Andrew Ward

I am in FL and moving to CA.
In the process of buying my next 911 off the lot.....due to the smog test and high registration,sales tax costs in CA along with some kind of 7500 mile restriction on registering a new car would it better to buy in FL and ship or wait till I get there?

Eric - Plug Guy

Wow....buy in FL and DRIVE across the USA. Awesome trip.

ADias

I doubt it will make any difference. The CA DMV will get its share no matter what.

There's no 7500 mile restriction that I know of. Porsches are 50-state legal in any case.

hepmonk

If you try and register an out-of-state car with less than 7,500 miles in CA, you'll pay CA taxes as if it were a new car purchased in CA. Eric is right, drive from to FL to the Northeast, then to the Northwest, then down PCH, rack up more than 7,500 and have a blast!

duxsi

How much time do you have before you HAVE to register it in CA? Does it depend on when your FL plates expire?
If it's a one year grace period, then I'd buy in FL and drive across to CA.

When you hit 7,500 you can register it with the CA DMV (provided you're still within the grace period allowed).

It's a great drive - I've done Miami to San Diego twice..

Andrew Ward

So I would have to pay FL tax and then again in CA?

waller

If you're currently a FL resident and buy the vehicle while you're a FL resident, you won't pay sales tax again when you move into CA and establish your domicile here. What you cannot do in CA is buy a car out of state as a CA resident and then bring it back in and title it tax-free.

hepmonk

Pretty sure you'll have to pay the difference between the sales tax in your current state and the sales tax in California, if "new". Use this to calculate your registration costs: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/FeeCalculator...esidentForm.do

Alan Smithee

Yup - if you bring a car into CA under a year after purchase, regardless of whether you are already a CA resident or not, you pay the difference of between sales taxes paid, and CA 'use tax' (aka sales tax).

I believe you have 20 days to register a car in CA once it is operated here, but check the DMV website linked above. Penalties are high if you are caught skirting this.

pissedpuppy

You have to register it locally, not sure of the grace period, but if it's a permanent move, I think you are supposed to do it in 7 days

Where in CA? You might find a better deal in FL

Andrew Ward

Thanks for the responses.....I am moving to San Diego

duxsi

California gives new residents 20 days of entry or residency to register their vehicles and pay the required fees.

Not sure how anyone would know when exactly you arrived..

You do have options, but how exactly you chose to thread that needle depends on you.

San Diego?? You're not going to get too much sympathy from us

John 996 TT Cab

Another risk is if you insure in Florida as Florida resident but you live in CA then your insurance may be invalid!

djantlive

Not true. Insurance coverage is not voided once you leave the state.

Buy the car now, drive it on FL plate until a year is up, then register it. Keep your FL license until then. This works as long as you don't keep getting pulled over.

Otherwise, just pay the difference in taxes and the shipping fee of the car. It's around 1500-2000 for shipping these days.

John 996 TT Cab

In Canada as part of insurance you declare where you live and that's the province it must be registered in. If you "fudge" the insurance application the insurance company can invalidate the policy. If you declare you live in Florida and you live in California isn't that a "fudge"? Also, I note above California requires registration within a certain rather short period for residents to register the vehicle in California. Not registering may be considered a "fudge" also.