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AZ-CA Truck Registration Question

Elway

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Got a question for the braintrust. About 3 months ago I bought a used truck in CA that I registered and have kept at my second home in AZ ever since, as I intended to keep it out there use it for a tow/launch/around town in LHC. Fast forward to yesterday when my daily driver here in CA took a dump, and so now I think I'm in in a position where I might have to bring the truck to CA permanently (or at least the foreseeable future). My question is this: I didnt pay sales tax on the purchase when I registered the truck in my name in AZ three months ago because it was a private party sale, so if I now re-register the truck in CA are they going to look back and see that I didnt pay sales tax when I titled it in my name in AZ and somehow try to stick it to me here in CA? I know can just take the chance of getting hassled by driving it here with AZ plates, but I'd rather just avoid being hassled by LEO if I can.

Thanks.
 

ArizonaKevin

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Got a question for the braintrust. About 3 months ago I bought a used truck in CA that I registered and have kept at my second home in AZ ever since, as I intended to keep it out there use it for a tow/launch/around town in LHC. Fast forward to yesterday when my daily driver here in CA took a dump, and so now I think I'm in in a position where I might have to bring the truck to CA permanently (or at least the foreseeable future). My question is this: I didnt pay sales tax on the purchase when I registered the truck in my name in AZ three months ago because it was a private party sale, so if I now re-register the truck in CA are they going to look back and see that I didnt pay sales tax when I titled it in my name in AZ and somehow try to stick it to me here in CA? I know can just take the chance of getting hassled by driving it here with AZ plates, but I'd rather just avoid being hassled by LEO if I can.

Thanks.

I can't see how they could justify charging you sales tax on something you registered out of state. However, CA never ceases to amaze me with how they tax their citizens. You will need to get the truck onto a CA insurance policy before you can register it in CA though.
 

mash on it

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I know can just take the chance of getting hassled by driving it here with AZ plates, but I'd rather just avoid being hassled by LEO if I can.

Thanks.

I have logged over 300K miles in Ca, with AZ plates, over the last 15+ years, and never been hassled.

Just run the AZ truck.

Dan'l
 

jones performance

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in that short amount of time, im sure they would try to claim you did that to avoid paying ca sales tax (which is absurd anyways, the truck was taxed when it was first sold new:rolleyes )
 

Dkahnjob

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Got a question for the braintrust. About 3 months ago I bought a used truck in CA that I registered and have kept at my second home in AZ ever since, as I intended to keep it out there use it for a tow/launch/around town in LHC. Fast forward to yesterday when my daily driver here in CA took a dump, and so now I think I'm in in a position where I might have to bring the truck to CA permanently (or at least the foreseeable future). My question is this: I didnt pay sales tax on the purchase when I registered the truck in my name in AZ three months ago because it was a private party sale, so if I now re-register the truck in CA are they going to look back and see that I didnt pay sales tax when I titled it in my name in AZ and somehow try to stick it to me here in CA? I know can just take the chance of getting hassled by driving it here with AZ plates, but I'd rather just avoid being hassled by LEO if I can.

Thanks.

YES! If you bring it into CA after less than one year and try to re register it in Ca they will hit you with sales tax on the purchase price. I would recomend that you just leave the AZ tags on it for a year and take your chances, if you get caught so be but maybe you won't get caught. The other option is get an AZ drivers license then you will be ok, sort of. I heard that they will punch a hole in your CA drivers license, but the two states do not communicate with each other, so when you get back to CA tell the DMV you lost your drivers license and get a duplicate. I haven't done that but was told it would work.
 

sirbob

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I seem to recall it has to stay out of the state of CA for 12(?) months before you get a pass on the tax
 

Ziggy

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It used to be 90 days to keep out of state to waive sales tax. I know they bumped it to 12mo at one point but I thought it was reduced back to 90 days.
I'd take the chance on the Az plates.
 

Ziggy

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Appears they've kept or reverted to a modified 12 month period although it says it won't consider the purchase for California if brought into the sate within the 12 months.
Check those other links for more info.

Screen shot from tax board.
99afa64b7335b66bd55797ed991692a7.jpg
 

boatpi

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Less than 1 year pay sales tax as previously mentioned.
 

BoatCop

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I'll say it again slowly.

If YOU are a resident of California, EVERY vehicle owned by you AND operated anywhere in California must be registered in California.

If YOU are caught; the vehicle will likely be impounded (towing and storage fees), you will be cited (possibly arrested as it is a misdemeanor offense), you will get fines, fees, penalties, back registration fees, back vehicle license taxes, and a score of other really bad things. It could end up costing upwards of $5,000+ dollars. That is all independent of any California sales tax issues.

Don't even think of trying to get an Arizona license, unless you actually ARE a resident of Arizona. That's something called FRAUD, which is a felony. And NO! You owning a vacation home or property in Arizona DOES NOT make you a "resident" of Arizona. You can only be a resident of one state at a time. There's no such thing as "dual-residency"

Some are saying "Take a chance". DON'T! As part of the "fine" the Agency citing someone for this gets a chunk of that fine money. California PDs, CHP and SOs are really keen on finding these things, and seeing an out-of-state plate parked in the neighborhood, at a workplace, dropping kids off at school, etc. is a HUGE red flag. Especially if it's seen in the same area for a couple of weeks. When we used to visit in-laws in Hemet, we would get stopped and checked about every other trip. CHP also has a toll free TIPS line for people to report these. How well do you get along with your neighbors?

It's not worth it.
 

Elway

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All great information, and thanks. I figured there would be a clawback period but couldnt find the 90 day/12 month period mentioned. F'ing California, they get you coming and going, I swear.
 

Ziggy

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All great information, and thanks. I figured there would be a clawback period but couldnt find the 90 day/12 month period mentioned. F'ing California, they get you coming and going, I swear.
The tax info is on the BOE website. Board of Equalization.
Boatcop is right however with a tad of good cop scare tactic.[emoji4]
When I had the dealership it was still 90 days, they flipped back/forth to the 12mo a couple times. Seems 12mo is where they've held tight.
.
Its either bite the bullet, pay the tax and registration fees or take the gamble.
Would it be cheaper to fix your car vs paying tax and registration? Possible you could get some of the reg cost in Az returned, I dunno.
 

AEA

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I'll say it again slowly.

If YOU are a resident of California, EVERY vehicle owned by you AND operated anywhere in California must be registered in California.

If YOU are caught; the vehicle will likely be impounded (towing and storage fees), you will be cited (possibly arrested as it is a misdemeanor offense), you will get fines, fees, penalties, back registration fees, back vehicle license taxes, and a score of other really bad things. It could end up costing upwards of $5,000+ dollars. That is all independent of any California sales tax issues.

Don't even think of trying to get an Arizona license, unless you actually ARE a resident of Arizona. That's something called FRAUD, which is a felony. And NO! You owning a vacation home or property in Arizona DOES NOT make you a "resident" of Arizona. You can only be a resident of one state at a time. There's no such thing as "dual-residency"

Some are saying "Take a chance". DON'T! As part of the "fine" the Agency citing someone for this gets a chunk of that fine money. California PDs, CHP and SOs are really keen on finding these things, and seeing an out-of-state plate parked in the neighborhood, at a workplace, dropping kids off at school, etc. is a HUGE red flag. Especially if it's seen in the same area for a couple of weeks. When we used to visit in-laws in Hemet, we would get stopped and checked about every other trip. CHP also has a toll free TIPS line for people to report these. How well do you get along with your neighbors?

It's not worth it.

My son is an Arizona resident. How long can I borrow his pickup and use it in California before there is a problem?
 

boatdoc55

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When we lived in Riverside eons ago our good friends next door also had a place here in Havasu, still do and are full time here now. Anyway we were tootling along I 40 outside Barstow going east at 11pm one night and got stopped for no apparent reason EXCEPT the AZ plates on the boat trailer and truck, 45 minutes later we were back on our way BUT the next week they got hit by Calif. big time. Both cars, boat trailer, truck all Az plates. I never asked the final total on all their stuff but know it was not cheap and this was in 1985. What I here now is the LEO that starts the whole process gets a pretty good chuck of change and a big aata boy.
 

BoatCop

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My son is an Arizona resident. How long can I borrow his pickup and use it in California before there is a problem?

Not sure exactly, but there are a plethora of problems in doing this, such as emission issues, insurance issues, etc. Also, while you might technically not "own" your "son's" vehicle, you having it and driving it for an extended length of time has some legal implications that you actually do own, or at a minimum "control", the vehicle, so the registration rules could be imposed on you.


Some people have gone as far as to have their wives get an out-of-state drivers license and then register their vehicles at the the out-of-state address. Believe me when I tell you that CHP, CA DMV and the courts have seen every possible scheme and are wise to those methods.
 

BoatCop

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When we lived in Riverside eons ago our good friends next door also had a place here in Havasu, still do and are full time here now. Anyway we were tootling along I 40 outside Barstow going east at 11pm one night and got stopped for no apparent reason EXCEPT the AZ plates on the boat trailer and truck, 45 minutes later we were back on our way BUT the next week they got hit by Calif. big time. Both cars, boat trailer, truck all Az plates. I never asked the final total on all their stuff but know it was not cheap and this was in 1985. What I here now is the LEO that starts the whole process gets a pretty good chuck of change and a big aata boy.

The individual Officer doesn't get any "chunk of change", but their Agency does.
 
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