regisering cars in tax friendly states

[nick__45]

Is there a service that will let people register their vehicles out of states? I would love to own a very nice car some day but my states will charge my annual property tax on it and I will also have to put up with inspection. I actually don't plan to have this as a daily vehicle but rather a recreational vehicle for beach vacation only. Actually, I also plan on keeping it in Florida but I live up north. I prefer to register it in Florida. I don't mind buying it in Florida. But my address is up north.

Thanks.

[bjl584]

You used to be able to do this, but no more. At least not in Pennsylvania. It used to be common practice here in Western Pennsylvania for people to register their vehicles in neighboring Ohio to avoid inspection and emissions. You used to be able to set up a PO box as an address in Ohio and register your vehicle, boat, or RV through it. Pennsyvlania and Ohio got wise to it though. Now you need an actual physical address to register a vehicle.

[kork13]

You used to be able to do this, but no more. At least not in Pennsylvania. It used to be common practice here in Western Pennsylvania for people to register their vehicles in neighboring Ohio to avoid inspection and emissions. You used to be able to set up a PO box as an address in Ohio and register your vehicle, boat, or RV through it. Pennsyvlania and Ohio got wise to it though. Now you need an actual physical address to register a vehicle.

That said, if you own property in Florida, you can register your cars there no problem. In most cases & states, as long as you can reasonably make a claim to residency in a state, you can register your car there.

[bjl584]

That said, if you own property in Florida, you can register your cars there no problem. In most cases & states, as long as you can reasonably make a claim to residency in a state, you can register your car there.

In PA, owning property in Ohio (like a camp or vacation home) isn't enough. It has to have a mailing address and receive mail. So, if you live there part of the year (which is probably the case with Florida property) then you are okay. But, simply owning a piece of ground or having a structure built out of state doesn't qualify.

[riverwed070707]

In PA, owning property in Ohio (like a camp or vacation home) isn't enough. It has to have a mailing address and receive mail. So, if you live there part of the year (which is probably the case with Florida property) then you are okay. But, simply owning a piece of ground or having a structure built out of state doesn't qualify.

This is interesting. So if you're homeless or live full time in an RV you can't legally own a car?

[red92s]

This is interesting. So if you're homeless or live full time in an RV you can't legally own a car?

You need an address of record. Where do they send your registration renewel address without it? How can you register in the proper country and be taxed accordingly? Beyond owning a car, how would you even be issued a driver's license to drive that car without a verifiable address?

[bjl584]

This is interesting. So if you're homeless or live full time in an RV you can't legally own a car?

You can, but you have to have one location as your address. In other words, you can't have a PA driver's license and a Ohio registered car. You used to be able to do this, but no more. Whatever state you claim residency and pay your taxes to is where everything has to be registered. At least this is the case here in PA.

[riverwed070707]

You need an address of record. Where do they send your registration renewel address without it? How can you register in the proper country and be taxed accordingly? Beyond owning a car, how would you even be issued a driver's license to drive that car without a verifiable address?

Good point. I hadn't thought it through that closely, just struck me funny. How do people do that elsewhere? Use a relatives address or something?

[bjl584]

Good point. I hadn't thought it through that closely, just struck me funny. How do people do that elsewhere? Use a relatives address or something?

You used to be able so set up a PO box anywhere that you wanted to and use it as the address to register your car at.

[GrimJack]

Here in Seattle and Washington state we have sales tax and to the south is Oregon that does not but has an income tax. Washington state has been busting doctors and other professionals who register their cars in Oregon but use them here in Washington. The fines are huge. There are people who live on the border who live is WA with no income tax but a sales tax so they shop across the border in OR - the state is finding ways to tax them (use tax, I think).

[bjl584]

There are people who live on the border who live is WA with no income tax but a sales tax so they shop across the border in OR - the state is finding ways to tax them (use tax, I think).

Same story here. There are no sales taxes on food, clothing, or drugs in PA, so people come from Ohio and West Virginia to do their shopping. It's nearly impossible to do much about it along the border here.

[disneysteve]

The same kind of thing happens a lot with auto insurance around here. Folks in Philadelphia often use an address of a friend or relative in New Jersey to register their car because the insurance is so much cheaper here. The authorities occasionally crack down and nail people for doing so. Or sometimes an angry neighbor will report someone with NJ tags living in PA.