Forever licience

azjeffh wrote:

blkdodge wrote:
Sure wish we had that in AZ. My tag this year was $1,100.00 and I'm not looking forward to this February when it's due again. Maybe it's time to move.

We're in the top 5. Tax friendly states

While I agree it hurts to make vehicle registration payments, I smile when I see my property tax bill.

We no longer have a S&B so property taxes aren't an issue to us.

The Michigan permanent lifetime (non-expiring) trailer license plate fee starts at $75 and there's 3 catagories for unloaded (empty and dry as built) title weight stated from the manufacturer. 3 weight catagories with a corresponding lifetime fee. Length has nothing to do with it. Even if you had a 50 foot trailer or 5th wheel or utility or boat trailer etc, even if weighing over 20,000 lbs, the permanent plate max is $300 for a lifetime plate good for as long as you own the trailer.

We have 6 trailer with permanent plates presently and a couple years ago had 8. It has saved us many hundreds to thousands of dollars so far! 11 years of NO renewal fees times the number of trailers adds up to BIG bucks!

jjj wrote:
I wish Calif. would do it for the fifth wheels. I have a small trailer and it is good for five years. I just renew my 9 year old fiver and it was 116.00.

Just as the OP made a "discovery" - there are two "givens" for DMVs,
or whatever the agency is called in any state:

1. There are often easy to obtain "bonus" items available which will save you a few bucks.

2. There are also DMV employees who are clueless those "perks" are available.

A CA "bonus" (vehicle) registration:
In CA any vehicle with a "bed" is required to have commercial plates.
(There *are* a few exceptions).
Commercial plates "tack on" a load capacity fee in addition to the normal registration fee.

Ex: My 1T pickup had a $220. *additional* fee for commercial plates.
*If* you (or your spouse) are handicapped, handicapped plates will eliminate the commercial fee - AND your truck registration continues to be "commercial"..:C
Caveat: You may only have one commercial "fee-free" vehicle registered.

(Commercial plates allow parking in loading zones, etc. Besides Handicapped spaces, the handicapped plates allow non-payment at pk meters and residential areas requiring stickers for residents).

When I became aware of that - the gal at AAA had never heard of it.
However, a call to another office provided the assistance she needed to get it done.

~

The CA DMV:
As all CA residents towing 5th wheels know -:@-
a restriction 41 endorsement (to their Class C DL) is required by law for towing 5th wheels between 10K GVWR and 15K.
(Over 15K req's a non-commercial Class A).

Many CA DMVs are *still* clueless as to what it is, or the test required to add it to your DL. (BTW -it's free as long as your DL isn't due for renewal within 6 months)
*You* must guide the DMV folks along, LOL!..:W

~

Lastly, CA residents may legally utilize the "90 day rule" (it's 1 year now) to join the 3 states with *NO* sales tax.
Well worth the effort if you're buying an expensive RV at -Yikes-.:E.. 9% sales tax!..:E

~

rhagfo wrote:
Wow, in these times of tight funds surprised states are giving up the revenue!!

We are coming up on the second year of ownership of the Copper Canyon, looking at about $229 to renew for two years.

Would love permanent plates for the 5er. Maybe I should do some deeper research. In Oregon cars are cheap to license not so much for trailers.

In Michigan, it was just the opposite. It was a short term cash grab.

The permanent price was much higher than the annual renewal but they got a one time surge as everyone was switched to the permanent plate over the course of a single year.

Long term, it is probably a wash. If you keep the trailer for many years you come out ahead but most people will sell before they start getting any savings and the new owner gets to buy a new permanent plate.

Wow! WIsh we had an option like that here in Nova Scotia. My one ton runs around 160$ / year and IIRC my TT is about $105 year and goes by weight.

I live in TAXATION land. Our license plates actually say "Vacation Land". No one hear can top what we pay annually. We pay 2.4% of MSRP the first year for a vehicle (car or truck). We also, pay 2.4% of MSRP on all camper trailers (5ers, TT, popups & the like). The next year it will go down to a 2.0%. Third year 1.7%. Fourth year 1.2%. Fifth year it will level off every year there after at .7%.

So, on a $100,000.00 5er or MH that's $2400.00. Also, we may have less sales tax than a lot of States. That's 5.5%.

This is not what I would consider having "bragging rights"!

Lots of people buy the $99. Plate here in Tn for there Campers. But its a commercial trailer tag. Wonder what will happen when someone pulls them over and gives them a ticket for a Commercial plate on a RV.
Pete

Infinityrver,

That same paid $100,000 5th wheel if purchased new or used in Michigan or registered in Michigan if purchase elswhere would have a ONE TIME registration fee of $300 max if it's dry title weight is over 10,000 lbs. The registration is good for as long as you own the 5th wheel and there are no other state charges ever after the one time 6% sales tax and the $8 title fee is paid on the original purchase.

That's a huge difference from the even the first year's expense of buying and registering in Maine of $7900 base charge the first year ($2400 + $5500 sales tax) or in most other states. Then the added expense in Maine for the 5th wheel of ($2000 the 2nd year, $1700 the 3rd year, $1200 the 4th year) already adds up to $12,800 in just 4 years and the cost continues on to much higher as long as it's owned while the resale value of the 5th wheel decreases rapidly or drops like a rock! WOW! INSANE! Doesn't even include the tow vehicle's state expenses of ownership or the costly insurance on the $100,000 RV!

Many other states repeats this insanity and maybe to a lesser scale but still a very high expense to simply own an RV be able to use it on the roads etc. My answer is:

NEVER!

It would severely damper the desire and enjoyment of RV'ing owning in so many states. Lots of states also have personal property taxes. My brother's does and his MH has cost a mint over the years. So do our friends in Northern Indiana who told us the actual personal property taxes they have paid on the dining room table and chairs given to them as a wedding gift by his parents 58 years ago of have added up to over 4 times what the dining set had even cost.
That's so far beyond insane that it's way off the charts of common sense!

Similarly, here in Colorado we pay only once a year $350.

WOW!!! I'm glad to live here........$25 gets me a plate that doesn't need renewing.