buying in AZ, I live in cali.

ejulson gives good information. I helped a friend buy a 5th wheel in AZ and we both live in CA.

AZ will want to collect sales tax on the sale. Their procedure is to tax the *DIFFERENCE* between the sale price and the value of the trade in. CA will charge tax based solely on the sale price. My buddy was paying MSRP on the new 5th but was getting about 150% of trade in value according to the paperwork. The differences was acceptable and that is what he was concerned with. When he discovered CA would tax him on the full sale price ($120K at 8+%) he quickly redid the contract to show a minimum value for his trade in and a commensurate reduction in the price of the new 5th. That was a $35K reduction in the selling price. You can do the math.

AZ uses an electronic title system. There is no "pink slip". They keep it in their system. CA will want to see a paper registration. The process for getting that paper is SsssLlllOoooWwwww. Without it, you can't register in CA. He had a 90 day permit in CA and he barely made it in 89 days.

And as laknox pointed out, the 90 day out of state law is long gone. Originally passed, with little to no fanfare, to benefit influential (aka rich) airplane and yacht buyers. Once car and RV buyers started taking advantage, the rule was changed back to one year.

The cleanest way for a CA resident to buy is to take delivery in CA.

ol Bombero-JC wrote:

F-TROUP wrote:
Our friends bought the 5er in Ca and took delivery in Reno. They then took a trip to Yuma stayed in a RV park for a week. Then put it in storage for 3 months there. Returned for another weeks stay then did the paper work brought it home to Ca. All they needed was proof they stayed out of state for 90 days, paid no sales tax.

Nice story - but outdated!
The "genuine" 90 day rule was great while it lasted.

It's been one year since 2008.

Google: "California 90 day rule" - should get you to the CA State Board of Equalization site.

Bummer thanks for the update.
Scroll (way) down to Use Tax, see 5 (A) and (B) for "Vehicles purchased for use in CA"

Also - you must be *using* the RV (not storing it), and provide receipts to verify same.

:W

Bummer, thanks for the update.

Lwiddis wrote:
Sch, La Mesa RV freaked! Money wasn't the issue. I offered to pay for shipping AND pick it up in AZ...I.e. No shipping. They still said "no."

See? Idiots... Turning down money...

Lyle

Lwiddis wrote:
After buying my Winnie from La Mesa RV in San Diego the CA and AZ paperwork prevented me from personally picking my Winnie from their dealership in AZ. Manager said that would make the sale in AZ and he didn't know how to do the paperwork...sold in AZ but first registered in CA...but shipping to CA as "unsold" was easy. Even offered to pay the shipping and pick it up....no!

Not surprising at La Mesa. I've been to their lot in Mesa 2 times to look at specific FWs. Experience was =worse= than the couple times I've been to the Mesa CW sales lot to look at FWs.

Lyle

I live in CA and bought a 5th wheel in AZ in Feb. Here's how it works.

The sale is treated like a car sale, you get a bill of sale, the RV is registered in AZ and you get a temporary registration. A few weeks later they mail you the pink slip. When you register an out of state trailer in CA, they require an inspection at the DMV office to validate the VIN against what's listed on the pink slip.(they define RV's as trailers)

You have to pay the difference between the CA and AZ sales tax, which is significant; even though you bought it in AZ. Ripoff! You also have to pay for registration fees. I had to write a check to the DMV for about $850, even though the purchase price was only $24,000.

My advice is to declare a lower price than you actually paid. They don't require a bill of sale to validate and they know jack about RV values. It will save you hundreds of dollars in both sales tax and registration fee, since they are both driven off of the purchase price.

F-TROUP wrote:
Our friends bought the 5er in Ca and took delivery in Reno. They then took a trip to Yuma stayed in a RV park for a week. Then put it in storage for 3 months there. Returned for another weeks stay then did the paper work brought it home to Ca. All they needed was proof they stayed out of state for 90 days, paid no sales tax.

Nice story - but outdated!
The "genuine" 90 day rule was great while it lasted.

It's been one year since 2008.

Google: "California 90 day rule" - should get you to the CA State Board of Equalization site.

Scroll (way) down to Use Tax, see 5 (A) and (B) for "Vehicles purchased for use in CA"

Also - you must be *using* the RV (not storing it), and provide receipts to verify same.

:W

We have bought 2 5th wheels in Arizona. We are Washington residents. We paid the Arizona sales tax, which is lower than Washington's. When we registerd them in Washington, we paid the difference between Arizona's and Washington's tax to Washington. I believe you would do the same with Cali.

Happy trails,
Bill

OK I bought in AZ this winter, signed the papers in CA as I was told AZ wants tax on units sold there. I then registered it in NM where I live, dealer sent papers & NM tax to DMV who issued a title and sent plates & registration to my home. CA issued a temp good for 90 days.

I bought our 5th Wheel in Texas while living in CA. Texas dealership charged me CA sales tax and no registration fees. I had a temporary placard so I could transport the trailer to CA where I had to have it inspected by the DMV. Very easy process, all I had to do was pay the DMV the registration fees. I know your situation is in AZ, but I'm sure the dealerships all know the process and can work with you. They want the sale!

"they stayed out of state for 90 days, paid no sales tax"

Governor Moonbeam won't let me leave for 90 days.