Transitioning to FT, vehicle registration

[Chemwitch]

Question about TX registration for our RV (camper truck)  

Here’s our situation:

• I currently work in UT, my husband is self-employeed and can work anywhere.  
• We plan to be full-time RVers by Aug/Sept 2021.  
• We are in the process of buying our camper truck in NC.  
• The truck will be in UT March-May, then my husband and daughter will start our road trip....I will join in Aug/Sept when I leave my job.
• We have family in TX and plan to make our domicile there while we travel full time.  

Is there any way we can avoid registering the vehicle in UT since it will only be in the state for 2-3 months?  We have to claim Utah domicile because I work here.  We have to park the truck on the street in UT, so I’m hesitant to go the Montana LLC route.  

If we put my Texan brother-in-law on the title with my husband, could we register in TX instead of Utah? Once I leave my UT job, I could then declare my domicile as TX and we could remove him and add me to the title/registration.  Would this work?   

Edited February 28, 2021 by Chemwitch

[sandsys]

I would check into whether or not your husband can move to Texas while you still work in Utah. If so, I would put the camper in his name only. That feels less risky to me if it can be done. You'll probably have to file taxes separately with him filing partial year effective when he moves and you filing a separate partial year when you move. I'm not sure if all that would be worth doing. Are Utah sales tax and registration fees that much higher than Texas?

Linda Sand

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, Chemwitch said:

If we put my Texan brother-in-law on the title with my husband, could we register in TX instead of Utah?

Welcome to the Escapee forums!

There would be no problem in registering the truck in TX as long as you have a TX address to use in registering it, no matter what names are on the title. Where the problem could arise is in keeping it in UT since they have laws about registering vehicles there, if said vehicle is being kept in UT. Most states require that a vehicle being kept by one employed & living in the state be registered in that state within 30 days. There is the possibility that nobody would catch you for the time you used it while working in UT, but that is very difficult to predict. With the tight budgets that states are dealing with most of them are looking for sources of revenue and should you be stopped for some reason, there is a good probability that you would face a fine as well as paying to register it in UT. If you have a vehicle now, I'd suggest keeping it to use as long as you are employed and living in UT. I have no idea of just how aggressive UT is in enforcement of such laws, so can not predict the probability of your being caught. 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Kirk W

[Chalkie]

15 hours ago, Chemwitch said:

Question about TX registration for our RV (camper truck)  

Here’s our situation:

• I currently work in UT, my husband is self-employeed and can work anywhere.  
• We plan to be full-time RVers by Aug/Sept 2021.  
• We are in the process of buying our camper truck in NC.  
• The truck will be in UT March-May, then my husband and daughter will start our road trip....I will join in Aug/Sept when I leave my job.
• We have family in TX and plan to make our domicile there while we travel full time.  

Is there any way we can avoid registering the vehicle in UT since it will only be in the state for 2-3 months?  We have to claim Utah domicile because I work here.  We have to park the truck on the street in UT, so I’m hesitant to go the Montana LLC route.  

If we put my Texan brother-in-law on the title with my husband, could we register in TX instead of Utah? Once I leave my UT job, I could then declare my domicile as TX and we could remove him and add me to the title/registration.  Would this work?   

It seems from you are saying that only you have to domicile in Utah. Why not have your husband become a Texas resident and that would then cover the licensing and having Texas plates on a vehicle in Utah. He would be "visiting". I understand that there might be some complications with tax filing but a good CPA should be able to sort all that out.

[Barbaraok]

Is the rig going to be titled in both of your names?   Can you title/register it in just his name right now, then later, when you 'move' to Texas have the title/registration changed to reflect it as being a jointly owned/titled vehicle?   Your husband goes ahead and 'moves' to Texas, easy to do if he goes to NC, completes purchase, stops in Livingston on his way through, gets his drivers license and registers/titles the truck while there.  Then he visits Utah until he and your daughter will start their trip and you join later.     

[Kirk W]

2 hours ago, Barbaraok said:

Your husband goes ahead and 'moves' to Texas, easy to do if he goes to NC, completes purchase, stops in Livingston on his way through, gets his drivers license and registers/titles the truck while there.  Then he visits Utah until he and your daughter will start their trip and you join later.     

You might get away with that, but if you wish to be legal, I suggest you ask the Utah DMV. 

[Chemwitch]

Thanks everyone!  @sandsys taxes are 7.75% in Utah.  Not opposed to paying taxes, but its frustrating to pay tax and then ‘move’ to TX  in a few months and pay tax again.  On the other hand, it’s totally reasonable for my husband to move to TX first and me later.  We’ll just have to figure out income taxes when it comes time.

[sandsys]

16 minutes ago, Chemwitch said:

Thanks everyone!  @sandsys taxes are 7.75% in Utah.  Not opposed to paying taxes, but its frustrating to pay tax and then ‘move’ to TX  in a few months and pay tax again.  On the other hand, it’s totally reasonable for my husband to move to TX first and me later.  We’ll just have to figure out income taxes when it comes time.

Is Texas one of the states that gives you credit for sales tax paid in a previous state? I'm sure that would help.

Linda

[Kirk W]

13 hours ago, Chemwitch said:

 Not opposed to paying taxes, but its frustrating to pay tax and then ‘move’ to TX  in a few months and pay tax again.

Texas has a 6.25% sales tax on vehicles and they do give credit for sales tax paid in another state so you will not have to do that. TX has no state income tax so that isn't an issue either. You will need to pay income taxes in UT but only on the income that is earned there. Once you leave and move to TX there will be no more state income tax. You do have to pay state income tax on any income earned in a stat with income taxes if you work while you travel but in TX you do not even file. 

[Twotoes]

This is so simple why make it difficult. If you register your new vehicle in UT and then move to TX you will get credit for the sales tax you paid in UT, so in effect you will own no sale tax in TX. Or your husband can become domiciled in TX, using his brothers address or the Escapees address and register the new vehicle in TX. Do not put his brothers name on the truck, if your brother gets sued and gets a judgement against him a judgement lien can be placed on the vehicle. 

As far as income taxes, you can still file a Federal joint return and you would have to file a return in UT for the income earned there or a joint return if your husband has earned income in UT anytime in the same tax year. There is no income tax in TX. 

[sandsys]

The importance of filing a partial year income tax form in Utah is to make it clear to the state that you no longer live there in case they every decide to challenge that move. I encourage you to resist the temptation to move at year end as that becomes less clear.

Linda