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Old 03-21-2015, 01:51 PM   #1
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Paying tax for a used Airstream

We want to buy a trailer in Louisiana but register it in florida . How is all this done? We have a Michigan plate on a stored trailer that has not been titled in florida as yet. Tax is between 6 and 7.5%. In Florida. Why the range? How is all this done. We will take the airstream directly to Florida.
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Old 03-21-2015, 01:56 PM   #2
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Typically, it doesn't much matter where you buy it.

What matters is that you have the clear title and a bill of sale. In most states, if it's handwritten, it doesn't matter what it's on. But the sales price, if the seller bothers to fill it in on the back of the title, should match the bill of sale. There's usually a place on the back of the title to put the selling price and sign it. Make sure they do that.

You will pay tax to the state you register it in. What year is it?

If it's an older one, I'd ask the seller to say you paid $300 for it and tell the DMV guy it needs a lot of work. If it's a newer one, you could still ask them to low ball it and do the same.

Most travel trailers go to pot in five years. The DMV guy probably won't know that an Airstream holds up better than most.

I couldn't tell you on the variable sales tax rate. Never encountered that one before.

Best of luck,
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Old 03-21-2015, 01:57 PM   #3
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You'll have to pay tax when you transfer the title and a fee when you get your tag. Different counties add dif fees as well as the state tax. Am I correct??
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Old 03-21-2015, 02:04 PM   #4
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Yup, different fee's in different counties. We've visited the tax office across the water more than once to pay cheaper fee's than here in Pinellas.

That being said, and while others may object, put a lower number on the title and bill of sale.

The tax is so high because we don't have income taxes. They extract that money elsewhere.
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Old 03-21-2015, 02:08 PM   #5
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There also used to be an additional fee for registering an out of state vehicle in fl for the first time. This may no longer be in effect. Jim
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Old 03-21-2015, 02:16 PM   #6
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I bought my trailer from a private seller in Michigan and dragged it down to Mississippi. No sales tax and only $32 for a tag. We do have high income taxes for working folks. Fortunately my retirement and SS are not state taxable.
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Old 03-21-2015, 03:09 PM   #7
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Sales tax is based on what you pay (purchase price) the variation in rate likely has to do with ranges of state, city, county taxes. Here in CO there is also a use tax based upon a depreciation of the original taxable value. The tables didn't go old enough for our 1966 Sovereign so the guy at the DMV jus made a guess at it (low)
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Old 03-21-2015, 03:29 PM   #8
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When you title and register your Airstream in Florida, you will be charged Florida State Sales Tax in the amount of 6%. You will also be charges an additional county option sales tax depending on the county in which you register the Airstream. The county tax is only on the first $5,000 of the value.
You should not pay any sales tax to the state of Louisiana if you are immediately taking the trailer to Florida.

As to the new registration impact fee in Florida, I am not sure if this is still being charged. I am not sure if this fee was ever charged on a trailer.

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Old 03-21-2015, 04:34 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by moosetags View Post

As to the new registration impact fee in Florida, I am not sure if this is still being charged. I am not sure if this fee was ever charged on a trailer.

Brian
We paid it in 2013 when our registrations from VA ran out on two of our cars. It was a shocker and painful. But that was two vehicles, so might not even be a relevant point.
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Old 03-22-2015, 11:17 AM   #10
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Maine vehicle, including travel trailer, sales tax is based on book value, which the city/town clerk's office looks up when you arrive with your bill of sale and the application for a title certificate that you (or the dealer) have already sent to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles with the title certificate fee. Maine requires proof of liability insurance for cars, but not for travel trailers.
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Old 03-22-2015, 12:39 PM   #11
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registering an airstream

I purchased a 2005 19" Bambi in Florida in 2010 and towed it back to NJ. I had to pay the sales tax in Fl to get temporary tags to tow back to NJ. When I registered the trailer in NJ I didn't have to pay the sales tax again but I did have to pay .5% the difference between Fl and NJ sales tax. And I had to pay to transfer titles and register the trailer in NJ, about $300. Total for tax, tags and title almost $2000. Make sure you save your receipt for sales tax from Fl so you don't have to pay it twice. I should have low balled the sale price but my wife said that would be dishonest. Dan
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Old 03-22-2015, 01:38 PM   #12
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We bought our AS from a couple in TN. We brought it back to KY and licensed it, no tax for that year. This year I got a notice to call the PVA and we discussed the trailer model, year etc. They have a link to the Kelly Blue Book and found our Safari there. Value was considerably less than what we paid, so I was happy about that. So KY doesn't base it on sales prices, pretty sure that cars are the same way.

Some states have reciprocal agreements. You pay the tax in one state and move to another. Whatever you paid in one is accepted at the other and you pay only the difference; no refunds. Some states don't have reciprocal agreements and you have to pay the tax in both.
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Old 03-22-2015, 09:14 PM   #13
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Some states have a threshold for taxation as personal property if it is used. Is that 6-7.5% for new or a general tax for all?
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Old 03-25-2015, 03:01 PM   #14
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We bought our AS new in NJ, and just bought a new TV here in Mississippi. I registered them both in NY since the sales tax is the same for both MS and NY, but NY does not have an "ad valorum" personal property tax - saves me almost $2,000 per year in personal property tax, plus I can get better/cheaper insurance with NYS tags. What makes it legal is that we still own property in NY that we rent out - so both the AS and TV get used to go up and service our rental property - and that percentage of use gets deducted as a business expense against the rental income - more savings! :-)
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Old 03-25-2015, 07:38 PM   #15
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What makes it legal is that we still own property in NY that we rent out - so both the AS and TV get used to go up and service our rental property - and that percentage of use gets deducted as a business expense against the rental income - more savings! :-)
I knew a guy who owned 2 almost beachfront condos on Oahu and rented them out all year, except for when he and his wife went there for 'renovation and repair'. Now that's a business expense.
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Old 03-26-2015, 06:40 AM   #16
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Thank you for all in great information

Great information!! Can I take the license plate from my old RV and put it on the newly acquired one to transport within a day to drive from the purchased area to Florida to get it registered? Do I have to go to the DMV at the purchased state?
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Old 03-26-2015, 07:11 AM   #17
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I brought mine home without a plate. I think most states have a time limit from the time you purchased to get it registered in the new state. I think if you have all your paperwork with you it would be OK. I don't think you can legally transfer the plate from the old one, unless the plate is registered to you and not the trailer. Our state is changing to that so it may be possible. Check with your vehicle registration office.

You can always call the state police in the state(s) you'll be traveling through to confirm. I've towed a boat trailer for over 50 years in many states and never had it registered, never got stopped for the trailer not having a license. (I did get stopped for speeding but he never said anything about the trailer not having a plate. ) In KY you don't have to have the trailer registered but you can get stopped in another state (like OH) if they require one.
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Old 03-26-2015, 07:53 AM   #18
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I bought ours from a private seller in Iowa and towed it home to Maryland. I did not place a tag on the trailer. Have all your paperwork in the tow vehicle and easy to access. Using a tag that is not registered to the trailer is more trouble than just presenting the correct paperwork. as stated above, you have a time period immediately following the purchase to transport to your home state for inspection and registration.
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Old 03-27-2015, 06:39 AM   #19
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Just a friendly reminder: If you put the registration plate from another vehicle onto yours with the intent of deception to avoid the law, even for a roll down the road, you could be cited for displaying ficticious tags. It would be better to have no plate vs a fake one. We have 10 days to get the vehicle registered. Other states I have lived in, CA,IL,VA,LA,MS,MN are about the same. Make sure your ins covers the towed vehicle for liability in case of an accident.
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Old 03-31-2015, 04:42 PM   #20
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Usually the Bill of Sale and title can be used for transportation of the trailer. I would think it's not much different than buying a vehicle out of state.
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