TT&L on out of state car purchase....

[Roscoe]

So I'm in Seattle right now trying to get my son a car. He is in the Army stationed at Ft Lewis.

In speaking with a dealership last night, they are willing to sell it to us w/o TT&L since we both still have home of record as Texas. Problem is, the car will not be here for several years.

Can we purchase the car here, pay TT&L on the value of it in TX, then mail tags and docs up there? How would it get inspected, or would it be required?

WA state has a 10% tax rate on vehicle purchases, which is the main driver for it, and if I can save my son $500 for a few hours worth of hassle, then so much the better. I just don't know if this is even possible or worthwhile to go down the path......

If only we could buy one in Oregon....

[Big A]

Assuming it's tagged in TX, he'll likely never get pulled over for no inspection, because the local cops don't know every states laws, and don't have the ability to run the plates. I had a TX DL and tags on my truck for almost 2 years here in CA, uninspected for most of it.

That's not the legal way of course, just my experience with it.

[YALE]

He'll have to get it inspected in Texas. Any car registering from out of state requires a green sheet inspection. If it were me, I'd just pay TT&L in Washington, and if it wasn't a car I was super sentimental about, I'd resell it when it came time to move. There's nothing special about cars from up north. They just rust faster.

[Baron Von Crowder]

Cant get the car registered in TX without a greensheet from the state inspection.

[Big A]

This was with a truck that was already tagged in TX, for you to do as I did, you would have to drive it to TX to get it inspected the first time at least, and to stay completely legit, you would need to drive back for annual inspections.

Or set a good example of integrity for your son, stay completely legal, and pay the appropriate sales tax.

[VaderTT]

The greensheet issue is why a lot of banks won't finance an out of state vehicle.


Semi-related, my BIL is an MP @ Lewis, CID I think. We were supposed to take car of his truck when he deploys to Korea, but the greensheet and other issue put a stop to that.

[Chili]

I ran into the same issue when I was in the Army (not being able to register my car from my state of record). Incidentally, I was in TX and my home state was WA.

[Sean88gt]

What is the tax rate there? Another option (which will cost you more time and money, but since you're willing to step over a dollar to pick up a dime should play into your overall theme of being a tightwad) is to go to Montana, set up a PO Box, register it there. No inspection, no tax.

[Chili]

What is the tax rate there? Another option (which will cost you more time and money, but since you're willing to step over a dollar to pick up a dime should play into your overall theme of being a tightwad) is to go to Montana, set up a PO Box, register it there. No inspection, no tax.

If he was going to do that, he'd be better off going to OR. Much closer and no sales tax either. Oh, and he said tax is 10% in his original post.

[Roscoe]

Well that answers that... Kinda what I figured, but damn paying 9.5% tax...

[DFWtechie]

Get a 30 day temp tag on the car here in TX then drive it back and get the inspection done and green sheet.
All you need is proof of Ins and the Vin or plate number

[Roscoe]

Or set a good example of integrity for your son, stay completely legal, and pay the appropriate sales tax.

Like I haven't?

[Chili]

Well that answers that... Kinda what I figured, but damn paying 9.5% tax...

Well, if it makes you feel better, keep in mind you'd only be saving the difference between their tax and ours.

[Chili]

Get a 30 day temp tag on the car here in TX then drive it back and get the inspection done and green sheet.
All you need is proof of Ins and the Vin or plate number

The car is going to stay in WA with his son. So driving the car all the way here, then back, would more than eat up any savings.

[Baron Von Crowder]

IIRC, even out of state vehicles need current registration and inspection on an army base. At least, my BIL had to get his inspected when he was in CA and on base.