Do I have to pay state tax if I don't want to drive the car?
 

I'm living in MA for the next year and then will be moving back to Ireland. I was going to buy a ZL1 Camaro and possibility a cheap V6 as well with the view to shipping them both back.

I lived in MA from 2011-2012 shipped my 2SS back to Ireland, it was really easy to do and if I can remember all I had to do was give the shipping company my registration and note it as exported.

With the cheap V6 I was just going to garage it and never actually drive it here, if I buy it in say New Hampshire will I still have to pay state tax in MA?

Depends on the state. I live in La. and if I bought one in Tx. The DMV calculates the sales tax based on the sale price of the vehicle when its registered.

If that's how MA does it you may not have too as long as you don't register it.

I know in Tennessee as long as you don't register it you dont have to pay taxes on it. Taxes are paid at time it is registered and you get your tags.

In Texas, I believe you have to pay sales tax to get a title in your name.

Here's my understanding. Others may have better info.

If you buy the car from a dealer in Massachusetts, they will charge you sales tax to get your title even if you never register it. I've had this happen on personal sales of old muscle cars that I didn't need to get plates for yet. You even need to pay sales tax within x days of purchasing the vehicle or there are penalties.

If you buy it from a state with no sales tax (New Hampshire), you will have to pay sales tax when you try to get a Massachusetts title.

The only way to really get around it is to have a residence in New Hampshire that you use when you register it.

I think there may be some exceptions where dealers close to the MA/NH border can sell cars to NH residents and not charge them sales tax.

TN here also. So are you saying that we can apply for the title but not register or License it , without paying sales tax here in TN ?

Not sure about that. All I know is I never paid the taxes on any cars I bought until I went to get it registered, unless the dealer registered it for me. I never tried to get a title without registering one.