Considering TX as Domicile Vehicle Registration and Tags

jmarxen · February 2, 2017

I'll be retiring at the end of this year. We currently live in SC and are considering TX as our domicile when we go full-time. We are ordering a new Tiffin Phaeton 40 ft diesel pusher that we'll be transferring to Texas with our Honda CRV that we use as our tow vehicle. We will have the title as we will be paying cash for the motorhome.

I've looked at the TX Motor Vehicle Title Manual and it basically says TX does not have a category for recreational vehicles. There is the title application fee of either $28 or $33 for each vehicle. The car will be easy as the registration fee would be $50.45 and local fees that vary by county. It does indicate registration fees of $535 for vehicles that weigh between 40,001 - 45,999 pounds plus the local fee.

I've also read there is sales tax on a vehicle being transferred from another state.

On Form TX-130-U, it has New resident fee of $90 for each vehicle:

The sales and use tax must be paid to the county tax assessor-collector within 30 days from the date of purchase or entry of the vehicle into Texas.

New Texas residents are subject to a $90 use tax on a vehicle brought into this state that was previously registered to the new resident in another state or foreign country. This is in lieu of the 6.25 percent use tax imposed on a Texas resident.

It also has a 1% emission fee, so I don't know how this is determined. In one of the manuals, they also had reference to a diesel fee or tax.

It seems pretty confusing compared to when we moved to South Carolina. As anyone else moved to Texas with a motorhome within the last several tears and can tell me what to expect for registration, tags, fees and such?

Appreciate your feedback,

Jim and Nancy

NewMar Mountain Air

2014 Honda CRV

LindaH · February 2, 2017

Can't answer your question (other than Polk County, home of the Escapees, doesn't have emission testing...that's assuming, of course, that you'll be using the Escapees mail forwarding address in Livingston). However, keep in mind that with your motorhome, you'll need to get a Class B, non-CDL driver's license. Just a heads-up in case you weren't aware of that.

Second Chance · February 2, 2017

We moved from SC to Polk County, TX, with a fifth wheel in October, 2015. The transition was easy and, since sales tax had been paid in SC on all the rolling stock (RV, truck, Toyota), there was no additional sales tax in Texas. In retrospect, however, I screwed up by paying the first year's property tax on the RV in SC... something I later found out I didn't have to do. This happened because we bought the RV just a couple of months before moving out domicile and registered it it SC before moving. We're under the GCVWR for the non-commercial driver's license, so didn't have to worry about that. We stayed at Rainbow's End in Livingston and got everything done it less than two days before moving on down the road.

Rob

Barbaraok · February 2, 2017

The 1% emissions fee is for commercial vehicles. Staff at Polk Cty are really great at walking you through the process.

jmarxen · February 3, 2017

LindaH -

Appreciate the heads up for obtaining the Class B, non-CDL driver's license. I haven't looked into the driver's license requirements yet. I currently have a SC Class F license which is for vehicles over 28,000 pounds. My DW has a CDL.

RobL -

How would you have not paid the SC property tax? We'll be taking delivery of the new motorhome in December, and per the dealer, we'll have to pay the sales tax, property tax and obtain insurance prior to taking delivery. Looking forward to your suggestion as the dealer estimated property tax will be somewhere in the ballpark of $2300. If we can save that, it's a few dollars for other needed items.

Jim and Nancy

NewMar Mountain Air

2014 Honda CRV

Selah · February 6, 2017

Why Texas? Why not Florida? FL has all the advantages of TX but with out the special license and annual inspections.

Just curious.

jmarxen · February 7, 2017

Our youngest child and great grandkids live there, and when we decide to come off the road, my wife wishes to live near one of the kids, the others - one being in Mississippi and the rest are in central or Northern Georgia. Nothing against FL, just no one down there.

Jim and Nancy

NewMar Mountain Air

2014 Honda CRV

jeffd11 · April 18, 2017

Hi, new member "Jeff" here. I am planning on getting a RV very soon and want to register it in Texas (Escapees location as domicile). I notice when reading requirements for a Texas drivers license that all of your vehicles must be registers in Texas. I will still be in the process of selling my house and vehicles in California.

Will that be a problem if none of the other vehicles will be going to Texas with me and would there be any issue selling my house or cars if I now have a Texas driver license as an ID selling a California registered car?

Thanks, Jeff

Barbaraok · April 19, 2017

Cars need to be registered where they are located. Lots of people move, then sell their house. Realtors will make it happen.

Jim Gell · April 19, 2017

1 hour ago, Barbaraok said:

Cars need to be registered where they are located.

I apologize for repeating myself, but everytime I see these statements I feel compelled to tell my story again. I had heard that many times and was totally convinced it was universal for every state. I left NY to go full time and chose SD for my domicile. I wanted to leave my pickup truck in Ohio at my FIL's. I went to a BMV office in Ohio to register my pickup that was going to stay there, and they told me as a non-resident I could not register it in Ohio. I got the same info over the phone and decided they just did not understand me, so I went to a larger BMV office in person again. No matter how clearly I explain it, they all told me the same thing. If I were to move to Ohio, I would be required to put Ohio plates on it, but they won't allow me to put Ohio plates on it as long as I am not an Ohio resident.

I would guess Barbara is right for most states, but not Ohio, and I am not sure if there are others. If anyone plans to "garage" a vehicle in a state they do not reside in, they might want to look into that state's rules.

Jim

Barbaraok · April 19, 2017

Jeff, the way Texas sets it up is that you have to register vehicles that you move into the state with you. you can't keep the out-of-state plates (which might be cheaper and don't expire for months and months). IIRC when we moved to Tyler from Lawton, OK, we had to show the car registration before we could get our drivers licenses. Cars in other states, that never enter Texas, can be left titled in those states if you want to, HOWEVER, by leaving them titled in the state you may open yourself up to being seen as still being a resident of the state for tax purposes. and California is notorious for using ANY indication that you still have ties to the state to try and extract income tax. How are you going to get to Texas to get your license? Just drive the RV or one of your cars?

jeffd11 · April 19, 2017

Thanks all,

Yes, I was planning to fly to AZ, buy the RV, drive to TX get the Livingston Domicile with Escapees, get a TX drivers license, turn in my California Drivers license, register the RV and drive it back to California only to sell my house and all the cars there in California. (I know, long sentence with lots of commas)

Selling everything may take a month or two but I do want to cut all ties with Calif. I just wanted to get the RV first and become a Texan before I finish selling off the things in Calif. I should have no house or cars from California by summer.

Just wanted to make sure that wouldn't be a problem. I don't intend to hang on to any car, house or property from Calif.

Thanks again, Jeff

whj469 · April 19, 2017

I just got back from Florida and I graduated from college there in 1971. If you had to spend time in Texas then the cost of living is a bit lower in TX as compared to Florida. That is what I here from the Winter Texans more often then other reasons.