How much can I expect the City/State fees to be on a used motorcycle?

[shoelace]

The only problem with this is if the seller misrepresents the bike and you try to get your money back. The transfer will be on the record for $800, and that is all you can sue for.

that's a valid point, but basically you're buying it "as-is" anyway. if the motor blows up or the gears fly out of the engine on the way home you're fuct anyway. the state made their sales' tax when they sold it the first time. may as well not let them get it three or four more times for the same bike.

but I would never do that.

 

[orbframe]

i've heard plenty of people sell bikes for one price and put another, lower, price on the dmv form....

i've only heard this though.

this is where i'd wink at you.

 

[AbsolutEnduser]

DMV says use tax is up to the county and I can't find the info about SF's use tax.

I'm looking to buy a used motorcycle for $5000 (private sale). I live in San Francisco. What I want to know is: how much more am I going to have to pay the City and State for the privilege, and how soon will I have to pay it?

Do you seriously not know this, and you claim you live in San Francisco?

The biggest chuck is the city sales tax: 9.5% (increased about 3 years ago and you don't know this?), so that is : $475 . This amount depends directly on what you put on the form for "value of bike" on the transfer form.

Then, you have Re-Reg fee (or transfer fee) which is only $15 .. unless they just increased it 2 years ago.

Then, there is this question:

Does vehicle registration transfer or do I have to reregister it immediately?

yes the "registration" is transferred, so if you buy a bike valid until August, you're good to go .

But if you buy a bike that expired in December, you will have to pay CALIFORNIA DMV registration. I estimate this to be at least $100 for a full year of usage for a bike of your price. Maybe $120. (I don't think it will be $80 or less. )

If you can afford a $5000 bike, .. but cannot afford a $5550 bike.. then don't buy it. Or.. buy a $4500 one.

p.s. I did not see that the two posts by Gary856 basically explain the same thing.

 

[Splicer]

Do you seriously not know this, and you claim you live in San Francisco?

Well, I do live in San Francisco, so I know that the likelihood that used motorcycle sales somehow fall under the hotel tax is likely. We have a wonderful combination of people who love to vote for convoluted tax schemes, people who love to vote for any tax schemes, and people who don't have any clue what they're voting for. If my total fees are different from county to county, asking about what is specific to my county is a reasonable question.

The biggest chuck is the city sales tax: 9.5% (increased about 3 years ago and you don't know this?),

I know that the state sales tax is 8.25% and that the City/County adds another 1.25%. Didn't you know this?

Answer: of course you did.

If you can afford a $5000 bike, .. but cannot afford a $5550 bike.. then don't buy it. Or.. buy a $4500 one.

Yup. That's exactly why I asked.

 

[Splicer]

Sorry, my bad. 7.25% goes to the state. Another 1% goes to municipalities as mandated by state legislation. The 1.25% is the amount that the City added. And my big misunderstanding was that use tax is the same thing as sales tax; that "sales and use taxes" means one set of taxes, not that sales tax gets added to the use tax.

Should I beg forgiveness?

 

[AbsolutEnduser]

As gas-station attendants say... " I don't wanna know how many gallons you wanna put. Just tell me how much $$$ you want me to charge. "

 

[Stormdragon]

Should I beg forgiveness?

Yes. Now hold still while I get some limp spaghetti to beat you with.