I have a very serious buyer from Alaska interested in buying my motorhome located in California. Will he have any foreseeable problems crossing into Canada on his way home to Alaska if the moho is registered in my name and not his?

Probably. More than likely it will get worse when he has to pay sales tax on the sale too.

Never had a border guard ask for my registration when passing into Canada. All I've been asked to show is my passport card. To be safe, you could give him a notarized statement giving him permission to drive the RV to Alaska. Also, make sure he has the Canadian insurance card whether it's insured in your or his name.

donn0128 wrote:Probably. More than likely it will get worse when he has to pay sales tax on the sale too.There's no sales tax in Alaska, so if the fellow buys it in California and immediately removes it for licencing in Alaska he won't have to pay California Sales tax.Per his traveling home with the Moho in your name:I wouldn't let anyone leave my driveway, much less the State/Country, without a binding transfer of ownership. Here in Washington that's accomplished by the seller signing off/sending in the form on the back of the Title...Alaska has a sixty-day permit available that I think might solve the transport-home problem...The fellow that's interested in the Rv might inquire about this at his local office, assuming he's still in Alaska.Here's a link to the State page on the subject:Tags and Titles: Out-of-State Alaskans

Not to sound alarming but if he sends money first and to much its a fake deal and stay away from it I had one from NY and the postal money orders were fraudulent, so watch out. If he is there in person with cash go for it and have papers notarized saying he bought from you and on what date. Good luck with it.

While there is not a state sales tax in Alaska, some towns and boroughs do have one.

Problems for Alaskan resident buying an RV in California?

15 Replies

Community Alumni
May 22, 2013
Thanks for all the replies, everyone!
Trackrig
Explorer II
May 22, 2013
Francesca Knowles wrote:
Trackrig wrote:
I checked with the Alaska DMV and they do not have a place in the Lower 48 to buy license plates.

Bill

:h

Why would ANY State have a place outside its own boundaries where one could buy its licence plates?

Because Alaskans buy an awful lot of cars, trucks, motorhomes, trailers, etc Stateside and then you wouldn't run into problems like this when trying to take them accross the border. Sometimes our State tries to do things right.

Bill
Water-Bug
Explorer II
May 21, 2013
Nobody leaves my property with my plates on any vehicle, no matter what the paperwork says. When he gets to the border check point, with Alaska plates on the TV and California plates on the TT, there will be questions. Even if everything is in order (bill of sale, insurance etc.), someone other than the crossing guard is probably going to have to OK that the Ts are crossed and Is are dotted.

EDIT: In Michigan, the plates belong to and stay with the owner. If I recall correctly, in California the plates belong to and stay on the vehicle. Don't know if a Canadian bourder guard would understand that, or how license plate transfers are handled in Canada.
rkentzel
Explorer
May 21, 2013
Before he leaves the driveway get the information required for the transfer of ownership attached to the title or download one or fill it out on line but do keep a hard copy so it don't come back to bite you.

Daughter in law sold her jeep 8 months ago guy was driving around on her tags he never registered it got a bunch of parking ticket's city of Riverside was coming after her till she produced the transfer of ownership and BOS. This gent was arrested so time later. Then tow company calling. Just keep good
records
Dakzuki
Explorer II
May 21, 2013
scottsnider wrote:
Not to sound alarming but if he sends money first and to much its a fake deal and stay away from it I had one from NY and the postal money orders were fraudulent, so watch out. If he is there in person with cash go for it and have papers notarized saying he bought from you and on what date. Good luck with it.

Electronic funds transfer. That's what I always do.
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
May 21, 2013
Trackrig wrote:
I checked with the Alaska DMV and they do not have a place in the Lower 48 to buy license plates.

Bill

:h

Why would ANY State have a place outside its own boundaries where one could buy its licence plates?
mowermech
Explorer
May 21, 2013
If the seller signs the title transfer, and sends in the tab off the title to show the state the rig was sold, and gives the buyer a notarized Bill Of Sale, there should be no problems. The signed title and BOS should be all any Law Enforcement Officer needs. No "Permission to Drive" is required, the BOS shows that. The California license plates will stay on the rig until the title is transferred in Alaska, and the buyer gets Alaska plates. The signed title and BOS will also show why the driver has an Alaska drivers license and the rig has California plates.
However, to be sure, one could check with the RCMP border patrol to see what they think.
Trackrig
Explorer II
May 21, 2013
I checked with the Alaska DMV and they do not have a place in the Lower 48 to buy license plates.

Bill
Bonefish
Explorer
May 21, 2013
Just tell him to bring a 150 ounces of gold or what ever the trade is! :B
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
May 21, 2013
joe b. wrote:
While there is not a state sales tax in Alaska, some towns and boroughs do have one.

This is true, but in most cases, the local "sales" tax doesn't apply to vehicles. link