This is a HIGHLY underrated comment.
It’s a little unclear if that’s referring to a current resident bringing a leased vehicle in from out of state vs a new resident transferring their vehicle to the state when they move there. That would explain why there is a specific discussion on new residents on the comptroller’s website as well as why people that have moved to Texas that have posted here haven’t had to pay tax on the whole vehicle value when moving to the state.
Should I email the Texas office of the Comptroller and tell them my specific situation and see if they can clarify what taxes I would owe?
Definitely a viable route to take. Stick with emails and avoid calls just so you have documentation if you ever need to refer back to them.
That’s a really good idea, I will try and find an email to their tax/vehicle team and keep a record.
You have property tax in Texas as well!
Not on cars. Just the upfront sales tax. They don’t have the annual property tax on motor vehicles like some other states.
I am pretty sure if you are a new resident they only pop you for the transfer fee but no additional taxes. The situation described above is for when someone like me (a current resident) orders a car out of state and tries to bring it in–in that instance I owe the whole sales tax on purchase price.
Yes, you do. You do have property tax. It differs county to county, but you do.
Maybe that is the reason–but in DFW I have never gotten taxed on my vehicles apart from initial sales tax.
The three cars you are considering, I will just buy instead of lease.
Without reading the entire thread, I would suggest you consider the total cost of ownership over the time you plan to move onto the next vehicle. Also take a look at the cheap electrics ( Bolt, i3 etc) as they may have next to nothing operational costs.
I don’t know what county you live, but Collin county, you do have property tax as well as Dallas, and some other counties around the area
Tarrant, but Dallas before.
I will be transferring the car to Dallas, so I would pay an annual property tax on it, just like in SC?
You might have to
Should I reach out to the Dallas municipal comptroller and ask to be sure? I emailed the state comptroller to clarify state tax laws, but not Dallas in particular.
Sure, why not?
I considered that but I wanted to “kick the can” down the road by 3 years with low monthly payments of a lease for 3 years, then regroup after the lease contract and see what my salary/needs are since I am just starting my career.
That is for current Texas residents. New residents pay $90 instead. Total cost of initial registration is right around $200, plus 30-something for a Texas driver’s license.
Some counties do levy personal property tax on vehicles, though. You can apply for an exemption from the state tax (the leasing company should give you information on this).
If OP’s state does not tax leases in the same manner as Texas does (6.25% on the entire selling price of the car), it is worth considering leasing a car before moving.