The only thing that you want to do is register your car or truck. But sometimes that it ends up being a lot harder than it ought to be. There are a whole host of reasons why you are either tired of registering your car or truck in your home state, or maybe you don’t really have a home state anymore at all. Whatever the reasons are, we are here to help you every step of the way to get your car titled, registered, and back on the road.
What are the Main Reasons to Register Out-of-State?
There are a lot of good reasons why car and truck owners choose to register their vehicles out of state. One of the more common and popular reasons is to avoid excessive taxes in their home states, particularly on high-end or exotic cars, or expensive recreational vehicles (RVs), which can routinely run in the hundreds of thousands for an exceptional unit.
Others are inclined to do so because they are simply not tied down to any particular state or location.
Lower Tax Rates and Registration Fees
Some states are just a lot more attractive than others regarding purchasing, titling, and registering a car or truck. California is notorious for its outlandish fees and taxes. Don’t believe me? Ok, here we go:
All California vehicles owe a
$60 registration fee
$28 Highway Patrol fee (don’t they already extol this through tickets? Asking for a friend).
Transportation Improvement Fee which is on a sliding scale from $27-$192, depending on the vehicle value.
Smog checks, every year. These are going to run you anywhere from $29.95-$69.95.
Okay, so you are already in for a minimum of $115-$280 before tax, and excluding an emissions check. It only gets a lot worse from there. We are not advocating for you to take your money away from your home state and the infrastructure that your fees supposedly go to, but we do know that you are a free, sovereign person capable of choosing to do things based on reasons that are entirely up to you.
Nomadic Owners (Full-Time RVers. Schoolies, etc.)
One of the completely incontrovertible reasons to register out of state is because you may not have a home state. As I write this, there are somewhere in the ballpark of one million modern-day nomads out there roaming America’s byways in their rigs. Now out of the entire American population that may not seem like too many, but that is double the population of Wyoming, and about 20% more than South Dakota. That is a lot of people out there calling the open road home! So if their home of record is one of the less reasonable states, why should they be tied down to those exorbitant registration fees and tax rates?
Photo by Peter James Eisenhaure on Unsplash
Vermont Vehicle Registration
Vermont has become a popular state for out-of-state title and registration services in recent years because it is a fairly lax state to register your car in. It is popular because there is not a requirement to be a resident of the state in order to title or register your vehicle. Also, the owner does not need to provide proof of having a valid driver’s license to register their car.
How Much is Vehicle Registration in Vermont?
So this is where the rubber meets the road, right? Well, that really depends on a few factors. Vermont determines the registration cost based on a percentage of the purchase price or the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).
Vermont has Purchase and Use Tax which is due at the time of registration and is based and the aforementioned NADA value. The tax rate is a flat 6% across the board for all types of vehicles. This is not a big deal if you are trying to register a vehicle that is low value; the tax due on a $3,000 car would only be $180. However, the tax due on a $200,000 RV would be to the tune of $12,000.
Do I Need a Vehicle Inspection Before I Renew my Vermont Registration?
Yes, you will have to get your vehicle inspected annually. All inspections need to be conducted at a state-approved inspection station. This might be a reason why you would not want to register through Vermont; if you live in, say, California and get a Vermont registration, going to get your car inspected would be taxing.
A Bill of Sale is the Only Proof Required for Vermont Registration
Yes, this is correct. You only need to have a bill of sale if your car is 16 years or older. If your vehicle is newer than that, you will need one of three items:
Vermont title.
Out of State (OOS) title.
Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO).
South Dakota Vehicle Registration
South Dakota’s registration process is very much a reflection of a state that is still wild. It is known as a nomadic state, and that rings very true; it is the 17th largest state by area, but the 5th smallest by population.
Photo by Dennis Guten on Unsplash
In South Dakota, you will need a Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin, Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin, or a transferred certificate of title. You will also need an odometer disclosure, and a Bill of Sale if you bought the vehicle in a private sale. And, of course, you must include payment.
How Much is Vehicle Registration in South Dakota?
Registration fees in South Dakota are based on vehicle weight, type, and age. All vehicles regardless of type are subject to a 4% excise tax. Besides that, the registration title fee is cheap: $10 for the title fee, $10 for a lien notation fee. The license fees are based on age and weight.
Does South Dakota Base Vehicle Registrations on Value?
The answer to this is “sort of”. The 4% excise tax is charged based on what you paid for the vehicle. So if you bought the vehicle for $10,000 is going to be $400. However, if you look closely at the Application for Motor Vehicle Title & Registration (Form MV-608), you will see that on item ‘V’, a note stating that a guide published by the automotive industry will be used to determine value. In other words, you are not going to get away with the old trick of putting a purchase price of $100 on the title for the sale price because they are checking to see if the sale price is at least in the right ballpark.
Registering Your Motorcycle in South Dakota
Now, this is a little bit misleading because ‘motorcycle’ registration in South Dakota also includes off-road vehicles (ATVs, UTVs, and dirt bikes). These vehicles can be registered for street use and must be equipped with all standard DOT lights, markings, operational brakes, etcetera.
Just like a car or truck, you are going to need to provide some sort of proof of ownership of the bike, either a title, MCO or financing. Once this has been provided, there is no significant difference in the registration process than that of any automobile.
Photo by Harley-Davidson on Unsplash
Don’t Forget Vehicle Registration Renewal
Once you have gone through the process of getting your vehicle registered out-of-state, you need to plan accordingly for your annual registration.
Since you either have registered out of state or are planning to, the process is a little more involved if you take it upon yourself. We have taken all of the guesswork out of the process by offering to do the legwork for you. There is nothing wrong with you doing your annual registration on your own, but bear in mind that these are bureaucrats; common sense is not a common virtue. They do not care that you live fifteen hours away. They will make you come into a DMV to answer questions or fix an error without batting an eye. But we will take that burden off of your shoulders and handle it.
Final Thoughts
There are myriad reasons to register your car, truck, or motorcycle out of state and frankly, your reasons are none of our business at all. You just want to get your vehicle registered and we just want to help you do it. The registration process is bad enough locally and downright daunting out of state, but Dirt Legal has the knowledge, experience, and support you need to make it effortless.
John McCoy is a lifelong car and truck enthusiast and has a strong mechanical background off the road. He spent over 13 years in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief, assigned to the B-1B Lancer, affectionately known as the Bone to those in the community, and the KC-135R Stratotanker. He resides on a small farm in Eastern Kansas where he (sometimes) enjoys fixing ancient farm equipment.