Can a WA resident purchase a firearm in Oregon to get around the usage tax?

[j3hill]

Again it is silly to post on the internet doing illegal things even if minor.

Wow, the bureaucrats have you scared don't they?

 

[deen_ad]

<- Why there aren't any school shootings in Israel!
Teacher with long gun slung over her shoulder!!!

Interesting discussion I stirred up here. So the WA Dept of Revenue should be searching everyone that lives in Vancouver, WA and frisking them for their grocery receipts to see what they bought in Portland, right? I'm just going to have the rifle shipped to an FFL here in WA just so its not on my conscience and I'm within the law, especially when it pertains to firearms. But sheesh!.....kinda makes you wonder what they CAN'T tax you on.

At one time WA state sent operatives into OR to watch for people loading goods into their vehicles. Then they would stop them at the toll plaza on the Interstate Bridge and escort them to the tax office to pay the use tax on the goods in their vehicle.


Deen
NRA Life Member, Benefactor Level
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Defender of Freedom Award
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Second Amendment Foundation Member
Washington Arms Collectors Member
Arms Collectors of SW Washington Member

"A gun is like a parachute. If you need one and don't have it, you'll probably never need one again!"

 

[deen_ad]

<- Why there aren't any school shootings in Israel!
Teacher with long gun slung over her shoulder!!!

Since the question here is about a "usage tax" I don't know what the requirement is for the seller, but if the transaction occurs in another state, Washington should have no standing regarding taxes.

If you bring an item into WA they charge a "use tax" on it and it is perfectly legal to do so.

Deen
NRA Life Member, Benefactor Level
NRA Golden Eagle member
Defender of Freedom Award
NRA Recruiter
Second Amendment Foundation Member
Washington Arms Collectors Member
Arms Collectors of SW Washington Member

"A gun is like a parachute. If you need one and don't have it, you'll probably never need one again!"

 

[deen_ad]

<- Why there aren't any school shootings in Israel!
Teacher with long gun slung over her shoulder!!!

We were and maybe still are looking to buy a new motorhome, cost is approaching $500,000. Now, I would love to save the almost 10% that the sales/use tax is going to cost but the fines would more than double the tax bite. Guess we'll wait till we sell the house and move to another state!

Deen
NRA Life Member, Benefactor Level
NRA Golden Eagle member
Defender of Freedom Award
NRA Recruiter
Second Amendment Foundation Member
Washington Arms Collectors Member
Arms Collectors of SW Washington Member

"A gun is like a parachute. If you need one and don't have it, you'll probably never need one again!"

 

[deen_ad]

<- Why there aren't any school shootings in Israel!
Teacher with long gun slung over her shoulder!!!

The only way to avoid the tax is trade--just like a car. Otherwise, you're stuck.

On a trade you owe the tax on the difference between the old and new/newer unit and WA state will set the values used, not some phony bill of sale.

Deen
NRA Life Member, Benefactor Level
NRA Golden Eagle member
Defender of Freedom Award
NRA Recruiter
Second Amendment Foundation Member
Washington Arms Collectors Member
Arms Collectors of SW Washington Member

"A gun is like a parachute. If you need one and don't have it, you'll probably never need one again!"

 

[Provincial]

I was in Washington State in the mid-1980's and had my airplane tied down at a small airport north of Spokane. I am (and was) an Oregon resident and the airplane was registered (and licensed) in Oregon. A Washington State Trooper accosted me about the Oregon registration and threatened to write me up for evading their exhorbitant registration "fee" (tax). I told him that I didn't live there, work there, or use the aircraft to make money there, and since he was being so nice, I would just take my tourist dollars across the border into Idaho, where they were more friendly.

These governments spend themselves into a bite, and then try to shake down everyone for nickels and dimes. California is broke, even though they have an income tax, a sales tax, a property tax, and many other taxes, like gas, hotel, and transportation. Washington isn't far behind.

By the way, the mattress company that got nailed for sales taxes simply declared bankruptcy and the owners started over with a new business name. Washington got pennies on the dollar of sales tax revenue because they were too greedy to settle for an affordable figure.

Washington residents can take their chances, or not, on not declaring their tax obligation. It's their choice. I'm just glad I live where property taxes have limitations and we have enough sense to refuse to authorize a sales tax, much less things like a "use" tax.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Some have had pistols shipped to wa & didn't pay the tax at the FFL. ......

 

[mjbskwim]

When it comes to things like vehicles many people in private sales give the DOL a very different price for the "value" then what was actually paid. Odds of you getting caught and fined are low.

Again it is silly to post on the internet doing illegal things even if minor.

Through personal experience,it depends on the license shop. They are supposed to charge what the book price of the vehicle is. And most do,or get shut down. Yes they will shut down a license store.

I was going to comment on the 'telling the world how you're gunna screw the WA sales tax"
They may have people that have nothing better to do than check places like this.
So tell your story

 

[mjbskwim]

Washington residents can take their chances, or not, on not declaring their tax obligation. It's their choice. I'm just glad I live where property taxes have limitations and we have enough sense to refuse to authorize a sales tax, much less things like a "use" tax.

This is a hoot coming from a state that has income tax hahahahaha

 

[Provincial]

This is a hoot coming from a state that has income tax hahahahaha

This is a hoot coming from a state that collects 122% of the revenue per capita vs. Oregon! You just pay a whole bunch of small taxes and fees that are harder to manage than income tax. Many of these taxes are hidden from the consumer. At least we can plan ahead to manage our tax burden.

 

[Martini_Up]

This is a hoot coming from a state that collects 122% of the revenue per capita vs. Oregon! You just pay a whole bunch of small taxes and fees that are harder to manage than income tax. Many of these taxes are hidden from the consumer. At least we can plan ahead to manage our tax burden.

BOOM! Pass out the aloe as someone got burned!! haha!

 

[8ball]

The DOR requirement that FFLs collect sales tax in WA is political BS. They only introduced it to screw with gun owners in my opinion, because they can. Also, they tax all firearms as gifts, but don't tax other items like cars in the same scenario.

I think it would be a great political win to get some 2A friendly politicians to roll back this tax policy. Why should guns be treated differently to anything else? If I buy a TV out of state, I am obliged to pay use tax. A gun should be no different. If people don't pay the use tax, that's the DORs problem, not the FFL.

 

[John H]

The DOR requirement that FFLs collect sales tax in WA is political BS. They only introduced it to screw with gun owners in my opinion, because they can. Also, they tax all firearms as gifts, but don't tax other items like cars in the same scenario.

.

BS, it is nothing new. The requirement has been around since the use tax was put in place. They only chose to finally " enforce " firearms because they the transactions are traceable and there for enforceable.

 

[GrpCapMandrake]

Interesting discussion I stirred up here. So the WA Dept of Revenue should be searching everyone that lives in Vancouver, WA and frisking them for their grocery receipts to see what they bought in Portland, right? I'm just going to have the rifle shipped to an FFL here in WA just so its not on my conscience and I'm within the law, especially when it pertains to firearms. But sheesh!.....kinda makes you wonder what they CAN'T tax you on.

Groceries (i.e. food items, not prepared or junk food)are non-taxable. So an attempt to frisk everyone for grocery receipts would be an utter waste of time and resources.

If you are really curious about taxation and what they can't tax you on I found the following, http://dor.wa.gov/Content/FindTaxesAndRates/RetailSalesTax/Exemptions.aspx

May be useful, however I did not have time to go through it all.

 

[jekbrown]

It is also illegal to avoid taxes that are due.

Indeed, thankfully legality and morality ate two different things. Slavery and Nazi crap were both entirely legal. Moral? Not so much.

IMO taxing a Right is unconstitutional because it discriminates against the poor...stripping them off the ability to exersize their Rights, practically, by unnecessarily increasing costs. Equal protection and all that.

At any rate, having been born/raised in Vancouver, I can tell ya... ain't no one paying taxes on stuff they buy in Oregon, unless it's something that has to be registered with the government (cars) and there are no alternatives. Every single resident of Vancouver is "guilty" of the heinous crime if sales tax evasion. No question in my mind. If they weren't, both Hayden island and the development on airport way would close down over night. Dodging the tax on guns may be unwise, but let's not kid ourselves. Even government hacks at the DOR aren't paying sales tax when they buy stuff in Oregon.

 

[Redcap]

Hell, I bought most of my equipment as well as all of the building materials for my house down in Oregon. The joys of having a Peterbilt and lowboy/flatbed trailers.

 

[gmerkt]

If you buy the gun through a third party site (like Gunbroker, et al), appropriate sales taxes will be collected as part of that purchase process.

It is also illegal to avoid taxes that are due. Just because you transfer the gun in OR you are still legally bound to pay the tax on that item in WA. This is for any item.

Like vehicles. Buy a 1935 Lincoln for $68K, you're gonna pay that $6,800 tax. If you bought it out of state, the DOL will sock you for the tax when you try to register it in Wash.

The one thing the Wash. state legislature hasn't gotten around to is sales tax on precious metals. Although it was a hidden add-on to one of the failed assault rifle bans a few years back. They'll probably get around to it sooner or later; they never saw a tax they didn't like and they especially like small constituencies.

 

[slimmer13]

There should be a old bubblegum thread tax.

 

[ma96782]

And that also goes for......especially NOT on the internet......about engaging in possibly other shady $@8* too.

Aloha, Mark

 

[coop44]

Uh-huh Show up and pay the tax I'll get right on that.
Here's a thought. If you do show up to pay the tax. Do you think they would freak out?