Truck and RV Title and Registration in Tennessee - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Truck and RV Title and Registration in Tennessee

Howard · Host

Hi Carol,

Tennessee registration fees are quite reasonable. The following are from Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-4-111 (2011)

Class (A) Motorcycles or autocycles — registration fee ..................... $ 11.75

Class (B) Passenger motor vehicle and motor home —registration fee ........................................................ 18.75

Class (D)(i) Privately owned trailers and trailers held for public rental, not exceeding eight feet (8') in width and less than twenty feet (20') in length, exclusive of the tongue, and all trailers which are limited to vacationing and camping purposes, unless otherwise exempted in this section, and any privately owned trailer or semitrailer that is otherwise exempted, but the owner desires to be registered — registration fee .......... 9.50

(ii) Mobile homes or house trailers, whether privately owned or held for public rental, the chassis and exterior shell of which are designed and constructed for occupancy, but with dimensions not exceeding eight feet (8') in width — registration fee .............................................................. 19.00

Here are a couple more quotes from a Tennessee website regarding sales taxes:

"State sales tax paid on any vehicles purchased from a licensed dealer in any state is fully credited when applying for title. State sales tax is 7% of the purchase price. For purchases in excess of $1,600, an additional State Tax of 2.75% is added up to a maximum of $44. Local sales tax is 2.25% and is capped at $36.00. Local collection fee is $1."

However,

"Sales tax is not normally due on individually owned vehicles already titled in the applicant's name when relocating from another state. "

Finally, each county has slightly different administrative fees, when registering and renewing, but they don't appear to be significant.

Check out this link for New TN Residents Titling For The First Time.

And this one on the required Proof of Residence & Physical Presense for the registration of motor vehicles. Two forms of proof are required. Fortunately, there are three or four acceptable options (as they relate to full-time RVers) from the list provided.

You are right - it is very difficult to locate all the above information for TN. smile

-- Edited by Howard on Tuesday 21st of February 2012 09:33:13 AM

tnsauerkraut · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Carol, not sure about title registration, but vehicle registration is $14.75 for our rig and $24 for our truck in Blount County.

Bill Adams · RV-Dreams Family Member

Howard,
Any chance of bringing that font size up just a bit. It hurts by eyes trying to read that tiny type.

Howard · Host

There we go. Bigger font and less line spacing. smile

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the info guys. Howard... We're also considering Kentucky based on what you guys are paying for health insurance. Any issues with title and registration to be aware of there?

Howard · Host

Carol,

The registration fees are also quite reasonable in KY.

However, like other states with a state sales tax, they do collect an "excise" tax of 6% of the retail value of vehicles that were previously licensed in another state. BUT Kentucky gives a credit for any tax paid in another state that is "substantially identical" to the KY excise tax. However, if the other state doesn't provide the same type of credit to those that paid the tax in KY, the credit isn't allowed. Sheesh.

Oh, the "excise" tax only applies to motor vehicles. It's not charged for trailers.

But the bigger deal is that Kentucky has an ad valorem personal property tax on motor vehicles. There is a state tax, county tax, school tax, and possibly a city or special district tax. All of that adds up to about $1.25 to $2.00 per $100 of "value" depending on where the vehicles would be registered.

For example, an annual personal property tax on a $100,000 motorhome could be anywhere between $1,250 and $2,000 (Possibly even higher in wealthier communities with additional taxes). That goes down as the vehicles depreciate, but it takes some really good insurance rates to offset those annual costs.

Kentucky isn't a very good state for most full-timers, especially those with new motorhomes. smile