Registering a SMB from out of state

[peterbhere]

We also bought our van from SMB West, taking delivery of in January 2020 and we subsequently registered it in Oregon (no state sales tax). The process was pretty easy. If you want to avoid paying the outrageous California state sales tax you have to show SMB West valid out of state ID and take delivery of the van out of state. (Airlines do the same thing when taking delivery of a new plane from Boeing except they take delivery over international waters to avoid paying Federal taxes). Reno or Las Vegas are the preferred locations but SMB West will work with you if you want it transported elsewhere. We picked Las Vegas because our next stops were our other home in Orange County and Aluminess in San Diego.

SMB West uses a really nice professional gentleman named Bob to drive the van to either location then he flies back to Fresno. The $600 covers his time and travel expenses. Much easier to swallow than $13K in taxes. And it helped pay for the Aluminess bumpers!

We arrived in Fresno on Tuesday, 2020 01 07, for the orientation with Nick at SMB West. We got acquainted with the van and paid the cash (ouch) for the van. SMB West arranged for a temporary registration to allow for transporting the vehicle. We also met with Bob, the driver, and he explained in detail when and where to meet him in LV. After the orientation we left and headed for LV and Bob left early early the next morning so we could meet by 9 am Wednesday at a UPS Store. We met as planned, signed some paper work, had it notarized at the UPS Store and he handed us the keys!

A couple of things you need to make sure you have arranged in advance are insurance effective the date the driver transports the van and a "Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment Form" that you will likely need to facilitate registration in your home state. SMB West will provide the "Vehicle/Vessel Transfer and Reassignment Form" if you ask.

We did not make any big effort to drive to Oregon right away to register the vehicle. In fact we drove to AZ and NV as well as all over CA before ending up in Oregon sometime in February. We never had a problem with the police being curious as to why the vehicle was not registered yet.

It was a crazy journey for the van before we finally got to drive it but it was worth it. It went from the factory in Kansas City, MO to Quigley Motor Company in Manchester, PA for the 4X4 conversion (by rail) to SMB West in Fresno, CA for upfitting (by flatbed trailer) to delivery location in Las Vegas, NV by professional driver.

[dan simmons]

you live in mass so go up to vt and for $76 they will give you a green (vt) permanent plate with your mass address on the reg and title. been doing that for yrs here in ny with missing signature or title problems. most of my sportsmobile travels are down south and I never get hassled with the vt plate verses the ny plate

[HIGHCOUNTRYMIKE]

If it's a new vehicle in CA it can not leave the lot with out a license plate. CA issues paper plates for both the front and rear of the vehicle.
CA DMV is a COVID-19 mess and most all required dates have been extended.
You will need to check with SMB West. They should know what the current registration requirements are for your situation.
I'm with rumrunner. Do what's needed to get the CA paper plates. There is one thing that you must do in CA and that is have proof of insurance.
Feel lucky that the Fresno tax is 8.5%. If I buy a car in Burbank, CA where I live it's 10.25%.
Enjoy the SMB experience. I love everyday I can use my 2003 Ford E350, 7.3, SMB adding to the 285,000 as often as possible.

[Charliesmom]

I suspect that the process is simpler now with Field Vans (formerly SMB West) in Fresno. When we picked up our van in March 2020, if we wanted to take ownership of the van in Nevada, we had to first go to Fresno, sign the papers, show proof of insurance and take the walk-thru of the van. Then someone had to physically drive the van to Reno. It could not be the new owner. In fact, the new owner could not even ride in the van with the driver. So living in Phoenix, I would have to not only fly to Fresno, the hitch a ride or rent a car to drive 300 miles to Reno, then drive another 700 miles back home. I still had to pay registration and sales tax when I arrived in Phoenix. Sales tax for vehicles in Arizona is higher than California! I chose to pick up the van in Fresno, spend my first night at Harris Ranch in Coalinga (many prior purchasers from Fresno have “camped” there) and drove home the next day (600 miles). I only had to pay the difference between the two states in additional sales tax as AZ DMV gave credit for the California payment. Plus the car would have had 400 miles on it instead of the 40 when I picked it up. YMMV.