Have the 2013 sales tax rates come into effect?

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Was trying to estimate the latest taxes and fees on my Model S purchase price here:

Vehicle Registration Fee Calculator

Surprisingly, the sales tax rate applied by this calculator (not updated yet?) still comes out at 8.75% for me in Newark, CA when it should have been 9% (post-Prop-30) according to the spreadsheets in here:

California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates - Board of Equalization

Strangely, the Pitney-Bowes tax rate locator linked to by the BoE page also spits out 8.75% still!

http://www.geotax.com/USTaxLookup/

 

[David-El]

Good question. I'd like to know this as well. I was wondering if signing the MVPA and therefore putting the $5000 reservation as an initial down payment would mark the beginning of the sale date in 2012 and therefore keep the sales tax at that rate rather than raising it up.

 

[gsxrex]

I just signed my MVPA. Sales tax was correct at 8.625% for San Jose. VLF from the MVPA was correct (compared to the DMV website). The MVPA has an additional line item for registration, transfer and titling, which doesn't match up to anything on the DMV website. Overall, MVPA DMV registration fees are about $100 less than what the DMV website shows.

FWIW, the DMV website for sales/use tax seems to be for 2012 tax rates.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Signed my final MVPA as well today with the sales tax at the (correct, new) level of 9% for Newark in Alameda County, CA. That's that then.

 

[Owner]

I'm confused on the Vehicle License Fee for California. I saw someone on an earlier thread actually had this filled out. Mine is zero but there is a $693 Registration, Transfer and Titling Fees.

Do we get details when the actual car registration and plates arrive? I like to put away any tax stuff away as soon as it arrives, not later.

 

[gsxrex]

I have values in both entries on my pre-delivery MVPA.

Vehicle License Fee: $677.66
Registration, Transfer and Titling Fees: $81.00

Maybe yours will be corrected with the final MVPA?

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

The $693 sounds about right for the Model S price range. That does include the VLF. You can play around with the dmv online calculator here to get similar numbers: Vehicle Registration Fee Calculator

 

[gsxrex]

I think Owner's worry though is that for tax purposes, you need the VLF section with a real dollar amount, as that is tax deductible. If it shows $0, and is lumped into the registration portion, then you technically couldn't deduct it as you have no paperwork to show that it was actually the VLF.

 

[markb1]

My final MVPA shows 0, as well.

You can try to look it up here, once you have your license plates:

Vehicle Registration Fee Calculator

I've never needed to provide any documentation when deducting VLF in the past, and presumably if the IRS comes asking for documentation, I can get it from the state.

BTW, it looks like they charged me 2012 sales tax on my 2013 purchase.

 

[Owner]

Very strange. My Pre-Delivery document has it itemized:

My final does not have it itemized

 

[JohnEC]

In my case, all of the docs from Tesla (both prelim and final MVPA) have a zero amt for VLF. I then tried the DMV calculator and it indicated "No matching record". I think it's time to email TM and find out what's up.

 

[markb1]

In my case, all of the docs from Tesla (both prelim and final MVPA) have a zero amt for VLF. I then tried the DMV calculator and it indicated "No matching record". I think it's time to email TM and find out what's up.

Could just be some lag in the web site. When did you get your car? You could instead use the other calculator, linked in the first post of the thread, to find out what VLF should be. (That one won't actually look up your registration.)

 

[JohnEC]

Could just be some lag in the web site. When did you get your car? You could instead use the other calculator, linked in the first post of the thread, to find out what VLF should be. (That one won't actually look up your registration.)

I registered back in October, so I'd expect it to be recorded by now, but it is a state run site so who knows. I did use the other calculator and got a reasonable number from that (should be good enough for taxes).