Community Forums

fansill · 02-08-2011, 07:47 PM

Hello All,

I am getting down to the wire with negotiating the final price for a pre-owned RV. I currently live in Mass and would like to get a handle on the various fees etc, that I will need to come up with to get this new rig on the road. I have gotten prices on insurance and extended warranty. Is the registration fee similar to a passenger vehicle? I went to the RMV website, but could not find a "Camper" category. And is the sales tax calculated on the purchase price or the book value? Lastly, is the excise tax calculated on the book value??

Thanks in advance for all your assistance once again.

Faith in Chilly Massachusetts

Vegasdan · 02-08-2011, 08:29 PM

Why don't you try the Massachusetts DMV web site?

Dick_Wins · 02-09-2011, 08:33 AM

Mass registration is for a "camper" and is $50 per year. Size does not matter and can be a trailer or motor home. Sales tax if purchased from a dealer is based on purchase price less any trade in value. Same as if you bought a car.
The annual excise tax is based on the original MSRP. Reduced every year of age of vehicle down to 10% after 5 years. Also, when you register the motor home you register it as the chassis not the make of motor home. For example, I registered a 2005 National Tropical (MSRP $200K) as a 2005 Freightliner chassis (MSRP $40k). My excise tax was $100. 10% of $40K is $4k. $4k x $25/thousand = $100. New would have been $1000.
Note that you register your motor home in Mass as the chassis not the motor home brand. The excise tax is based on the chassis not the motor home. This significantly reduces the excise tax due. In my case excise tax would bave been based on $20k rather than $4k or $500. ($5000 when new)
I went through this procedure with two different motor homes. The other was a class C Phoenix Cruiser. Registered that as a Ford E450 cut-away van.

pjkellrvers · 02-09-2011, 08:33 AM

I Live in mass and i paid the tax on full sticker price when new for my rig. 5% at the time 2005 now i think it's 6 but check on it. The used rigs they use the book value and its 25.00 per 1,000. the excise is a killer as it's every year and they stop it at a cap which they come up with. It's the reg. of mtr. veh. dept mandate. It's a confusing state so do your homework. paul...

jeepfreak · 02-09-2011, 09:07 AM

I paid the sales tax on the actual cash that changed hands. In other words the price I paid after the trade in and the haggleing was done. This was on a new coach. The killer is that exice tax. That comes every year. I bought mine in september of 07 and got an exice tax bill for almost $900 for the remainder of 2007. But it does go down alot each year. As a matter of fact I just got my 2011 bill last week and it's down to $285 . I guess owning one in Ma. isn't to bad compared to some other states. You do have to renew your registration every year . Camper plates expire at the end of november even if you just got the plates in october. The sales tax is how 6.25% now . Big chunk of change when your getting a MH.