Out of State Gift Vehicle

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

My grandmother in California is going to give me her car since I really need one but can't afford to purchase a decent car. I live in Nevada.

Frankly, I can't figure out what I'd need in order to take the car from California to Nevada, or if it'd even be legal without going to the DMV to get whatever I'd need to get.

Anyone have any idea?

[trailerparkmedic]

Have her sell it to you for $1. In Texas at least, you'll only have to pay tax on the $1 vs tax on the worth of the car if she gives it to you.

No idea on how to transfer it between states, though. When I sold my car, all I had to do was sign the back of the title and give it to my friend, who then used it to get a new title in his name.

[Magpie]

The sell it for $1 may not work - my dad had to get his car appraised when he sold it, I believe to prevent that exact manoeuvre.

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

They have protocol for cars given as gifts. It's really the transfering part that I'm confused on, since things seem to be different in each state. I'd really rather not have to take a day or two off to get the thing.

[jnd4rusty]

The easiest way to find out what you need to do is to contact the department of motor vehicles in your state, they are the ones who handle license plates and title transfers. A title transfer is pretty simple, you just need to fill out the information on the back of the title and state if there has been any damages over $2,000 due to an accident, I don't know how much it cost to transfer the title but in my state it is $5.00 plus the cost of the tags. If the car is very valuable you may have to pay taxes on it. You could have your grandma "pretend" to sell it to you and just write out a bill of sale. In my state you don't have to pay taxes if the sale is under $2,000.00 (I think, it is either 2 or 3 thousand dollars), anything above that is just 3% of the sale price.

Hey just to let you know, all you have to do is go to Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles and scroll down to tiltle transfer section..it tell you all need to know to get your car transfered to your name..such as insurance and inpections...oh and it says that if there is a private sale then you don't have to pay taxes on it. I hope that helps you!!

[BookstoreEscapee]

Your state's DMV website should have that information. There's a link on this page about registering a gift vehicle (you need the title). You probably have a certain time frame in which the registration needs to be transferred (probably 30-60 days).

When I moved to PA I "bought" my car from my parents (my dad said not to pay him until he needed the money...which, oddly, he never did...). When I registered it in PA I wrote on the form that it was a gift, and I didn't have to pay taxes on it. Just had to pay for registration and plates. (I still don't get how they can charge you sales tax on something that was purchased in another state, when you have just moved from that state [as opposed to having purposely bought it out of state in an attempt to save on taxes]).

[Primer]

Have her sell it to you for $1. In Texas at least, you'll only have to pay tax on the $1 vs tax on the worth of the car if she gives it to you.

Not any more. If the stated purchase price is not somewhere in line with the Blue Book price, they take the Blue Book price. We actually had to show a receipt 2 weeks ago.

No idea on how to transfer it between states, though. When I sold my car, all I had to do was sign the back of the title and give it to my friend, who then used it to get a new title in his name.

Depends on what all the new state requires. Check with the local tax office to find out what all they require.

We bought an RV from hubby's cousin in Alaska. Texas requires proof of insurance, bill of sale, the signed over title, and current local inspection. The inspection station will also issue a form (upon request) showing it was an out of state vehicle getting its first in state inspection, which the tax office requires.

Yes, the DMV may be able to supply some info, but check with the office where you will need to get the plates to be sure.

You will also need to be prepared to pay the taxes and license fees at the time of registration.

[trailerparkmedic]

Depends on what all the new state requires. Check with the local tax office to find out what all they require.

If I'm not mistaken, most states don't do plates through the tax office but through the DMV. Texas is just stubborn.

[taxguykarl]

FWIW, in quite a few states (my native Illinois included) sales or transfers to family members are exempt from any sales or use tax--just the standard registration fee to get legal.

[TheSHAD0W]

Texas now bases its taxes on the blue book value of the vehicle, period.

[RetailWorkhorse]

We bought an RV from hubby's cousin in Alaska. Texas requires proof of insurance, bill of sale, the signed over title, and current local inspection. The inspection station will also issue a form (upon request) showing it was an out of state vehicle getting its first in state inspection, which the tax office requires.

<snip>

You will also need to be prepared to pay the taxes and license fees at the time of registration.

Texas now bases its taxes on the blue book value of the vehicle, period.

Well, CRAP. My Parents are planning to transfer all the titles to our cars and RV and Bus over to Texas. With four vehicles this is gonna be a nightmare. I'll keep my TN address and plates, it's cheaper and gives me a valid reason to go back sometimes (my grandmother asked me once about getting my car inspected. It just turned ten years old at the time so it's exempt from the inspections in my home county).

[TheSHAD0W]

If the vehicles are staying in the same name, you won't have to pay taxes again.

[Evil Queen]

Some years ago my Dad transfered the Saturn (Theresa, if you remember) into my name since I drove it the most and was taking care of it and would be taking it away from TN eventually. The transfer fee was $2 and the cost of new tag and title (around $50). That was it.