Used Car Sales Tax??

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Today I'm planning on buying a car in CA from a private party, and just found out that I am liable for sales tax on this. I'm not a CA resident; I live in AK and we don't have a sales tax. Do I still need to pay this crap?? I'm paying cash for the car but apparently DMV holds the title since the seller's lienholder has gone paperless. If DMV has the title, then they will obviously know a transaction is going on when I try to collect it. I can't register the car in my own state (AK) until I get back home later this week.

Is there anything I can do?? The price of the car is $30K so I really don't want to pay tax on it, or register it here, when I don't even live here in the first place.

 

[chris7b]

You can negotiate the "on paper" price with the seller.

 

[dainthomas]

Dealerships in Vancouver don't make Oregon residents pay tax, so I don't see why you should have to.

 

[thomsbrain]

Hmm... I'm guessing they can't charge sales tax for this. IIRC, the DMV charges the tax when you go to register the car. The seller should have the title in his hand, which means you shouldn't need to personally have anything to do with the California DMV. I'm guessing you'd turn the California title in to your home state, and they wouldn't ask for sales tax. The title has stuff on the back and front for the seller to fill out.

 

[compuwiz1]

If the seller does not deliver the vehicle to you out of state, then you are liable for the sales tax. The way around this, is get an out of state delivery form from a dealership or dmv, then have the seller have the out of state delivery form signed and notarized. I work at a dealership.

I must emphasise that you will need to take delivery out of state and have this form signed and notarized out of state.

 

[bruceb]

You might look here:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/

or call them .. they have a number on the web page

Also here:

http://www.state.ak.us/dmv/

From what I can see, all you should need to do is have the seller get the Title
from California DMV .. he does need to inform them of the change of Ownership.
And if they ask, just prove you live out of state .. Driver's License should be plenty of proof.

You may owe tax depending on where you live .. see below

http://www.state.ak.us/dmv/reg/feemvrt.htm