I went to the DMV yesterday to get my new car registered. It’s not really new, but my mom’s old 2000 Mitsubishi Montero. I had all of my forms in hand, ready to go. Their hi-tech push-a-button-give-a-number system was down, so I approached the first window to declare my business and get my number.
I presented all of the appropriate paperwork and asked about also turning in the plate for my old car that I sold. I explained to the lady behind the counter that my old car was registered under my maiden name. She asked for my maiden name, which is Wright, and then just happened to ask if I was related to Susan Wright-Garcia (listed on the title for my new car). I told her, yes, that’s my mom. She then asked if I’d like to save $406.00. Duh!
Apparently, sales tax is waived in the state of Kansas if you purchase the car from a “lineal ascendant”. This would be grandparents, parents, son or daughter or their spouses. Siblings, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews do not qualify.
I took the photocopied form from the lady and headed home to fax it to my mom to sign. Now, I am pretty good at researching the proper procedures for dealing with the DMV, especially since their closest office is just far enough away to make the trip a chore. I thought to myself, how could I have missed this? I would have possibly blown an extra $400 if it wasn’t for their faulty hi-tech push-a-button-give-a-number system. So, I went back to their site and looked on the page with all of the instructions for “Titling a Used Vehicle“. Nowhere on this page do they mention this money-saving fact. I searched for the form, which is available on their site as a PDF. The form is TR-215, Affidavit of Relationship.
So, there you go all you used car buying Kansans! Save yourself some money and use that form!