months nor more than 18 months). Staggered registration is based on the first letter of the applicant?s last name.

Other fees include: annual $1 solid waste and annual $1 highway patrol fee; $5 title fee and $5 lien notation fee, if applicable; some counties assess an annual county wheel tax (usually $4/wheel); and a 3% motor vehicle excise tax, unless you have previously paid a similar and equal amount of tax to another state."


Sounds about right, our 2001 is heavier but the fees are $240 because it is over 10 years old.


If you already own the RV and paid a sales/use tax when you bought it they will credit any tax you have paid when you register in SD.
 
I pay $118 per year for the tag and registration for my 2004 coach.  The sales tax to buy it was 6%.  No income tax.

State Florida
 
Florida has higher sales tax (6%) but low annual registration fees.  As I recall my 40 ft, 34,000 lb coach is only about $70/year.

SD sounds pretty good for your needs.
 
Is FL a difficult state to use for a domicile state? If I buy my RV at LD it might be easier to make FL my domicile state and not need to trek all the way to SD to convert my license and titles. Not crazy about 6% tax but I'll spend more than that in fuel getting to SD.

Once you drive out of your domicile state, do any other states have the right to stop you because the inspection sticker has expired (assuming your domicile state does inspections)? I know Texas wants you to get inspected upon returning to the state, if it is due.

-Eric
 
EMan508 said:
Is FL a difficult state to use for a domicile state? If I buy my RV at LD it might be easier to make FL my domicile state and not need to trek all the way to SD to convert my license and titles. Not crazy about 6% tax but I'll spend more than that in fuel getting to SD.

Once you drive out of your domicile state, do any other states have the right to stop you because the inspection sticker has expired (assuming your domicile state does inspections)? I know Texas wants you to get inspected upon returning to the state, if it is due.

-Eric

Florida is easy to use as a domicile state. This web site will give information on driver's licenses and registration http://www.dmvflorida.org/moving-to-florida.shtml . Registration renewal is really inexpensive compared to other states. No state income tax and no vehicle inspection so no worry about inspection dates. A regular driver's license is all that is required to drive a motorhome. Voting (absentee or in person) is easy and, at least in the county where our winter home is, the courts are understanding when jury duty interferes with summer travel. The downsides, that I know of, are that vehicle insurance is expensive (hurricanes and no fault medical) although no deductible windshield replacement is mandatory by law, and, I have been told that medical insurance is expensive (not personal knowledge).
 
You may want to bypass California as I just received my annual registration renewal on the coach for a whopping $729.00! State sales tax to purchase for LA County is 9.75% and will probably grow from there.

In comparison, see what Bago paid and what I paid, same coach!
 
We are working our way to SD residency.  I have just learned from someone who is further along that you cannot get Aetna health insurance in SD as they are not licensed in that state.  I will have to do further research as that is who has my retirement health insurance.  You may also want to verify you health insurance.
 
Anyone from Texas willing to share some rate info? The Escapees group is in Livingston TX.  If someone uses their mail forwarding service do you have to make Livingston the domicile address or can you use one of the western towns for a better healthcare discount? 

I see a lot of people picking TX, FL and SD as the domicile state. Sure are a lot of + / -  for each state.  The major medical rates for SD were reasonable IMO.

-Eric
 
If you use the Escapees mail service, your address will be on Rainbow Drive in Livingston, TX, 77399.  Registration on our motorhome went up a bit this year to $221.50, paid online.
 
As Ned noted, registration is in the $200 range for TX (Ours is abut $170). The main issue would probably be sales tax at about 6.25%.
No state income tax, and special licensing requirements for over 26,000 gross weight.
Ernie
 
Without knowing your travel plans I'm not sure this makes any difference but you can register your vehicles 90 days before the owner has to appear in SD to get a drivers license.
 
Is it possible to get license plates without going to SD first? That would really help. 

In Massachusetts you have to visit the RMV with proof of insurance in hand to get a plate. That's when they shake you down for the taxes also 6.25%.

-Eric
 
Any Escapees member can use the Escapees mail forwarding without making TX their domicile state.  We used it for several years when we first started taking longer trips of several months, but our domicile state was still California.  You can opt to make TX as your domicile because the Escapees addresss in Livingston is convenient.

As you're learning, there's a whole lot more to choosing a domicile state than just vehicle registration fees.  There's the issue of whether investments are taxed, whether your health care provider does business in the state, whether your vehicle insurance is higher or lower, and many of things you have to think about.  If I recall, one disadvantage of SD is that you might be "required" to return to SD for jury duty.  Perhaps someone who has chosen SD as their domicile state can comment on that.

By the way, Nevada has no state income tax which is good, but their vehicle registration fees and insurance are comparable to California's.  It's doubtful that any state will fulfill all your preferred low cost needs, so you just have to weigh all the options and choose the one that's the least objectionable!

ArdraF
 
EMan508 said:
Is it possible to get license plates without going to SD first? That would really help. 

In Massachusetts you have to visit the RMV with proof of insurance in hand to get a plate. That's when they shake you down for the taxes also 6.25%.

-Eric

Yes, you can get the plates 90 days before you arrive. Our mail forwarder Alternative Resources will act as your agent and I assume the other larger mail services in SD provide the service as well.
 
ArdraF said:
  If I recall, one disadvantage of SD is that you might be "required" to return to SD for jury duty.  Perhaps someone who has chosen SD as their domicile state can comment on that.

ArdraF

Ardra

If you get a notice all you have to do is write "Fulltiming Rver" on it & send it back in...You will be excused.
 
Thanks, Terry.  That's REALLY nice!  Didn't it used to be the other way?  Regardless, it's terrific not to be forced into returning.

Nevada now says that if you're over 70, serving on jury duty is optional.  The resident may or may not as they choose.

Also in Nevada, once you turn 70 you are required to go to a DMV office to renew your driver's license.  Before age 70, it can be renewed by mail for a specified number of times like twice or thrice.

ArdraF
 
Colorado...

2016 30fwres Winnebago
4.5% sales tax


just got hit for 1006.00 for initial registration fees...sales tax paid at time of purchase....but add on ownership tax at time of registration...thought ok, once that is paid then next year must be a great deal cheaper...yes, by 2%...so only 800ish next year...at least that is something to look forward to!

Anyone ever setup a GOFUNDME site for rv registration?!

YIKES! Colorado not recommended!
 
Ernie n Tara said:
As Ned noted, registration is in the $200 range for TX (Ours is abut $170). The main issue would probably be sales tax at about 6.25%.
No state income tax, and special licensing requirements for over 26,000 gross weight.
Ernie
What about annual vehicle inspections and inspection fees in Texas ?
 
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