Why do every single supercars I see have Montana plates?
Posted by AfricanHater@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 168 comments
Like I went to a car show this week and I noticed that all the super cars I saw had Montana plates. Is it like a gentleman agreement for all super cars owner to have their own super car register in Montana?
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
You must be on the West coast, CA in particular.
MT is where you register a vehicle as a business to avoid paying CA taxes and getting CA inspections.
MarcusAurelius0@reddit
See it all the time in NY as well.
AcanthisittaFine7697@reddit
In New Jersey, I always see migrant workers using Pennsylvania plates. Pretty much any "hood" area will have P.A . Plates, actually . I can't figure out why their doing it.
ktappe@reddit
You see PA tags in Delaware too. Something about inspections. I think if they register it in Pennsylvania and then keep it in Delaware, neither state ends up inspecting the car.
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
Immigrant status has nothing to do with it.
Taxes (property in particular) is significantly lower in PA. So much so that fuel and vehicle wear-and-tear is cheaper. So folks commute.
Years ago I had a very non-immigrant corporate boss who drove 90 minutes each way from PA to NJ to avoid living in NJ and paying NJ property taxes.
Had been doing it most of his career.
SigmaPiGammaIota@reddit
I have friends that lived in Jersey. Their house was roughly the same size as mine. I paid $2200/year in property taxes for county, local and school. My friends taxes were over $24,000 per year, almost 12 times my taxes. They now live in PA and telecommute.
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
Yep. Most folks don't know until they get shown the light. And then it's obvious.
jjrruan@reddit
at that point does gas cancel out the difference u pay in taxes??
TeamDisrespect@reddit
Car insurance is also about one half to 2/3 cheaper in PA than jersey. I sell insurance on the PA side but close enough to NJ to see plenty of quotes for both daily and it’s astounding
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
Gas wasn't $4+ a gallon back then ;-)
bondkiller@reddit
There is a Subaru Sambar kei truck that I see on the road around me in the Buffalo area, even it has Montana plates on it.
pisspeeleak@reddit
How bad are CA taxes? I’m not in the US so we pay a flat 12% on used cars, new cars have more taxes but registering in a different province won’t change that, only purchase location matters.
Insurance is a whole different thing but I’m going to assume that you didn’t mean insurance because that’s not a tax
Unusual-External4230@reddit
This isn't always about taxes, the reason you see it commonly with enthusiast cars in CA is due to smog regulations. A lot of classic and imported cars (think JDM) won't meet smog regulations for one reason or another, people register then in Montana to avoid having to smog the vehicle because it wouldn't pass.
I have no doubt people are doing it to evade paying sales/use tax in a lot of situations, but evading smog testing is a big reason for a lot of them. CA has pretty restrictive regulations on old cars.
Porschenut914@reddit
its mostly the sales tax when buying
fdot1234@reddit
My 23 year old Boxster was $240 for tags this year. I have to smog it next year, so that’ll be another $40-$50…
pisspeeleak@reddit
You have to smog test little cars too? I mean I’m not going to lie, I think airfare should be brought back here for diesel trucks because rolling coal is gross, it’s become less common as diesel exceeded gas prices though so most probably just changed their tune back to normal
fdot1234@reddit
Everything newer than 1975 for gasoline vehicles and like 198 or something for diesel passenger vehicles gets smogged
pisspeeleak@reddit
Weird how diesel gets more of a pass
HoneyBadgerPanda@reddit
Yes and no it’s easier. For personal vehicles, the older diesels didn’t have the environmental stuff the new diesels have so older diesels are 95% visual inspection. I have a 99 diesel truck and inspection goes: pop the hood and look for obvious aftermarket parts on the engine, check for signs of tuning equipment, check to see how many catalytic converters the vehicle had when built and verify it matches, do a 3 rev pedal test to check for black smoke and dissipation rate. That’s it.
Newer diesels are more intimidate. They scan all your environmental stuff and make sure it’s working and has sufficient history of data. They scan the ECU to see if it has been recently cleared or overwritten. This is the biggest change has it can take up to a 1,000 miles to reset the ECU if you had a tune and then wiped it for smog inspection.
For commercial diesels CA says no and won’t renew your registration if the vehicle is too old. And if you had it registered commercial and want to make it personal it’s a hassle. Lots of people just sold vehicles to Mexico when this started as it was easier to buy a new commercial vehicle then go through the process.
Dave_A480@reddit
Thousands of dollars every year for registration.....
withsexyresults@reddit
What car are you driving that it’s thousands/year?
aloofman75@reddit
We have two new-ish cars and pay about $700/yr. I don’t know how many or how pricy this guy’s cars are that he’s paying thousands.
Dave_A480@reddit
CA has some of the highest car tabs in the country...
WA is close - I just happen to live outside the RTA tax zone, so I don't have to pay $500/yr for an 05 pickup truck... The folks who voted for light-rail on the other hand, get railed (as do their neighbors who voted 'NO')....
withsexyresults@reddit
Have a 50k SUV and a 40k car and reg for both combined renewal was like 1k. Unless you have a lambo, renewals won’t hit thousands. CA also has highest paying jobs so renewals are negligible in grand scheme
Affalt@reddit
On June 20, 2003 California's governor Gray Davis approved a tripling of the vehicle license fee. 110 days later, Californians voted to recall Gov David and replace him with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The fee increase tripled the vehicle license fee for the average car owner, and began appearing in renewal notices starting August 1, 2003.
On November 17, 2003, just after his inauguration, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-1-03, rescinding the vehicle license fee retroactive to October 1, 2003,
Many puns about Running Man and Total Recall were had in 2003.
FearDaTusk@reddit
I paid about $35 for each of my cars here. AR. 😅
AlwaysBagHolding@reddit
I pay about that in Tennessee, except for my old cars that I only had to pay 35 once and got permanent tags.
Covid was great for a large hooptie fleet owner such as myself, they waived all the state fees so I was paying like $3.75 per vehicle for 2-3 years.
pisspeeleak@reddit
God damn, I was under the impression that your lack of social services meant that you had lower taxes. I live in BC and I pay $0 for registration/year. It’s registered by the first owner in the province and then you never have to worry about that again. Get your car up to provincial standards and they never check again either. I bought a JDM, the importer did the provincial inspection so it could be insured and I just drive it like normal. I gave it to my brother, signed the pink slip and that was that, he didn’t pay a cent. No toll roads either.
I guess our gas is more expensive though (1.27 -1.80/L is what I’ve seen in the last week)
Do all states have registration fees? Do you at least have immaculate roads down there? I know Washington isn’t that great since they use concrete on the I5 instead of asphalt
Dave_A480@reddit
That's *California* registration. It's not typical of the US. The other thing Cali does that is atypical, is the registration follows the vehicle - so if you buy a used car with past-due registration you have to pay the back-tax before you can put the car in your name.
All states have some sort of registration fee.... It's used to pay for the license-plate system & support state/local road projects (along with the gas tax).
It's usually under $100/yr, but CA and NY are outliers.
For WA it varies by county - the counties with extensive public transit (Pierce, King, Snohomish) formed a regional-transit-agency that collects several-hundred-per-year-per-car in registration fees based on the blue-book value of the car...
But the rest of the state it's under $100/yr...
AGreatBandName@reddit
NY annual registration fees aren’t based on the value of the vehicle, they’re just done by weight. A 4000 lb vehicle should be under $100 a year, even in NYC. I drive a boring sedan and don’t live in NYC and my reg fee was under $30/year when I just did it a couple months back.
That’s for normal passenger cars anyway, I’m not rich enough to know if there’s special rules for Ferraris or some such.
pisspeeleak@reddit
Maybe it’s just a different method of tax collection then since ours is done through gas taxes rather than anual registration fees
sdmike1@reddit
I pay a few hundred dollars per year for my $40-$50,000 cars. I’m not sure of the exact calculation because that is made up of a combination of fees and taxes, but most certainly a supercar will be much more expensive
AlwaysBagHolding@reddit
It’s a sales tax dodge, that’s the big hit on a high value car. You might have cheap yearly registration, but you probably paid a lot when you initially bought it, unless you’re in a no sales tax state.
pisspeeleak@reddit
Is your insurance cheap at least? For a car like you’re talking about it would probably be around $300/mo with a clean record here
sactownbwoy@reddit
Registration is a percentage of the MSRP of the car. It goes down a little bit every year.
People mostly do it to avoid that paying the high registration fees.
xXxDickBonerz69xXx@reddit
Its super common in Georgia too.
Its literally in every state with rich assholes who don't want to pay their share.
Pelvis-Wrestly@reddit
Hey please tell us what is their “fair share”? How much of a “rich assholes” money are you entitled to?
joenationwide@reddit
A fair share is to pay property tax on your vehicle just like everyone else. Why should a rich person not have to pay property tax on their vehicle?
GrtWhite77@reddit
Or afford the lawyer to avoid paying taxes. Because it pays people not government
timotheusd313@reddit
How about everything past one billion. You can’t get that rich without abusing working people like you and me.
Pelvis-Wrestly@reddit
What if you got it by investing? How is that abusive?
FlashCrashBash@reddit
Nah I looked into doing this for a couple clunkers. State inspections are a racket and I’m sick of them.
beaushaw@reddit
I am ok with people doing this to avoid smog inspections for old cars. The cars are getting driven so little the emissions do not really matter.
I am not ok with people doing it to avoid taxes.
pessimistoptimist@reddit
you mean rich assholes who can afford to use the loopholes to avoid paying their share. no one wants to pay taxes but you need enough money so that what you spend on avoiding taxes is less than what you would pay in taxes.
AlwaysBagHolding@reddit
Living in Tennessee, it would cost me significantly more to register my vehicles in Montana, over 10x more for the first one. The cost would drop for each subsequent vehicle, but it’s still a lot more than I pay now.
Scout413@reddit
The way Georgia does registration is stupid expensive for anything worth a little bit of money. So I get using your Montana LLC for the cars. I don't like paying more taxes than I have to and I'm a mailman in TN so.. I mean it makes sense.
RasilBathbone@reddit
If you can afford the car you can afford the taxes.
Tangboy50000@reddit
It’s also because a lot of these cars aren’t legal to drive here, because they never submitted cars to the NHTSA or IIHS for testing. Lots of Nissan skylines imported from Japan have Montana plates.
Unusual-External4230@reddit
The 25 year rule means that the car can be imported once it hits 25 years old, I'd guarantee every Skyline or other JDM import you see meets this rule. The Montana registration has to do with them being unable to pass smog testing. These are federal rules, not state.
NCSUGrad2012@reddit
If it’s over 25 years old then it’s legal
RasilBathbone@reddit
Not in California.
MusicalTiki@reddit
Geez that’s awful. I assume emission compliance due to age?
Unusual-External4230@reddit
He's wrong. Imports are absolutely legal in CA provided they meet smog requirements.
RasilBathbone@reddit
Mostly. I think there's some safety regulations involved as well.
TeamDisrespect@reddit
It’s legal for show and display - not as an every day or every weekend driver
GeoHog713@reddit
I bought the rule was "half your age plus seven".
AlwaysBagHolding@reddit
Which is why I register all my cool Japanese imports in my 3 year olds name.
cat_prophecy@reddit
If the car isn't legal to drive here, then it's illegal by federal law, not state law. DOT, NHSTA, and EPA are federal regulations. If the car was never import certified, it doesn't matter where you register it, it's still illegal.
Vyke-industries@reddit
MT has no sales tax on passenger vehicles. No emissions checks either.
Automatic_Mulberry@reddit
To be clear, CA doesn't like this, and it's possible to get cited for doing it. By the rules, if a car "lives" in CA, CA expects it to be registered in CA. Lots of people get away with the MT loophole, but it's not strictly legal.
Bi-mwm-47@reddit
If the car’s owner lives in CA. The CA DMV’s New To California page is very careful to not address the edge case of residents who neither own nor lease the vehicle(s) they drive.
If you execute the “loophole” properly, you set up an LLC in Montana, title and register the vehicle in the LLC’s name, and have no lease agreement between yourself and the LLC.
Helpinmontana@reddit
Is this something about states not regulating interstate commerce?
I’m a Montana resident who’s been curious about this for awhile. We have the so called “millionaires tax” that charges a registration against vehicles over $250,000 (I believe) but this question still gets asked all the time. I’m guessing they can declare a lower value or avoid it some other way, or it’s just peanuts compared to their own state taxes.
crushedrancor@reddit
California and Washington have a yearly asset tax based on vehicles value, paying a one time fee is nothing in comparison.
Available-Coconut-86@reddit
Same here in NC. You pay property tax each year just like real estate tax.
Zonernovi@reddit
WA severely underestimated my car’s value. Wife’s NX tag is more.
-seabass@reddit
People are extremely public about this and seem to have no issues. It’s discussed openly by people with big YouTube followings who live in California and have expensive cars registered to LLCs in Montana.
superPlasticized@reddit
The California law has been changed to "primarily garaged" (with a broad definition of "garaged") for 20 consecutive days. The person garaging the vehicle is subject to paying the tax or the car may be impounded and the owner of the LLC must come to recover the vehicle and pay the back taxes.
DishRelative5853@reddit
Will insurance cover you if you are at fault in an accident?
Bi-mwm-47@reddit
Just as the car is owned by the LLC, it is insured by the LLC. The LLC needs to make sure the insurer has an accurate understanding of who’s driving the car and where it’s garaged.
Decent-Damage5544@reddit
Yep this kind of insurance isn’t done by your standard auto carriers it’s specialty insurers who all know the game and understand the loophole.
Charlie3006@reddit
We just notified our existing insurance carrier of the LLC and related details. The agent initially thought we would need a new policy, but after talking to the higher-ups, no change was needed. Our premium didn't even change. This is from one of the big insurance carriers that operates across the US.
pessimistoptimist@reddit
yes i believe this is the correct way...then it is the companies car and not yours.
MindlessEvening@reddit
It’s really the case all over the country, it just gets selectively enforced like a lot of traffic/auto related things. I got stopped at a checkpoint in Charlotte, NC while I was there as an out-of-state student and the cop gave me shit for having Michigan license & registration.
SmoothSlavperator@reddit
If you have a supercar and you care enough about money to go through the trouble of registering it in MT, you're probably not putting a lot of miles on it and it probably lives in a garage where its not being seen.
The likelihood of it drawing attention is pretty low.
ISwearMyRX7Runs@reddit
You also dont pay sales tax which is the main reason you see that for high value cars.
beaushaw@reddit
Almost every MT plate in CA you see is some rich dickhead stealing from the state.
Welcome to the US where rich people do not need to pair their fair share.
Cheeko914@reddit
It's registering to a company, not a business. Business implies that the company is generating income, the Montana loophole uses Asset Holding LLC's which are non-revenue generating.
thefirewiredguy@reddit
🤫
apartmentthrowaway17@reddit
People in NYC do similar things.
Gunk_Olgidar@reddit
People will do it when there's enough of a financial and or inspection/regulatory incentive to do it. And costal "blue" cities offer plenty. NYC is brutal on taxes and NY State inspections are not quite CA bad, but they're enough for some.
Roqjndndj3761@reddit
I see them out east, too.
Diogenes256@reddit
Common in UT too.
beastpilot@reddit
It's 100% illegal in CA, but people try.
_imyour_dad@reddit
No sales tax in MT and lax laws in terms of establishing an LLC that you can register a car to
smthngeneric@reddit
Taxes are only half of it. It also has to do with emissions and being able to actually drive your car.
pleasurefeather@reddit
It's 30-60 bucks for emissions is ca I don't know what kind of cars you're talking about but the taxes on a super car are SIGNIFICANTLY more than that.
smthngeneric@reddit
The issue isn't the price it's the fact that any and all mods have to be CARB approved and if they're not you can get state ref'd and that's a whole other level of pain in the ass.
PinkGreen666@reddit
If it’s more modern supercars it’s likely more taxes than emissions.
smthngeneric@reddit
Not in California where your 100% stock car can be state ref'd and becomes illegal to drive.
withsexyresults@reddit
No it wont. It’s to dodge taxes
Vyke-industries@reddit
It’s both. A stock Elantra N was state ref’d in CA because of the active exhaust. Same with anything ford or dodge with a supercharger.
riccum@reddit
Idk much about super cars but have you not heard the stock Veloster N that got state ref’d and Hyundai ended up buying the car back?
kilertree@reddit
Porsche had issues getting their car sold in Cali. Granted do you count Porsches as supercars. https://www.thedrive.com/news/41092/manual-2022-porsche-911-gt3-wont-be-sold-in-california-because-its-too-loud
withsexyresults@reddit
Don’t really consider p cars as supercars but also that’s outdated. The ban was lifted and 22 manuals were sold in ca
RasilBathbone@reddit
Bullshit.
RWD-by-the-Sea@reddit
LOL no
SteelFlexInc@reddit
There’s a guy in my town that has a 98 Acty with Montana plates and when I was talking to him he definitely admitted to having an LLC in Montana just for it. He lives many states away and just does handyman work
aarraahhaarr@reddit
Montana doesn't have a sales tax, but they do have a "service fee" that is a percentage of the sale price of the vehicle.
edgefull@reddit
they increased registration fees on cars over a certain value which wipes out some of the sales/use tax benefits.
Charlie3006@reddit
Can you cite this? The only info listed is age based and not value.
Tape_Face42@reddit
Only if the vehicle is over a certain value.
SimilarTranslator264@reddit
You don’t have to be rich you just have to be smart.
Trucking companies have been buying Maine trailer tags for decades. They are cheaper and were one of the first states to offer long term plates. My state required putting the dumbass stickers on every tag at renewal time.
People blame rich people when it’s all relative. $30,000 tax bill to one person might be the same as a $3000 bill to you. If cali or NY wants to make these rules there is always someone that will find a way. Airplanes are registered in Delaware for the same reason.
RasilBathbone@reddit
Tax fraud is not "smart". It's crime.
SimilarTranslator264@reddit
Well in order for it to be “fraud” you need to prove it. So if I start a legal LLC in Montana and register a vehicle to that company you need to prove it isn’t being used there. I have friends in SanDiego that have lived there for 45yrs and has always had an AZ license and tags, so good luck. This is far more common than you think.
RasilBathbone@reddit
It's still fraud even when you don't get caught. And if he files an insurance claim, that'll probably be fraudulent too, since he's probably lying to his insurance company the same way he's lying to California.
wickedcold@reddit
Apportioned registrations etc are not tax fraud though. And you still have to report mileage for the states you drive in and pay their road taxes.
SimilarTranslator264@reddit
Trailers dumbass. I don’t report mileage per trailer. The point is like Montana, Maine figured out that people would register their trailers in their state to avoid the dumbass rules of another state. So if a company has 13,000 trailers they will send the tag money to them.
If California wants to have equally dumbass rules then they should be prepared for smart people to avoid them and other less restrictive states to take advantage.
Porschenut914@reddit
The trucks still have to be DOR registered so it is less and not the same.
SimilarTranslator264@reddit
Which is why I said trailers.
wickedcold@reddit
Registering your trailer in ME if you operate your business in MA is considered tax fraud by MA and not legal.
If it were so cut and dried legally you’d see large national transport companies registering their entire fleets in ME to save a ton yet they don’t. Like Walmart for example.
Maybe I’m wrong and maybe I’m an idiot. Name calling is pretty low class so congratulations. Would you speak to me like that to me in person if we were on the street?Going to take a wild guess on your voting tendencies.
GrimSpirit42@reddit
Many people will create a business (LLC) in Montana for tax purposes. (Depending on where you are, California for example, it's for tax AVOIDANCE purposes.)
That Lambo is a 'company vehicle'.
xampl9@reddit
The states are onto this strategy. Places like NYC are very aggressive in going after people they think are residents. (An extension of the “jock tax” principle) If you go there regularly, be sure to document when you enter/leave the city. Buy gas in NJ so you have a receipt…
BRICH999@reddit
Tax evasion, same reason all commercial trailers used to be registered to maine.
TweeksTurbos@reddit
They cant afford the taxes/reg fees in their home state, or they are dodging emissions.
opbmedia@reddit
Not every. Some of us work dealer plates lol
AlwaysBagHolding@reddit
Dealer plates are the holy grail, you don’t even need to register every car, just slap it on whatever the hell you want to drive.
opbmedia@reddit
You don't have to pay sales tax or individual insurance either, which is the way bigger savings.
Gladiz1972@reddit
I never see that here in South FL must be a CA thing
mshorts@reddit
Florida registration fees are very low.
Porschenut914@reddit
its all over.
kyrosnick@reddit
Montana is super cheap to register cars as others have said. I think in range of $20-30 a year. In Arizona for example, my $200k 911 Turbo S runs $1800 a year for registration, so if I put Montana plates on it, would save a good chunk of change a year. I actually have property and have family in Montana, and considered it, but decided not too as it is kind of being a dick and scamming the system. Now if I lived in Montana 4-6 months a year, I would do it, but not there yet.
mx5plus2cones@reddit
rich people who are cheap and don't want to pay their fair share of car registration feels in CA
Consistent-Movie-229@reddit
I wonder it you could make arrangements to have someone to send you a gas receipt from a Montana gas station once a week to "show" the car was recently in Montana.
CaptainKrakrak@reddit
Rich crooks avoiding paying their fair share as usual.
ethantremblayyy@reddit
insane that all the poor people in the comments think this is why they’re poor. “those people’s monies should be going to me!”
IntheOlympicMTs@reddit
It’s how the rich stay rich. Evade paying taxes among other methods for exploitation
TuftsofGoo@reddit
I mean, California’s laws are insane. You have a duty to disobey those.
530nairb@reddit
If you can’t afford the plate you can’t afford the car.
TuftsofGoo@reddit
Untrue actually, lots of ways to get around it
kc_kr@reddit
It’s not just CA - every super car here in Kansas City has Montana plates too.
liftguy111@reddit
I have a Montana LLC and I registered a couple of trucks there. My main truck that I drive almost every day is registered in Nevada. I use a friend’s address and had to get the insurance for it in Nevada. It’s an 06 and the truck is timed out of CA because of age of the truck. My other friend has a buddy that lives in Bozeman, MT and he has a Montana driver’s license.
edgefull@reddit
is there any concern that insurance won't cover say the NV vehicle given it's not in NV very often?
Porschenut914@reddit
https://www.jalopnik.com/the-pitfalls-of-the-montana-license-plate-scam-1711216059/
Yes it can be an issue for the insurance. As well as IRS since its a company that doesn't actually do any business.
RasilBathbone@reddit
It shouldn't. It's fraudulently registered there.
Tape_Face42@reddit
Who did you use as your registered agent?
Jewish_Asshoel@reddit
I used Dirt Legal. 3 dirt bikes, and an RV, saved a lot of money too.
Adolin_Kohlin@reddit
Because you live in Montana?
MEMExplorer@reddit
To skirt taxes and high registration fees
Sure_Acanthaceae_348@reddit
They’re too poor to pay the taxes.
ScaryfatkidGT@reddit
Tax evasion lol
No-Activity3547@reddit
If you drive a vehicle in California they can technically get you for emissions, tint. Anything. Don’t matter if you’re here visiting from a different state. Many ppl have gotten reffed even with out of state plates
You-cant-handle-my@reddit
No tax
mothboy@reddit
I went to an unamed auto museum yesterday, and was explaining to my friends that exact same thing, why all the super cars on display had Montana plates.
Solid_Enthusiasm550@reddit
Must live near montana. I've never seen one in jersey.
Superlooie@reddit
They are very common all throughout the state of California. Especially in high-end exotics or heavily modified vehicles.
FutureHendrixBetter@reddit
Nope seen a Ferrari in Virginia with it
Surround8600@reddit
Tax free. / cheap asses
Ok_Ordinary6694@reddit
I wonder if Montana would investigate a Lambo stolen in San Diego.
wickedcold@reddit
Because rich assholes don’t mind ripping off the rest of us mortals to be just a little bit more rich.
Shake307@reddit
Montana has no sales tax. Just set up an LLC in Montana and buy whatever you want through your "company". It won't matter where the car is located because it is owned by a company based in Montana.
peacocks_cant_fly@reddit
I see many MT plates by my house in CA. I would say mostly taxes/registration, because most are pedestrian luxury cars no one mods. A handful are probably more for emissions. One car I see often has the Montana plate with an 11--99 foundation plate frame. Smart, cheat and bribe CHP to avoid being pulled over. I don't know if that is what 11-99 is really about, it just seems that way.
RasilBathbone@reddit
Tax fraud.
edgefull@reddit
realistically, these MT cars aren't sitting on a street. they're in a cushy garage, being driven rarely, so the risk of the authorities getting on you is reduced. some areas have fairly forgiving authorities. i had a neighbor who got turned in for his OR plates because it was retribution for something he did to a neighbor. otherwise i doubt very much he'd have had to do that... and those were parked on the street.
not advocating breaking the law, but just insight into how it can continue to work for those engaged in it.
TwitchCaptain@reddit
Because California legislature hates California citizens.
tads73@reddit
I saw a Lamborghini in Newport RI with Montana plates! Lot of oil wealth in Montana and Wyoming.
Chockfullofnutmeg@reddit
These people have nothing to do with Montana. Just the LLC they formed there for the plate.
tads73@reddit
Have it your way. When you getting your Lamborghini?
Porschenut914@reddit
no they register an LLc in montana and then move the car. illegal in RI.
https://www.jalopnik.com/the-pitfalls-of-the-montana-license-plate-scam-1711216059/
tads73@reddit
Well, the source of wealth is where the money comes from to buy it. Doesn't matter if they pay you to register it, you still need a source of bug money
Porschenut914@reddit
99% of these people have no connection to montana. They aren't some oil baron in Newport. you get the plate in the mail.
tads73@reddit
Have it your way dude.
Porschenut914@reddit
its a scam to get around paying taxes and registration fees. Montana doesn't care. they get the LLC and registration fees. but 99% of these people aren't keeping their cars 6 months of the year in Montana.
https://www.jalopnik.com/the-pitfalls-of-the-montana-license-plate-scam-1711216059/
for those in the back, the law in Montana doesn't apply in other states.
Ok-Situation-9199@reddit
Because they’re in Montana!
Global-Structure-539@reddit
Montana has no sales tax or personal property tax
RedditBeginAgain@reddit
MT does not charge sales tax when registering a car and will let non residents register a car to a largely fictional MT LLC. If you live in a high tax location and buy a $300,000 car your temptation to skip a $30,000 tax bill is high.
Your temptation is likely especially high as many people who can afford super cars have spent a lifetime shuffling money between largely fictional LLCs to minimize tax.
Smart_History4444@reddit
no sales tax, no emissions, no inspections. On supercar sales tax ADDS UP. That's why they do it. But I read online, especially in California, that they are cracking down on this it is illegal.
6speeddakota@reddit
It's a way to dodge sales tax, emissions testing, inspections, etc. as well as cheaper registration. In Montana, all you need to do is set up an LLC and you can register a car under said LLC. It's a loophole a lot of high end car owners use.
cans-of-swine@reddit
Google it for full answer. But basically its because of taxes.