Tax And buying a car from California

[John Corbitt]

I am Buying an NSX from California and driving back to Florida. Do I have to pay California Sales or Use tax before I leave CA? The owner has a release of lien from the bank but did not get a title. Can she get a title the same day if she goes to DMV? I am currently out here and have a limited time to get back to Florida.


Thanks for any info.

John

 

[tosugrad]

Id be interested as well.

I am 99% sure that you don't pay anything to CA if you are taking the car to another state. You always pay LOCAL sales tax on cars, in your case FL.

 

[ExCfive]

I purchased my car out of my home state and they made the contract up to reflect my states tax rate which is what I paid. If that helps any???

 

[Dtrigg]

The seller can sign the California title and then you have it retitled in your state. You don't want a California title unless you live here.

I had a California title on mine, moved to North Carolina, got North Carolina plates and didn't retitle the car. Moved back to California and had to retitle the car in my name alone due to a divorce. It took me five visits to the DMV here and about a month and a half to have it retitled in my name. I even had to prove it wasn't titled in North Carolina by getting a letter from the North Carolina DMV.

 

[nsxter]

Well..I live in Arizona, I will never buy a car in California again..period. I ended up hiring a title agency to handle it the title..cost only 80 bucks, it was money well spent. The seller had a loan on the car, so he did not have title, there a lot more to the story but, it was a mess. Lucky for me the seller was an upstanging guy and helped, all in all it took 2 months to settle it.
I live in a state that does not have sales tax on used vehicles (unless you buy from a dealer).
My sugestion is she get a title and sign it over to you, that would be the simplest way. Otherwise a title agency is the best answer. I beleive in california titles are only issued from the Sacremento DMV.

 

[nsxotic911]

Somewhat orthogonal.... I bough my wife's Mercedes in California, and brought it up here. Registered with the dumbest lady at the DMV ever. She did so many mistakes and took so much of our time, its not even funny. She was very rude too. I dont have time to list them but the cream on top is that...

I received a letter from Mercedes Financial saying that they haven't received the title from Washington state and now they want me to help them figure out why. I'm not surprised. I wanted to go and make a formal complaint when we were there, but my wife kept holding me back.

Anyway - yeah, you pay sales tax and fees where you register the car and that state reissues you a title. 100%, you can take that to the DMV, oh wait, never mind.l..

 

[TyraNSX]

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82656&highlight=title

My experience was in March '05. Bought car in CA, shipped to CT.

1. If it has a CA paperless title (if there is a lien, I bet it does) you will not get a paper title on the spot. Talk w/ owner & his bank to get a paper one ready before the deal.

2. If you try to get a CA title, they will charge you high CA sales tax to do it. We even contacted & drove to the revenue office, no exemptions. You would get to claim a tax credit in your home state when you register it.. Even you if you pay up, I would bet you won't get it on the spot.

3. We ended up letting the car sit at a dealership (not involved with the deal). I paid him & his bank. Then I went home w/ bill of sale & copies of everything. His title came a week or 2 later & as luck would have it, the transporter showed up the same day. He faxed me copy of the title & Fed Ex'd it. Car left on transporter. I had the title & several days later, the car.

My opinion is CA DMV sucks & I would not buy a car without the owner or the bank having a real title in hand if I was to ever do it again. The seller & I trusted each other & everything was fine, but not everyone is honest & honorable. I could have been broke & carless once I got back on the plane so be careful. Don't forget some DMV branches there require an appt too, making life even worse.

Also in CA, the plate goes with the car, so you will be driving a car not registered to you with no title. Think about that if you get pulled over. In retrospect, mine was the best way since I didn't have to drive a car I couldn't prove was mine, although I did insure it while I was out there & had the card faxed.

 

[davidf]

I did not pay any taxes whatsoever except here in Texas. I bought my car in Cali. there was a lien on it so my CU sent the entire amount to his bank where they payed off the balance and gave the seller the rest. I pd. TTL here in TX. That was it. Hope this helps.

 

[RON98]

I am Buying an NSX from California and driving back to Florida. Do I have to pay California Sales or Use tax before I leave CA? The owner has a release of lien from the bank but did not get a title. Can she get a title the same day if she goes to DMV? I am currently out here and have a limited time to get back to Florida.


Thanks for any info.

John

No.

Just drive your car home and get it reg in FL.

 

[Big_D]

No.

Just drive your car home and get it reg in FL.

+1 Its a Simple Answer, don't pay tax in Cali.

 

[John Corbitt]

Thanks Guys.

I am in Lafayette, LA headed home with the car. She is sending me a signed title and I am paying FL tax.CA DMV is ridiculous. For $7 in FL you can get a title printed while you wait. That is not an option in the technology state.

The NSX is running great.

John

 

[prestonmay]

Unless the 2 states border each over or have an agreement, one usually pay the state tax where you live when you register the car.

I bought an nsx from Chicago....

No taxes until I got to Ga..
Funny thing it said a 91 acura for 27k....lady said that's wrong... and charged me tax for 2700

 

[Big_D]

Thanks Guys.

I am in Lafayette, LA headed home with the car. She is sending me a signed title and I am paying FL tax.CA DMV is ridiculous. For $7 in FL you can get a title printed while you wait. That is not an option in the technology state.

The NSX is running great.

John

I hope you have a bill of sale signed by the seller at least. I hate buying financed cars, the banks take forever to send the title.

Congrats and I am sure you are enjoying the car tremendously.

 

[John Corbitt]

I hope you have a bill of sale signed by the seller at least. I hate buying financed cars, the banks take forever to send the title.

Congrats and I am sure you are enjoying the car tremendously.

I have a signed bill of sale and the release of lien from the bank. She has already submitted for title at DMV and it will be here next week. I made it home last night. That was my first time DRIVING across the country. What a cool way to do it, in an NSX. It didn't miss a beat the whole way.

John

 

[atlanta nsx]

why are you paying taxes at all if you are buying from an individual? I've never heard of that before. In GA, dealers have to collect, but no tax when buying from an individual no matter what state we were to buy the car from. I've bought cars from PA, TN, and FL from individuals. No tax. When i bought from out of state dealers, like my NSX from Houston last monday, they just collect at my local tax rate. I guess many can't answer this correctly not knowing each states law.