Seattle area RTA registration tax

[AustinPowers]

@Stacks: really helpful post that

Just out of curiosity: is the RTA tax in addition to the standard yearly vehicle tax, or in lieu of it? In other words, do you pay separate yearly taxes for owning a vehicle, or just the RTA tax?

I ask because in Germany we pay a yearly vehicle tax which is determined by engine displacement and type of fuel. Diesel vehicles for example are much more expensive than gas vehicles, making up for the fact that taxes on Diesel fuel are lower than on gasoline.
BEVs by the way are exempt from vehicle tax completely for the first ten years of ownership as part of the incentive program toward the adoption of BEVs.

 

[Robotpedlr]

@Stacks: really helpful post that

Just out of curiosity: is the RTA tax in addition to the standard yearly vehicle tax, or in lieu of it? In other words, do you pay separate yearly taxes for owning a vehicle, or just the RTA tax?

I ask because in Germany we pay a yearly vehicle tax which is determined by engine displacement and type of fuel. Diesel vehicles for example are much more expensive than gas vehicles, making up for the fact that taxes on Diesel fuel are lower than on gasoline.
BEVs by the way are exempt from vehicle tax completely for the first ten years of ownership as part of the incentive program toward the adoption of BEVs.

RTA is in addition to regular tax and license fees.

 

[Stacks]

@Stacks: really helpful post that

I’ll tell you what is helpful then: paying $200+ more per year on each vehicle you own for an antiquated transportation device that is going to take 20 years to build, cost more than they claim, and be useless to most of the people paying for it. I’ll end up paying thousands of dollars to build this train and then I’ll have to pay to use it! It’s slow and outdated technology too. Not to mention full self-driving should be prominent by then.

 

[Robotpedlr]

what is even more helpful is paying an extra $2k+ annually combined for few cars you own, especially when you are less than 1 mile from the edge of their overly inflated RTA region, knowing nothing will ever be built that will service the area I live in. Keep the taxes coming...

 

[baselsalam]

I'm stopping by to simply say....

F%@!# this RTA tax and anyone who voted for it. That is all.

Just got my delivery today. I asked the delivery specialist and their manager why is $49k a line item.
The PUP is listed separately, but with a "blank" price???
The Model3 is also listed separately, but with a "blank price"??

They said "well this is what the DOL decided, it's not upto is".
Isn't that BS though?

I totally feel Tesla can fix this.

 

[drawfour]

Just got my delivery today. I asked the delivery specialist and their manager why is $49k a line item.
The PUP is listed separately, but with a "blank" price???
The Model3 is also listed separately, but with a "blank price"??

They said "well this is what the DOL decided, it's not upto is".
Isn't that BS though?

I totally feel Tesla can fix this.

Today, I was asked to confirm details for my AWD M3. In the confirmation, it shows me the breakdown of the sales tax, RTA tax, and registration/titling fees. It clearly shows RTA tax is $385 - which is 1.1% of $35k. So that's what yours should be.

 

[alt7070]

Just called dol.wa.gov number. She said that they will use the MSRP reported by the car manufacturer, and may include trim options, but exclude other options (like paint). I was charged $539 for the LR RWD, which is 1.1% of $49,000. Too bad Tesla reports the battery and PUP as part of the MSRP. If you were charged $385, good for you!

 

[ChrisH]

Just called dol.wa.gov number. She said that they will use the MSRP reported by the car manufacturer, and may include trim options, but exclude other options (like paint). I was charged $539 for the LR RWD, which is 1.1% of $49,000. Too bad Tesla reports the battery and PUP as part of the MSRP. If you were charged $385, good for you!

What other taxes and fees are included in the purchase of the car? I have 10% for sales tax and estimated another $750 or so for this RTA and whatever else. What else is there?

Thanks

 

[alt7070]

I live in the Seattle area (obviously) and was charged this:

Destination Fee $925.00
Documentation Fee $75.00
Order Modification Fee $0.00

Then these taxes:

Sales tax (10.3% in my area)
Registration/transfer/titling fees: 125.75
RTA: 539.00

Note: I had a trade in, but I don't think that should affect the above (?).

 

[ChrisH]

I live in the Seattle area (obviously) and was charged this:

Destination Fee $925.00
Documentation Fee $75.00
Order Modification Fee $0.00

Then these taxes:

Sales tax (10.3% in my area)
Registration/transfer/titling fees: 125.75
RTA: 539.00

Note: I had a trade in, but I don't think that should affect the above (?).

Nope that should be it. You got a little bit of tax break because the trade in lowered the “sales price” but other than that the fees should be the same.

Thanks.

 

[devg]

Today, I was asked to confirm details for my AWD M3. In the confirmation, it shows me the breakdown of the sales tax, RTA tax, and registration/titling fees. It clearly shows RTA tax is $385 - which is 1.1% of $35k. So that's what yours should be.

Have you taken delivery yet? Would like to know what your final value was.
$385 is what it showed all through the day before delivery [6/29]. Then came a revision to the delivery documents. I called up and my delivery adviser said it is up to the transport team at Tesla to finalize these and they came back and said it is not 385 anymore and they made it 500+.

 

[drawfour]

Have you taken delivery yet? Would like to know what your final value was.
$385 is what it showed all through the day before delivery [6/29]. Then came a revision to the delivery documents. I called up and my delivery adviser said it is up to the transport team at Tesla to finalize these and they came back and said it is not 385 anymore and they made it 500+.

No delivery yet. No VIN yet either.

 

[bluhorshue]

I just looked up my records for a model S purchase that I picked up in Bellevue though technically I live in unincorporated King County. I was charged the 10.3% Bellevue sales tax. I asked my accountant and he told me that when I renew my plates I will be charged based on where I live, but if I pick up the car I will have to pay Bellevue's higher rates. If Tesla would deliver, I would pay my local rate, which is lower. Even if I were to pick up in Oregon and register the car in Washington afterwards, I would pay my local rate. Has anyone tried doing this? It would probably save around $1000 on a Model 3 or maybe twice that on a new S or X.

 

[pilotSteve]

I just looked up my records for a model S purchase that I picked up in Bellevue though technically I live in unincorporated King County. I was charged the 10.3% Bellevue sales tax. I asked my accountant and he told me that when I renew my plates I will be charged based on where I live, but if I pick up the car I will have to pay Bellevue's higher rates. If Tesla would deliver, I would pay my local rate, which is lower. Even if I were to pick up in Oregon and register the car in Washington afterwards, I would pay my local rate. Has anyone tried doing this? It would probably save around $1000 on a Model 3 or maybe twice that on a new S or X.

I live in Vancouver wa and took delivery of two Tesla’s at the Portland service cente over the past 5 years. They had correct WA taxes and WA plates. Even had the trade in sales tax credit on my S and EV sales tax reduction on the 3.

 

[TurnFast]

I just noticed that my MVPA now lists the model 3 as 35k and awd as an 18k "option"

00D87632-73A9-42B1-992E-6D994BB027D4

• TurnFast
• Aug 30, 2018

Updated MVPA

So here's hoping I get the 385 RTA rate for my model 3 (assuming it comes some day)

 

[ChrisH]

I just noticed that my MVPA now lists the model 3 as 35k and awd as an 18k "option"

00D87632-73A9-42B1-992E-6D994BB027D4

• TurnFast
• Aug 30, 2018

Updated MVPA

So here's hoping I get the 385 RTA rate for my model 3 (assuming it comes some day)

Mine was $385 when I took delivery last weekend

 

[drawfour]

I just noticed that my MVPA now lists the model 3 as 35k and awd as an 18k "option"

00D87632-73A9-42B1-992E-6D994BB027D4

• TurnFast
• Aug 30, 2018

Updated MVPA

So here's hoping I get the 385 RTA rate for my model 3 (assuming it comes some day)

Mine was $385 when I took delivery last weekend

I just took delivery today, and $385 is what I got. The "Model 3" is considered the base car, and everything else is an upgrade!

 

[Big-T]

Hey guys,

Can you clarify something for me? So even though the RTA tax should come in at $385, the sales tax is going to be 10.1% (in Seattle) for the whole car, including options? Including the 5k auto pilot if you get it?

 

[Tifighter]

Hey guys,

Can you clarify something for me? So even though the RTA tax should come in at $385, the sales tax is going to be 10.1% (in Seattle) for the whole car, including options? Including the 5k auto pilot if you get it?

Yes.

 

[drawfour]

Hey guys,

Can you clarify something for me? So even though the RTA tax should come in at $385, the sales tax is going to be 10.1% (in Seattle) for the whole car, including options? Including the 5k auto pilot if you get it?

Correct. You pay sales tax just like you would on anything. The RTA tax though accounts for the "value" of the car differently, and only charges based on a depreciation schedule of the "base" model. So we get 1.1% of the $35k for the RTA tax. Next year it will be lower, since the car will depreciate on a schedule, but not this has nothing to do with KBB or "fair market value". It's a fixed depreciation schedule.