Tanin JDM provides an exceptional service in clearing all of the customs and import paperwork and converting that into a USA title from Wisconsin. This greatly simplifies the process to transfer the vehicle and title into the state of your choice. If you live in Wisconsin, GREAT! All we need to do is sign the title over to you and you can register it like a normal vehicle and apply for collector plates. What happens if you don’t live in Wisconsin?
How do you register a car in Montana if you don’t live there?
Enter https://1dollarmontana.com/
While we have never used their services or this process there are many people who have. In our research this is the best company to use because there are a lot of them doing the same thing in Montana. They are also a family owned business. The short answer is that you pay $1049 for their complete services. This service includes creating a Montana LLC and also registering your new car. Their handle all the paperwork and go to the DMV for you. The best part of all of this is the only thing they need from you is a picture of the front and back of our Wisconsin title.
What happens when I get Montana license plates?
Without getting into the complete legalese of the entire process they will issue you a Montana state title and Montana license plates. Your car is now legal to drive in any state no matter where you actually reside. The best part is you never have to leave your home during this process. We can even send the photos of the title to 1dollarmontana on your behalf.
Do people use Montana LLC’s to avoid paying sales tax?
Montana is a no sales tax state. That means if you purchase a car for $10,000 then you typically need to pay your local DMV the state sales tax rate. In Wisconsin this is 5.5%. If you do the math this is about $500 in sales tax you need to pay. While it’s true that some people abuse this service and register $1,000,000 exotic cars it’s not exactly illegal and there is a lot of gray area to it.
The purpose of registering a JDM car in Montana is NOT to avoid sales tax
You aren’t going to be paying a million dollars for your JDM car so your intention isn’t to avoid paying sales tax in your home state. You are just trying to simplify the registration process. Diesel vehicles are usually exempt from any emissions anyways across the country as long as the car or truck is over a certain age. The intention is also not to avoid EPA regulations or emissions testing either. The real reason for registering your JDM car in Montana is to simplify the title and registration process.
Why Montana, why not other states?
You can use a lot of different states across the country to register your JDM car. Some that we can think of would be Florida, Arizona, Washington, South Dakota, Vermont, and others. The issue with some of those is you need to complete the paperwork in person or go to the DMV in person. Some also require an inspection, or inspection by law enforcement. This isn’t very convenient if you live in another state. You can research other states to register your JDM car in, but our thoughts are Montana is the best option all around.
What happens if I get pulled over in my home state?
We can’t provide legal advice or information, but from the stories we have read and seen law enforcement typically doesn’t care where your car is registered as long as it’s up to date and current. It is true California is cracking down on registrations like these, but again it’s typically focuses on the people trying to evade state sales tax, not someone registering a 30 year old Japanese Toyota.
The other benefit of using 1 Dollar Montana is you get an actual LLC
If you really want to get technical then you can look at it from the point of view that your newly formed Montana LLC actually owns the vehicle, not you personally as an individual. You can cushion your liability by creating a vehicle lease or rental from your new Montana LLC to you personally. Then you have legal paperwork that you are just renting or leasing this vehicle from an LLC.
There’s a lot to unpack and think about here. There are also multiple ways to get the job done. What are your thoughts on registering a JDM car in the US? Do you have any personal stories. Comment and tell us below!