Military Sales and Sales Tax?

[JEllis]

Does anyone have any good insight into what to expect as far as sales tax. I am having the car delivered to CA but I am planning to register the car in Michigan. I assume I would then pay MI sales tax. Any advice insight would be great from those that have done this before.

Jason

[evilspiritM3]

You will pay sales tax in the state the car is first registered in. So, in your case, Michigan.

[ROTORHEAD77]

If you are military out of state in California, there is a huge discount on registration fees. My buddy and I bought 1st allocation WRX's back in 2k1 in Sacramento. I am a CA resident, and he was from Montana. He paid only a fraction in Tax and License fees. Look into it.

Another friend of mine brought two 3 series rigs back from Germany, and only had to pay $190 total to register them both in Tennessee (Ft. Campbell Screaming Eagles).

You will have to look into it.

Also, if you owned the car less than X amount of days overseas, you are required to pay some kind of federal tax as well.

[InJapan]

I concur with all of the above..

Except that with the car delivered stateside, the federal import tax ... I think 2.5%... should not apply to you. I believe it only applies to cars delivered outside of the US and then brought into the US in less than a year.

[manraj]

Like evilspiritM3 said, only MI sales tax. Also, check local DMV regulations. Here in CT, I did not have to pay registration fees by presenting my DD214.

[SHADY1]

If You Guys Come Up With Some More Information I Would Also Like To Know. I Ordered A M3 Before I Left Germany It Is Not Built Yet I Wonder What It Is Going To Be Like With Taxes. I Am Not Going To Send It To California Because I Am A Resident Of California And They Will Have Me For Lunch On Taxes. I Am Stationed In Ft Bliss, Tx (el Paso). When I Came To Ft Bliss I Had A Brand New Honda Accord Paid For With Title I Bought Over Seas They Did Not Kill Me On Taxes Because The Car Was Driven Over Seas And Registered. Any Extra Help Would Be Helpful I Have No Idea What Port Would Be The Best One For Me To Have My Car Sent.

[InJapan]

I would have it delivered to the state with the lowest sales tax that you are willing to drive from. Registration in Texas for out of state military should be cheap. Although dishonest and probably illegal in the strictest definition, you could pick up the car anywhere and tell them you are in the military and request that they apply the sales/usage tax for your "home" state. The home state being Oregon. Of course it would be great if you had a real address that you could give.. maybe a relative's.

[SHADY1]

Thanks For The Information. Texas Was Cheap When I Registered My Wifes Car. I'm Not Into Doing Anything Illegal.

[pilot_bro2003]

Is it me or isn't there something wrong about paying a "sales tax", "excise tax", or whatever the term they use for an item where the sale didn't originate in the USA? I guess it pays to be a resident of Oregon! I wish I had known to title the car overseas first before bringing it to the states.

[JH M3]

FL has a law that if you don't plan on driving the car in state for 6 months, then you do not have to pay sales tax. I'm having mine delivered to CA (where I will be stationed next), but registering it in FL. I would check with the MI DMV to see if they have a similar policy.

[pilot_bro2003]

Originally Posted by jhsu

FL has a law that if you don't plan on driving the car in state for 6 months, then you do not have to pay sales tax. I'm having mine delivered to CA (where I will be stationed next), but registering it in FL. I would check with the MI DMV to see if they have a similar policy.

Really!?!?!? I'm still a resident in FL. I'll give the FL DMV a call tomorrow! Thanks.

[jaay11]

In case you hadn't seen this....

Vehicle Information for Military Personnel in California

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures...militaryvr.htm

[mac23]

I took delivery of mine a few months before I left germany and registered it on post. PCSed to Hawaii and registered it here using the mil/non res form. I didn't pay any kind of taxes on it whatsoever.

[pilot_bro2003]

Originally Posted by jhsu

FL has a law that if you don't plan on driving the car in state for 6 months, then you do not have to pay sales tax. I'm having mine delivered to CA (where I will be stationed next), but registering it in FL. I would check with the MI DMV to see if they have a similar policy.

You're right! That was a clutch find. My tags, etc will be here this week and then off to SC for PCD next week!!!

[C17MooseDriver]

I just registered my new M3 in HI and was able to avoid the sales tax or use tax.

The local dealer was very good at preparing my car even though I used the Military Sales Program. BMWNA gave me all the documents I needed, and the dealer helped me get the forms for my registration.

HI has an exception to paying the sales tax if you're planning on keeping the car here for less than a year. Although, I didn't show any proof, I just downloaded the tax form, marked I was planning on using the car for less than a year in HI, and registered it at the DMV with absolutely no hassles.

Too bad I couldn't avoid the GGT though.

[bestieman]

Think about how you can do it more correctly and arrange it correctly from a legal point of view. The car tax in the USA is included in the mandatory payments of a motorist who has bought a new car. The amount of insurance and tax deductions will be approximately 6% of the cost of the car. The largest one-time contributions in North Dakota are $274. You can provide pay stub to special authorities that will be able to arrange a discount for tax payments in case of registration of a car.