Buying an RV in Oregon.

Petethescot wrote:
Well if,my head was not spinning before it is now. ??. I get some say buying in Canada maybe easiest option. But the prices in US are cheaper when you take exchange rate (approx 28%) into it. That’s the reason for my question. I don’t mind paying taxes but was hoping to avoid the additional exchange rate taxes by bring back to Vancouver first.I was hoping to buy in US take to Outdoor Resorts in Cathedral City. And eventually sell it years later in CA. So figured I would be able to title in CA. But may not be so as not a CA resident. Very confusing.
I have read that I can get a “Use” title there and pay the appropriate taxes.

Thanks again for all your response.

The problem here is you are not a "resident" of California.

You also are not a US Citizen.

These two things are a major issue.

You do not understand that in order to get a title titled in YOUR name in most US states you MUST be a citizen of the US AND a RESIDENT of the state you are getting the titled at.

Each State will have to take your old title and then they will generate and issue a new title in YOUR NAME. Each state has different rules on how that is done but typically you will have to surrender old title and the states DMV will create the new title.

Each state handles their own registrations and plates, typically you will pay a yearly fee to keep the registration and plate current.

Since you are not a resident of the target state, that states DMV will not be able to process your title..

Each state has their own rules on "residency" but typically you have to make that state your "primary" residence (in other words you HAVE to have a "HOME STATE") in order to be able to transfer titles and get RV plate registration.

The target state of California also REQUIRES you to have the trailer properly titled/registered for on road AND PARKED.

Depending on used or new you buy in Oregon (or any other state for that fact) you may get just a Title in the sellers name that the seller will have signed off ownership on the back of the title, you can have seller make up a Bill of sale to you to help you prove it is not stolen.

Buy from a dealer and for new RV you will most likely get INCOMPLETE Origination title which is the documentation that the manufacturer gives to the dealer because you are not a resident of that state or even a citizen of the US plus the sales agreement..

You would have to take the title (which would be in the name of the seller plus the bill of sale) or if dealer bought the incomplete title paperwork and sales agreement to California DMV..

Now at California DMV, they will not be able to issue you a new title IN YOUR NAME because you are not a resident of California nor a citizen of the US..

In reality, you most likely WILL have to take the title paperwork back to Canada pay your taxes and fees to have Canada issue a new title in YOUR NAME.. In doing so, I suspect you will end up paying not only 12% tax plus fees but may even get hit on importing the trailer into Canada (VAT or Value Added Tax? or GST (Goods and Services Tax? or Import Duties tax?) which I am sure you are painfully aware of..

Just because RVs may be "cheaper" in the US, it doesn't mean your going to save a ton of money..

If you want to save bunches of money, you may need to find a different state other than California to park your US bought bargain in that doesn't have a requirement on registering and paying for that registration even when permanently parked.

There ARE other states that you can buy and park a RV on land or in a park that do not care if it has a current registration or even a plate as long as the RV is never put on the road..

While am sure there may be "ways around" some of this Residency and Citizen thing, I suspect it will be much more costly and one heck of a pain in the behind.. Which is why I suggested that perhaps in the long run it may be far cheaper to buy and title your RV in Canada..

While we can only guess at this, they ONLY real way to find out is YOU have to personally contact the California DMV, explain clearly that you are not a resident, and not a citizen of the US in order to get a real answer.

You should also contact the Oregon DMV and explain the same to find out how their system works for folks living outside that state and US works.

That IS how I have made purchases of vehicles that were outside of my state..

My guess is neither state will issue you a new title in your name nor issue a plate in your name. Might be able to get some "temp tag" or temp moving permit but even that is not a guaranteed thing here.

And for the record, I am not slamming you for being a Canadian resident. Most US state DMVs will be specifically setup to service their own residents of that state..

Example, I am a resident of PA.. I can go to NY, OH, Virginia and so on but those states DMVs cannot process me in their systems in order to issue a new title in my name title to me or even to issue and register a plate for me to use in that state.. I won't get OH issued title or plate..

If I want to put a RV or vehicle legally on a road in PA or any other state, I HAVE to do that in my state of residency (where I live)which is PA..