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Old 05-07-2021, 02:41 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2021
Location: New Hampshire
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Smile Hello! I'm New here.

I'll start by saying, wow! What a resource. My name is Anthony and I'm hoping to get my hands on a Skoolie within the next week or so, and begin my build.

I live in New Hampshire!

Look forward to learning from everyone.

Best,
Anthony

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Old 05-07-2021, 03:02 PM   #2
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Welcome,

I envy you being in New Hampshire. Miles of space, no sales tax.

Post some pictures of your project!

Bert
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Old 05-07-2021, 03:20 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
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I'm going Sunday to buy my new Skoolie (unless something falls through). I will certainly be posting some photos.

No Sales tax is quite nice, but I'm dealing with the Title/Registration/Insurance now. Need to have this thing basically converted all the way in order to get the Title/Registration. I've seen some things about a VT workaround, but, I think I will get it done in NH. I was really hoping to drive it around to acquire supplies, which is my only bummer!

Thank you!
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Old 05-07-2021, 03:50 PM   #4
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If there's even a CHANCE you get it re-titled, you're better off than most of us here. I'm in New York State and there is just no practical way to get it done.

So VT was the only semi-sensible option.

And insurance. Well. I wish you the best.

Bert
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Old 05-07-2021, 03:53 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Originally Posted by Bert06840 View Post
If there's even a CHANCE you get it re-titled, you're better off than most of us here. I'm in New York State and there is just no practical way to get it done.

So VT was the only semi-sensible option.

And insurance. Well. I wish you the best.

Bert
I was afraid this was going to be a nightmare, but, so far everyone I've called/spoken to has told me I shouldn't have any issue. I called Allstate for insurance and explained my exact plan to them and they gave me a quote over the phone in minutes. I called the NH DMV and they gave me a list of things I needed to do first in order to have a Salvage Inspection done, and that once that's met they would re-title for me no problem.

Seems to good to be true. We will see how it all plays out!

What actually is the deal with VT. Do they just register anything and anyone from anywhere? How much easier is it? Should I consider?
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Old 05-07-2021, 04:01 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anthvale View Post
I was afraid this was going to be a nightmare, but, so far everyone I've called/spoken to has told me I shouldn't have any issue. I called Allstate for insurance and explained my exact plan to them and they gave me a quote over the phone in minutes. I called the NH DMV and they gave me a list of things I needed to do first in order to have a Salvage Inspection done, and that once that's met they would re-title for me no problem.

Seems to good to be true. We will see how it all plays out!

What actually is the deal with VT. Do they just register anything and anyone from anywhere? How much easier is it? Should I consider?
All they want is your money, so yes. Go to their website, download the form. It's that easy. And I believe the renewal is for 2 years, I just renewed mine by mail.
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Old 05-07-2021, 04:08 PM   #7
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All they want is your money, so yes. Go to their website, download the form. It's that easy. And I believe the renewal is for 2 years, I just renewed mine by mail.
Very interesting. So do they re-title and register and then send you plates? How does that work? I think I found the form earlier today.

Does this look right:
https://dmv.vermont.gov/faq/do-i-hav...cle-in-vermont

Thanks
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Old 05-07-2021, 04:23 PM   #8
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All they want is your money, so yes. Go to their website, download the form. It's that easy. And I believe the renewal is for 2 years, I just renewed mine by mail.
Interesting.

So they re-title, register and send you plates?

Do these look right?
https://dmv.vermont.gov/faq/do-i-hav...cle-in-vermont
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Old 05-07-2021, 04:57 PM   #9
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I’m not a lawyer so please assume everything I say is incorrect, or worse.

Chances are that if you are a resident of New Hampshire, and/or the vehicle spends the majority of its time in the state, you may be obliged to register the vehicle there, pay the registration fees there, pay the property taxes there, have it inspected there if there is such a thing.

Vermont does not have jurisdiction over what you do if you nor the vehicle spends time in the state, but the state that you work/live/leisure in obviously does.

So yeah, Vermont can “sell” you plates and re-titling services all they want, but that doesn’t make it legal to run VT plates indefinitely in the state that you are in.

Also, many insurance providers refuse to cover vehicles that are tagged out of state.

So if you CAN get it registered and insured locally, I would DEFINITELY do so, even if it costs you more money.

But again, assume what I wrote is incorrect. I’m just saying that you have to be aware that state or local authorities may give you a hard time for fraud or tax evasion. Or maybe not, but if they wanted to, they certainly could. Your mileage may vary.

Montana runs a similar gig - people buying exotic cars used to register them to Montana LLCs all day long. MT happily sends you plates for a nominal fee. Entire attorney offices run on this scheme. All perfectly legal in/to MT, and reciprocity applies to other states, meaning the 49 cannot say it is not tagged or registered. But if you’re effectively dodging tens of thousand of dollars in local sales and other taxes by running a Montana plated Bugatti in, say, New York most of the time, don’t count on sympathy from the local authorities who will have no problem proving you are evading taxes.

What people do with VT plates on skoolies is not the same thing. It’s not done to avoid paying taxes - at least most of us don’t. VT has a 6% rate that is not going to save you a meaningful amount of money, if any at all. You essentially pay for getting it registered/re-titled/tagged.

Bert
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Old 05-07-2021, 05:19 PM   #10
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Very interesting. So do they re-title and register and then send you plates? How does that work? I think I found the form earlier today.

Does this look right:
https://dmv.vermont.gov/faq/do-i-hav...cle-in-vermont

Thanks
If your bus is 25 years old they will not issue you a title, but will register it. If it's newer and you send your title, you will get a Vt. title. Fill out the form, send it with whatever money is needed. Sit and wait for your plates to arrive.
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Old 05-07-2021, 05:24 PM   #11
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I’m not a lawyer so please assume everything I say is incorrect, or worse.

Chances are that if you are a resident of New Hampshire, and/or the vehicle spends the majority of its time in the state, you may be obliged to register the vehicle there, pay the registration fees there, pay the property taxes there, have it inspected there if there is such a thing.

Vermont does not have jurisdiction over what you do if you nor the vehicle spends time in the state, but the state that you work/live/leisure in obviously does.

So yeah, Vermont can “sell” you plates and re-titling services all they want, but that doesn’t make it legal to run VT plates indefinitely in the state that you are in.

Also, many insurance providers refuse to cover vehicles that are tagged out of state.

So if you CAN get it registered and insured locally, I would DEFINITELY do so, even if it costs you more money.

But again, assume what I wrote is incorrect. I’m just saying that you have to be aware that state or local authorities may give you a hard time for fraud or tax evasion. Or maybe not, but if they wanted to, they certainly could. Your mileage may vary.

Montana runs a similar gig - people buying exotic cars used to register them to Montana LLCs all day long. MT happily sends you plates for a nominal fee. Entire attorney offices run on this scheme. All perfectly legal in/to MT, and reciprocity applies to other states, meaning the 49 cannot say it is not tagged or registered. But if you’re effectively dodging tens of thousand of dollars in local sales and other taxes by running a Montana plated Bugatti in, say, New York most of the time, don’t count on sympathy from the local authorities who will have no problem proving you are evading taxes.

What people do with VT plates on skoolies is not the same thing. It’s not done to avoid paying taxes - at least most of us don’t. VT has a 6% rate that is not going to save you a meaningful amount of money, if any at all. You essentially pay for getting it registered/re-titled/tagged.

Bert
I live in Ga, bus is insured in Ga, but tagged in Vt. State Farm knows it, the State of Ga, knows it.
The only advantage to registering in Vt. is to get around local regulations for an RV. Most people don't realize that while it is super easy to get an RV registration from Vt. When you go to get RV insurance on a titled RV that has not been converted, you will be out of luck. So you end up with an RV you can drive on the street legally.
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Old 05-07-2021, 06:33 PM   #12
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You are absolutely correct that VT gets all the love because it’s easier to get our skoolies registered. This is a crucial contribution to the community and I will eternally grateful to the state of VT for providing this service.

But if I were a lawyer, which I’m not, I might say that it is potentially dangerous to make blanket statements on public fora stating things like “... you can drive on the street legally....” because, in my non-legal personal opinion, that is simply not true. You may get away with it, many of us do, but you it is, ultimately, a matter that can be easily seen as tax avoidance.

I’m not saying - at all - that this is the reason why we are sending checks to Montpellier. You could easily argue that if CA, NY, GA or anyone wanted our money, they should fix the system and allow us to register the damn thing. But that argument is worth nothing in court.

“I tried to register the bus in my state as an RV, but they didn’t let me! So I HAD to go to VT! You can’t blame me!”

I truly hope no one ever asks you any questions or that you get slapped with an audit. Because counties in GA don’t know or don’t care (because it’s about peanuts money), it doesn’t mean that it is not potentially a felony.

I’m not a lawyer, but this guy is:

https://jalopnik.com/the-pitfalls-of...847.1453824634

And, you are in GA. Look at this video with an interview with one of the Georgia department of Revenue:

https://youtu.be/S4GziDICSSg
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Old 05-07-2021, 06:40 PM   #13
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... My name is Anthony and I'm hoping to get my hands on a Skoolie within the next week or so, and begin my build. I live in New Hampshire!...
Sorry Anthony for hijacking your thread
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Old 05-07-2021, 06:43 PM   #14
Mini-Skoolie
 
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No worries at all! I'm learning too ha
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Old 05-07-2021, 07:20 PM   #15
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"It ain't a crime until ya get caught"

It might be a relatively minor infraction to knowingly register one's bus as a RV in VT rather than going through whatever hoops one's "home" state requires in changing from bus to RV, but it is still skirting the law no matter how many twisted logic pills one takes.

I can see how rich folks might want to avoid paying taxes on their uber rich toys, and those are the folks that the states are looking to reign in.

So one might get away with registering a school bus as a RV in VT indefinitely, or until a jealous or pi$$ed off neighbor turns them in for "playing the system"...
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Old 05-07-2021, 07:22 PM   #16
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"It ain't a crime until ya get caught"

It might be a relatively minor infraction to knowingly register one's bus as a RV in VT rather than going through whatever hoops one's "home" state requires in changing from bus to RV, but it is still skirting the law no matter how many twisted logic pills one takes.

I can see how rich folks might want to avoid paying taxes on their uber rich toys, and those are the folks that the states are looking to reign in.

So one might get away with registering a school bus as a RV in VT indefinitely, or until a jealous or pi$$ed off neighbor turns them in for "playing the system"...
How did you go about it in NH?
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Old 05-07-2021, 07:26 PM   #17
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Coachwork: Thomas 4 window w/lift
Chassis: G30~Chevy cutaway
Engine: 5.7/350 Chevy Vortec
Rated Cap: Just me and my "stuff"?
My shorty bus is built on a van chassis, and I simply registered it as a van rather than a bus or RV.

There are other members on here living in NH that have gone the DMV inspection route in converting, and perhaps they'll see this thread and enlighten on how it was/is done...?
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Old 05-07-2021, 07:30 PM   #18
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My shorty bus is built on a van chassis, and I simply registered it as a van rather than a bus or RV.
That's interesting.

The one I'm looking at is a shorty. It's a 2010 Ford Econoline chassis - E450 Collins. Powerstroke 6.0 Liter V8 turbo Diesel engine.

That wouldn't quality for some kind of work around would it?
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Old 05-07-2021, 07:31 PM   #19
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Originally Posted by peteg59 View Post
My shorty bus is built on a van chassis, and I simply registered it as a van rather than a bus or RV.

There are other members on here living in NH that have gone the DMV inspection route in converting, and perhaps they'll see this thread and enlighten on how it was/is done...?
I mean I spoke to the DMV today, it doesn't seem to difficult. They just want me to paint it, remove the lights and stuff and add "RV Features". haha Hopefully some of the other NH's chime in.
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Old 05-07-2021, 07:46 PM   #20
Bus Crazy
 
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Engine: 5.7/350 Chevy Vortec
Rated Cap: Just me and my "stuff"?
Anthony, please reconsider this one, only because of the 6.0 Powerstroke engine.
Much discussion on here regarding that problematic and costly to repair engine.

You'll thank me later!

You could simply register it as a Ford Econoline van.
As far as insurance goes, you might run into issues if you're looking to get comprehensive vs liability only on it?
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