Cheapest State for Class A License Plate

[swarren169]

We are going to start RV'ing full time. We are looking at some of the clubs to set up an address. Does anyone know the best state to set up an address that has cheap prices for a license plate. We paid $650 for our license plate in MS. Don't want to do that again.

[legolas]

AK Old Timer wrote:
The absolute best deal is Alaska...if you're a resident and over 65. The registration is FREE and the plates are permanent. This applies to one vehicle per person. So, I register the MH for free and my wife registers the toad for free.

I don't know how long this will last as the State is flat broke!

How can the state be broke with all that oil revenue

[memtb]

swarren169 wrote:
We are going to start RV'ing full time. We are looking at some of the clubs to set up an address. Does anyone know the best state to set up an address that has cheap prices for a license plate. We paid $650 for our license plate in MS. Don't want to do that again.

It “darn sure” isn’t Wyoming! We actually have to pay an extra $50.00/year, because our 5er is heavier than the state has deemed acceptable. Our 14 year old 5er costs us over $430.00/ year. To license all of our vehicles (campers, truck, auto, utility trailers, and 4 wheelers) cost us more than $1500.00/year. The license fees are based on the factory suggested retail price ,and drop yearly for the first 5 years.....then remain at that rate for eternity! Thank God, all of our stuff is over 5 years of age (except for our Toyota). If all were new....we’d be paying (approximately) around $4000.00/year in license fees.

We have a lot of good things here.....license fees ain’t one of them!

[tatest]

You paid $650 for what? Just the tag fee, or did that include a one-time sales or excise tax, or an annual property tax?

Oklahoma licenses a privately owned Class A motorhome as a passenger vehicle, annual fee $96 each of the first four years sliding down to $26 after 16 years registered. But there is a 3.25% excise tax when first registered, $11 title fee, and the legislature just added a 1.25% sales tax on some classes of motor vehicle sales which probably include a motorhome.

Licensed as a private passenger vehicle, your motorhome would be exempt from city/county personal property taxes in Oklahoma.

Most other states are as complex in their tax structure, as it might apply to owning and operating a motorhome.

If a big hunk of that $650 was a local personal property tax, tagging a vehicle in another state might not get you away from that, unless you keep the property out of that tax jurisdiction.

[2oldman]

Bumpyroad wrote:
... I would not consider the annual cost of a license plate to be a make or break issue.

..which it sounds like the OP is doing.

[Bumpyroad]

Ozlander wrote:

1mtnman wrote:
It has always been a mystery to me why a person would decide to purchase a pricey RV, live in their state of residence and expect not to pay the going rate to put that state license on their vehicle.
Kinda like cheating in my way of thinking! If you have the funds to buy an expensive rig you should have planned for whatever the fee is to license your choice of rv.

Yep, you got it right.

NONSENSE
For full timers everybody, unless they are stupid, seeks out the best location for them to have as a home base. this is based on many factors and I would not consider the annual cost of a license plate to be a make or break issue.
bumpy

[Ozlander]

1mtnman wrote:
It has always been a mystery to me why a person would decide to purchase a pricey RV, live in their state of residence and expect not to pay the going rate to put that state license on their vehicle.
Kinda like cheating in my way of thinking! If you have the funds to buy an expensive rig you should have planned for whatever the fee is to license your choice of rv.

Yep, you got it right.

[2oldman]

1mtnman wrote:
Kinda like cheating in my way of thinking! If you have the funds to buy an expensive rig you should have planned for whatever the fee is to license your choice of rv.

x2.

If this is about retirement, perhaps OP should wait until he can afford to. Like it's said.. "running out of money when you're old is brutal."

[1mtnman]

It has always been a mystery to me why a person would decide to purchase a pricey RV, live in their state of residence and expect not to pay the going rate to put that state license on their vehicle.
Kinda like cheating in my way of thinking! If you have the funds to buy an expensive rig you should have planned for whatever the fee is to license your choice of rv.

[1995brave]

Texas varies by county and vehicle value. In Bexar county my 1995 Winne Brave was 115 per year, my 2012 Ram is 85 per year.

[Bumpyroad]

cost of plates would not head my list of potential full time residency states.
bumpy

[AK_Old_Timer]

The absolute best deal is Alaska...if you're a resident and over 65. The registration is FREE and the plates are permanent. This applies to one vehicle per person. So, I register the MH for free and my wife registers the toad for free.

I don't know how long this will last as the State is flat broke!

[Old-Biscuit]

License/Registration fees...........only a very small part of FT costs

Vehicle Ins
Medical Ins
State/Fed Taxes
Domicile State
ETC

Look at the WHOLE picture not just one component

[mowermech]

If your motorhome is 11 years old or older, Montana will allow you to have PERMANENT license plates. It will be pricey the first year, but after that there will be no renewal for as long as you own it!
My coach has the PERMANENT plates. IIRC, it cost me less than $300.
This year, since we plan to keep the car and the truck for several more years, I might spend the money and get the permanent registration on both of them.

[wa8yxm]

One warning about NV.. Each county is different.. Clark County I priced the cost there and dang near needed to change Undies.