Tags in Ga or Fl?

DizzyIzzy · 11-13-2007, 09:13 AM

I live in Georgia. And Georgia say noway can I tag it without having commercial insurance. I have GMAC right now. Now I could sign the title over to my dad and have him try in Florida. I need to know how difficult it is to tag it in Florida. Georgia is a pain. They quoted me $1400 to tag my bus and for me to get Commercial insurance it is like $2000 a yr. If I can't tag it this week I am going to have to sell it. I am in a bad spot and need my bus legal. I wish I could tag it in Georgia. It sucks to not be able to tag it .

phillbus914 · 11-13-2007, 09:45 AM

Ask someone at the DMV what the requirements are to get your bus titled as a motor home. Try calling them, seems you will usually get a different answer with each person you talk to.

Thats how mine is titled/registered, my tags are only $75-ish/year.

It's going to vary from state to state, I don't know of anyone else in GA that could give more info.

I did a quick google search and found this... "Questions about registering, titling, and tagging your custom-built, hobby, or antique car should be directed to your county tax commissioner. This office can also tell you the specific fees involved to register and title your vehicle."

I'd say try them...

div3 · 12-05-2007, 10:13 AM

Did you ever get anywhere? I am starting the process and am aware of the pains of getting insurance. Since mine is a 14 passenger I do not need a cdl liscence and am hoping to avoid the commercial designation. they want me to email them pictures right now but it is in the shop.

DizzyIzzy · 12-06-2007, 11:53 AM

So far I have found no way around it being a Bus. Georgia says once a bus always a bus $1100 please. I might sign it over to friend in Oregon to get the right title then have him sign it back to me to skip the run-a-round. Unfortunately that in itself is a run-a-round.

DizzyIzzy · 03-05-2008, 11:05 AM

I have contacted everyone from Georgia on this board to ask how they tagged their bus. I have had many talks with Tax commissioner who is a friend of the family. No luck! The state says that it can only be tagged by a bus company or school;.and that a bus is a bus is a bus no exceptions. I need to tag this beast. I have been living in it now for almost 3 months and been building it up. I would hate to have to move out and sell it. I so need advice. Should I move to another state? That would kill my social and financial life. I am at a dead end. Should I send the title to someone else and get them to tag it in their state? I have my dad in Florida and a bro in Oregon.

I have it insured I just need tags. Please help if you can!!!!

phillbus914 · 03-05-2008, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DizzyIzzy

Should I send the title to someone else and get them to tag it in their state? I have my dad in Florida and a bro in Oregon.

I have it insured I just need tags. Please help if you can!!!!

That's what I'd do. I think it's pretty straight forward in Michigan. Only drawback is you'd have to pay state tax (6%) on the "sale price" When I buy a car I usually put that I paid $100 - $200 so my tax is only 6-12 bucks. Then they charge you a $15 title transfer fee.

Jason leaves his buses titled as buses - for non commercial use. When I did mine almost 4 years ago I had to fill out a form stating that I converted it into a motorhome - no inspection was needed and no insurance is needed unless you get it registered here. I don't know if the laws have changed since then. "train-train" - a member on here bought a bus last year, you might want to check with them & see how they titled their bus and ask if they had to have it inspected.

I'd love to help you out but I'd hate for something to go wrong...

lapeer20m · 03-05-2008, 11:35 AM

i just titled my new bus in michigan a couple months ago as a non-commercial bus. This is the 3rd such vehicle i titled this way. My registration fee is like $27/yr or something rediculous. It costs more to register my vw golf.

if i were you i would have no problem going ot another state and getting it registerd. There was a guy living in illinios who registered his bus in michigan because it was cheaper and easier.

you may have to actually visit the state in which you register the vehicle, that would certianly be the easiest way to do it.

Redbear · 03-08-2008, 03:40 PM

I just looked at the Georgia Department of Revenue website, and they have listed $20 "Private School Bus" tags (plus local assessment, whatever that might be). If you can wrangle these, "only immediate family members" may ride with you.

I was interested in whether they require you to have GA license, Title, and tags if you are a resident (you do, 30 days to get them). They do not require "non-residents" (employed in GA plus kids in school ) or "visitors" to get GA tags.

A couple of thoughts: My brother-in-law left South Carolina last fall to full-time in his motor home. He became a South Dakota "resident" and got his plates in the mail. He did have to visit SD long enough to visit DMV for an eye test for his driver's license. A lot of other full-timers become Texas "residents." There are legal and financial considerations to any move, but this might be an option.

Another possibility I hate to suggest: If the law allows, "sell" your skoolie as scrap to a licensed dismantler, then "buy" it back with a salvage title, and "build" it into a motorhome. A lot of paperwork, and probable inpections. I would think selling it to a family member who can retitle it, and then buying it back would be easier and less risky. Or donate it to your father, and have him let you drive it.

Good luck.

DizzyIzzy · 08-08-2008, 01:00 AM

Well not tagged yet since currently not insured. But I did get the title changed to Ga. And it is titled now as a Recreation truck. Now I don't need to get the CDL. But due to buying it out of state and from a company I have to pay $300 in taxes but after that it will be $25 a yr.

keith · 11-07-2008, 10:13 AM

i just brought a bus in to ga from al and it only cost me $38.00 for reg and $25.00 for the tag and insur was $455.00 a yr and its title has a bus...once a bus its aways a bus,but no cdls req.so that took a lot off of my mine,after reading all you guys troubles
thanks the renegade
oh i have seats for sale 94 blue bird tc2000

DizzyIzzy · 12-22-2008, 01:14 PM

I finally last week was able to jump the hoops with the state and I am now tagged and insured and 100% street legal. It took me over a year of phone calls and I would say 15 trips to the tax commissioners office for them to tag me as a RV. Georgia has a funky rule that a bus is a CDL commercial vehicle. But with the help of my local senator and other elected officials I was able to get a pass. And they never even looked at the bus. I was over joyed. The tags cost $147, when they become due again it will only be $20 a yr.. And my insurance for the last year is $200 every 6 months.All in all I think it was a pain in the a$$ but not too expensive.

cucullen · 12-24-2008, 03:43 AM

That sounds like a big hassle to me, i might just try getting a bus from a guy down in florida. i think his site offered to have the title converted for you if you buy a bus from him, or if you own the bus he'll do it for a small fee (how ever much that is).

keith · 01-07-2009, 03:29 PM

well ga boys ,,,some one must be pulling u'all leg ,,i just got my bus reg in ga ..it cost me $18.00 title fee and $20.00 for the tag and its insured by prog insur fo $125.00 for the yr.....i rolling on down the road with no worry's

oh the bus is titled as a ..... blue bird/rv/bus...................the main word is,,,,,, RV,,,,, is what you looking for in the title

have a gooday and no cdls

The Eggcrate · 03-10-2009, 12:35 PM

So I'm trying to register my bus in GA and the only remaining question is, how do I safely and cheaply title or register my bus as something other than a bus. The tag office says that they can't do anything unless I salvage it, have it inspected for $100 at some extreme inconvenience, and have them put motorhome on the new title. I must hope that the inspectors don't mind that its truly a bus, rather than a motorhome. I'm so frustrated! Even if I have the bus retitled out of state, it must be inspected as soon as I try to get replace the out-of-state title with a Georgia one.

The Eggcrate · 03-13-2009, 04:37 PM

Alright, I've been tagged in Georgia. I had to speak with Debra Mitchell, Supervisor for the IRP Department, Motorvehicle Division of Georgia. I convinced her that my school bus (currently not converted....yet) could no longer be a school bus according to Georgia law, because it is not used to carry kids. She asked me what I would be then, and I goofed and said "truck". She took this to mean a private commercial truck so I have a 26,000 lb "JN tag". This will be fine in Georgia, but I can't leave the state. I hope to explain my mistake and get the standard tag for my bus. I can technically do this because, according to definitions provide in the Georgia Code, my vehicle is nothing but a private, non-commercial, not-for-hire, passenger car. I'll keep you guys posted. If this all works out perfectly, I'll let Ms. Mitchell know that there are others out there, so she should be expecting to repeat the procedure.

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