Buying Tacoma out of state (live in California)

I was in the same position. I lived in California all my life and all my family and friends live there. It was emotionally difficult leaving, but I did so in October of 2019 and could not be happier. I have a nicer house, more money now and my blood pressure is normal and I no longer have to take BP medication. My property taxes, utility bills, car and house insurance are much less than what I paid to live in California. I now live in crime free area, no traffic gridlock and no homeless people asking me for spare change.

 

Sounds like you’re in a good place. What area did you move to? I’ll add to my list of possibilities.

 

LA ain't California, it's LA.

 

youll end up paying CA tax unless you buy used. No way around that unless you have an exemption letter and can get a new tacoma DCLB OR for 34 OTD like me

 

Haha. True.

 

I sent you a private message so we do not hijack this thread bashing California.

 

Definitely not worried about paying CA tax. Was just concerned about possibly paying double tax (out of state and in-state) as my post originally said

 

you wont pay double tax. but If i were you I would run from ca and move elsewhere.

 

California is not for everyone. And for those, they should move. No reason to belittle California. It is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. If you like another place, I would prefer to hear the advantages of that state. People should live where ever they want. In my 54 years, I have not found a better state than California to live (maybe Hawaii?). I have not been to all the states, so not sure what I’m missing. I assume people move from California to a state they like better. I would prefer to hear about what people like better.

 

I looked into this when I bought my 2019 TRD Sport back in April of 2019. I live in the SF Bay area in CA,and because of my physical address, our county has probably the highest sales tax rate in the state, at 9.75%. Do the math, and on an over $30,000 truck, the sales tax alone adds over $3000 to the purchase price! So I actually looked into buying my truck from Toyotajeff at Fred Anderson Toyota in Raleigh NC. He is a wellknown Toyota youtuber. The sales tax rate there is 3%, or about $1000 in sales tax! Since I was considering driving across the country anyway, it was a viable option to buy from him, with the savings in taxes paying for the trip. BUT, in investigating with the CA DMV, I learned that if a vehicle is purchased within 7 months or less, out of state, THEN I would have to pay the CA sales tax, but if it had been purchased more than 7 months earlier, then I would pay no CA sales tax, but as others have mentioned, I would have to get it smogged and of course, pay CA registration, etc, fees. Still though, I would be WAY ahead. I was just going to actually have it registered in NC, and have the NC plates mailed to me here at my "mailing address" here in CA, and drive it around until the 7 months is up, and then register it here. BUT, as we all know, CAMERAS are everywhere, and they are at the border! So even if you tell DMV when you drove the vehicle into the state, they will look it up on their camera system, to verify it. That right there, is what in the end, made me just end up buying my truck in Oakland CA and paying the dang CA taxes. NOW, having said all that, the GOOD NEWS is that on one's CA income tax forms at the end of the year, they of course, have an option to deduct sales taxes paid in the state! It is a standard deduction based on the tax rate where you live. BUT, if you paid ADDITIONAL TAXES, on large purchases, such as buying a new car, then you can add the large purchase in there showing the amount of tax you paid on that purchase, and you can deduct the taxes paid on your truck, in this case, on your CA income taxes! On my taxes for 2019, I actually calculated the taxes [using Turbotax] both using the regular standard CA sales tax deduction and after I added on the extra tax paid in my large purchase of my Tacoma TRD Sport. Although I of course, did not get all of my additional taxes back, it did result in my getting about $1200 additional income tax refund from the state of CA, so that was some comfort. Hope this helps...

 

If its a larger dealer (not mom amd pop shop) they should be able to charge you the correct taxes according to your zip code and title it in CA. I have done underwriting for 6 years and occasionally run into this question with newer loan officers. You wont get charged double tax. Are you financing or paying in full?

 

I bought my Tacoma in Phoenix and picked it up and drove back to Texas. I paid taxes directly in Texas at the tax office. Was very smooth.
Other than the really long drive, was a great experience.

 

I live in cali and bought my pro in wa to avoid adm. You're going to have to pay tax either at the dealership or when you register it. Theres no way around it. If there was people would be flooding out of state to avoid the California tax.

 

Paying tax is fine. Just was worried about paying it in two states (double taxation).


Any hiccups with registration at the DMV office? Is the 50-state emissions enough for the CA DMV?
Worst nightmare is I buy this thing and can’t even register it in CA!

 

I know someone that had something like that going for 10+ years in CA and those idiots never caught him before he moved. lol

 

I bought my tacoma in ma., but still had to pay all the connecticut dmv, and connecticut state sales tax, and fees when the ma. dealer registered it.

 

I think long beach is up there at 10.25% sales tax and there might be a county pushing close to 11%. Maybe Santa fe springs.

 

I stopped reading on page 2...

I bought in OR and ended-up choosing (at time of purchase) to only pay for the truck and deal with all else directly as it seemed less of a hassle... (dealer stated that if tax was off by 1 cent, it would cause a delay.) - I've done this before, so it was fine for me to let me drive off paying only for the truck...

Dealer was fine charging only for the truck and issuing a 1 month OR temp road permit in lieu of registration. They issue all docs directly to the DMV office of your choice (a requirement so you can't remain in limbo) and to force the tying of registration loose ends.

My DMV office eventually (was first in line upon walking in to the DMV) did a VIN inspection and charged the appropriate tax. - I did have to get weight cert ($15 and 15 minutes at a close-by rock yard certified by the DMV), and Smog (still pending) (- a silly thing, happy to do as it was a much better option relative to a CA purchase).

- The DMV gave me two months (on the temp cert) to comply with these requirements - which is
WAY more than enough time...

Pretty painless overall...

 

Thanks for the response!

did you have to obtain the title from the financing agency you financed with and give it to the DMV ir somethin? How does that process work?

Also, is the “50 state emissions” option on the Tacoma, the thing the DMV is referring to when it says that it requires that the vehicle be “certified to meet CA smog laws?” Realllllllly wouldn’t wanna buy this thing and find out that I can’t even register it here, lol.

 

I have bought several vehicles out of state. Some have gone good at the DMV and a couple have been nightmares. Even if the vehicle is new you have to get a smog test unless it is a motorcycle. Truck, even a tacoma, you will need to get a weight certificate from a state certified scale. Not as difficult as it sounds and only cost about 20 bucks. The finance company is usually the headache because they are not use to dealing with California. If you do pay cash then you have to wait on the title company to send a copy to California so that California can send you the title. Anyways, I always say "never again" and then I find a "great deal" over in Nevada or Arizona....here we go again.