Quick question.I own an rv that has been in storage for the last three years in kentucky.It has been unregistered and not driven the whole time.Now i am ready to register it and tag it.Will i still have to pay the taxes for the time that it has not been driven or registered?

That's an interesting question. What taxes are asking about?Do owners pay annual taxes on RV's?In Pennsylvania you pay sales tax when you purchase and license a vehicle. After that you just pay license fees.I know Kentucky has different laws.

When Indiana had an excise tax on vehicles, yes, you had to pay taxes for the years it wasn't registered. Don't know if all states do the same.Dale

In Oregon, I think you just sign a non op slip, like in CA. But in CA there is an annual $5 fee while not registered.

Oklahoma, I did this with my motorcycle.Ended up selling it to my wife for $1.Payed taxes on a dollar and just registered it again cheaper.

In California if you inform them before the registration expires, there is no late penalty, and you pay a non-op fee of say $5 or $15 per year to keep the vehicle not operating status for a while. But if you forget to send them the money before the registration expired, then there is a 10% penalty, and no way to change it to non-op later. By moving out of state, or selling the vehicle, the next owner does not need to pay any back fees, if they did not operate the vehicle on the roadways without current registration. However if caught moving the vehicle with expired tags, they will bill you as though you had operated it every day for the past years. You can buy a permit for moving a vehicle with expired tags, or dealerships have special license plates to move un-registered vehicles, that they use all the time. If a gas vehicle that needs a smog certificate, you might need a trip permit to move it to a facility to get it a smog check. For some states, they require the payment for trailers because in theory you could have been living in it while not moved around on state roadways. But motorhomes are treated different, and are allowed to be non-op for a few years.You will have to call your department of motor vehicles, and ask. Have your license plate number, ect. and they can tell you what you will need to pay to get it up to date. I have heard of a 1974 travel trailer moved to a camping resort, then parked in the camping resort's storage area when not being camped in. The owners left it on the property for years, and never took it out on a highway, even keeping the original 30 something old tires. When they went to sell it, it became something of a problem, as the California DMV did not have any records from 1974 of who owned it, or if they could sell it. Basically they had no title for the vehicle because it did not have non-op status or any registration for a 10 year long period, and was 'dropped off the books' as though it had been scrapped and nobody told the DMV. By that time the 30 year old camper had seen better days, and was scrapped anyway, as registering it would have been somewhat of a nightmare talking to the DMV. Good luck,Fred.

rv taxes | Good Sam Community

17 Replies

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Dec 11, 2015
dbates wrote:
DutchmenSport wrote:
Yes! Thank goodness Indiana did away with the personal property tax on RV's, which was a real pain. Now it's just a normal registration (with excise tax) like any other vehicle.

But, I'm pretty certain, if the vehicle sits unlicensed, and then you decide to license it, you have to pay for the back years it was unlicensed anyway! (Someone may correct me on this, but I'm pretty certain it's still that way). (I sure hope I'm wrong though).

You're close to right. I just called the Indiana BMV and they advised that you have to pay a maximum of two prior year's excise taxes if after being in storage you want to start using it again.

Dave

THANKS!
Walaby
Explorer II
Dec 11, 2015
These sort of threads crack me up.

State specific question that should be able to be answered with one phone call, to the DMV, but we have two pages of responses, from other states (no one from KY), and no answer back from the OP.

Mike
dbates
Explorer
Dec 11, 2015
DutchmenSport wrote:
Yes! Thank goodness Indiana did away with the personal property tax on RV's, which was a real pain. Now it's just a normal registration (with excise tax) like any other vehicle.

But, I'm pretty certain, if the vehicle sits unlicensed, and then you decide to license it, you have to pay for the back years it was unlicensed anyway! (Someone may correct me on this, but I'm pretty certain it's still that way). (I sure hope I'm wrong though).

You're close to right. I just called the Indiana BMV and they advised that you have to pay a maximum of two prior year's excise taxes if after being in storage you want to start using it again.

Dave
joe0508
Explorer
Dec 10, 2015
Old-Biscuit wrote:
You list 'knoxville' as your location..........which I take is Tennessee

Are you registering RV in TN or KY?

TN INFO (NOT OFFICIAL)

KY INFO (NOT OFFICIAL)
I originally had it registered and tagged in north carolina and i paid my taxes for a couple of years untill the registration ran out and i didnt renew it because i had it in storage and wasnt using it.I than moved it to a cheaper storage facility in tennesee.I called the dmv in north carolina because it was coming around time to pay my next annual tax payment.They said they had no record of a payment since my registration had ran out so i thought i was good.I now wont to move it to kentucky and get it legal but i am concerned about the taxes that i am pretty certain is gonna come up.I have proof of the couple of yares that i did pay and did make an attempt to keep the payments up but not certain how i could make a payment when they didnt have a record of one.
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Dec 10, 2015
Each state has it's own rules about storing a vehicle and then re registering it. You really need to call your local DMV.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Dec 10, 2015
You list 'knoxville' as your location..........which I take is Tennessee

Are you registering RV in TN or KY?

TN INFO (NOT OFFICIAL)

KY INFO (NOT OFFICIAL)
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Dec 10, 2015
Scottiemom wrote:
When Indiana had an excise tax on vehicles, yes, you had to pay taxes for the years it wasn't registered. Don't know if all states do the same.

Dale

Yes! Thank goodness Indiana did away with the personal property tax on RV's, which was a real pain. Now it's just a normal registration (with excise tax) like any other vehicle.

But, I'm pretty certain, if the vehicle sits unlicensed, and then you decide to license it, you have to pay for the back years it was unlicensed anyway! (Someone may correct me on this, but I'm pretty certain it's still that way). (I sure hope I'm wrong though).
ktmrfs
Explorer III
Dec 10, 2015
RJsfishin wrote:
In Oregon, I think you just sign a non op slip, like in CA. But in CA there is an annual $5 fee while not registered.

not in oregon. to get current tags you'll need to pay up registration from the last valid plate. Several folks in our local RV lot have found that out the hard way. At least when dealing with the DMV in our area.

But I'm sure it varies from state to state.
NinerBikes
Explorer
Dec 10, 2015
midnightsadie wrote:
call DMV and get the facts,

In KY, where the vehicle is registered.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Dec 10, 2015
call DMV and get the facts,

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rv taxes

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