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Washington taxes

Larco

Well Known Member
If one was to move to Washington, what would the tax liability be to register an RV. I've heard that there is a sales tax and a annual property tax obligation. Larry
 
Taxes

DC or WA State?

If WA State.... then you'll end up paying an annual $35 registration fee to the WSDOT, which isn't bad. Now, if you never paid taxes on your aircraft when you bought/ registered it the first time, WA is going to get you for use tax, and that varies depending on the county where the aircraft is based when registered. I think I paid about 9.x% when I registered my -7 several years ago, generally a painless process, just bring the check book to the tax office.
 
Use tax

That "use tax" is like a sales tax that you pay once. You get credit for paying it or a sales tax in a different state I believe.
 
Bringing this back from the past...

So what items does WA State tax when you build the plane? Do you have to volunteer receipts for everything you installed?

Thanks,
Russ
 
Bringing this back from the past...

So what items does WA State tax when you build the plane? Do you have to volunteer receipts for everything you installed?

Thanks,
Russ
yes to the above. They also seem to know a reasonable ballpark for what an RV should cost. One office even pulled up vans cost estimator when I inquired about what receipts to bring. Basically you are going to pay state and local sales tax (around 8%) on anything for which sales tax has not already been paid.
 
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You will also find the exact opposite in some Counties. When I went to pay my taxes I had a stack of receipts and I was about to only be charged taxes on the Tail Kit because that's the receipt that was on top. The gentleman had no idea what he was looking at, I had to correct him and show him that there were multiple receipts. All in all Taxes were right around $1,500.
 
Keep those receipts

Make sure you keep and show any receipts where you've already paid taxes. I built a portion in CA, so I paid sales tax on any extra components I got through Aircraft Spruce. All that counts towards your overall tax obligation.
 
Jim is spot on. However, I know many aircraft registered in the state that have never paid any taxes. I paid mine because it is the law, not because it is right or wrong not too, that is someone's opinion. (many people seem to feel cheating on your taxes isn't cheating. Again, I offer no opinion and don't want to see this thread go down that road, it wouldn't go down that way long anyway.)

At the time, the state did not have the resources to follow up on registered aircraft and make sure the taxes where paid. They probably still don't.
I was told by the state revenue officer that you can volunteer to pay your taxes at anytime and they will forgive any tardiness (steep penalties and compounding interest). However, if they catch you, big ouch!
This was quite a few years ago, so perhaps they have refined their systems, but I doubt it.

I took my build receipts and they accepted them.
 
They Do Check

All they have to do is bounce state registrations against the FAA database by registered address (which they do). In order to register in the state you first have to prove that any taxes due (you have to get a certificate from the Dept. of Revenue before the Dept. of Licensing will even talk to you) have been paid.

Years ago I had a Piper Pacer basket case registered with the FAA, but didn't do anything with the state because it was not flying (in other words it wasn't being "used"). I got a letter from the State Patrol telling me "threat, threat, threat, you must register"

Fortunately, for an unflyable airplane it is easy to get an exemption.

The point is that with a little bit of data base knowledge it is easy to determine who has registered with the FAA, but not the state. Sure, some people "get away" without paying, but I doubt that number is very large any more.
 
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