State Registration

tonycondon

tonycondon

Gastons CRO (Chief Dinner Reservation Officer)
Joined
Mar 9, 2005
Messages
15,465
Location
Wichita, KS
Display Name
Display name:
Tony
How many of your states require you register your airplane with them, if so, whats the rate structure? Iowa is 35 bucks for aircraft older than 30 yrs old for personal use and 5% "use tax"
So it cost me 210 bucks to register my glider that uses basically zilch of the state aviation infrastructure. I wouldnt feel so bad about it except that the federal registration is 5 bucks and they are the ones who REGULATE me.
I got 21 dollars in pennies for my 21st birthday and Im thinking ive finally found a good use for them. ugh
 
Nothing in Colorado for plane or pilot. They get their money from gas tax. They do nick you for 3% sales tax when you buy.
 
Given the condition of finances here in the State of New Jersey I'm almost afraid to say this. There are no registration fees. If you purchase your aircraft as a casual sale (not from a dealer) there is no tax. I about fell out of my high chair on that one.
 
TMetzinger said:
Virginia and Maryland both require registration and the airplanes are taxed differently.
Click to expand...
Maryland does not require registration, but they do require payment of a 5% tax on the aircraft's value upon acquisition or importation into the state. They keep track of the FAA Aircraft Registry data to identify aircraft newly registered to MD addresses. Virginia does require registration, but I don't know the cost.
 
In Mississippi

MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED
GROSS WEIGHT OF AIRCRAFT IN POUNDS FEE​

Less than 3,600 $ 25.00
3,601 through 10,000 $250.00
10,001 and over $2,500.00

Antique aircraft, as defined by the Federal Aviation Administration, sailplanes, balloons and home-built aircraft shall be subject to a flat rate fee of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00)

The following aircraft are exempt from registration:

(a) Aircraft manufactured within the state under an FAA approved type certificate which are owned and in the physical possession of the manufacturers ;
(b) Aircraft owned by charitable organizations and used solely for the furtherance of charitable purposes;
(c) Aircraft belonging to nonresidents of this state and registered and taxed in another state;
(d) Aircraft of the federal government, any agency thereof, any territory or possession thereof, any state government or agency or political subdivision thereof, and any aircraft of the Civil Air Patrol used solely in transaction of official business by a unit of the Civil Air Patrol;
(e) Aircraft licensed by a foreign country with which the United States has a reciprocal agreement covering the operation of such licensed aircraft;
(f) Aircraft not currently licensed or holding a current airworthiness certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration;
(g) Aircraft taxable under the provisions of Sections 27-35-701 through 27-35-711; and
(h) Aircraft used for commercial fishing purposes and aircraft used primarily for agricultural purposes which are subject to the regulation of the Agricultural Aviation Board of the State of Mississippi

We have a non-dealer sales tax exemption.
 
Michigan hits ya for 6% upon purchase as a "sales" tax, but it's called a fair use tax, or some BS like that. There are ways around it. Each year you have to register it at $0.01 x Gross Weight. Mine is $24/year.
 
In Illinois it's $20 for two years.

Pilots have to register, too, for another $20.

Private sales are no longer exempt from the use tax. They closed that loophole. I got in under that one so I never paid.
 
Last edited:
In Ohio aircraft registration is required for around $60.00/yr. By nthe way, it appears that a number of states require "pilot" registration; how can a guy really comply with this!?
 
redcloud said:
In Ohio aircraft registration is required for around $60.00/yr. By nthe way, it appears that a number of states require "pilot" registration; how can a guy really comply with this!?
Click to expand...

In Illinois, they apparently check FAA pilot certificates. I got a letter from them after I got my student pilot certificate. I think you can certify that you aren't flying and avoid having to register. Also, if you are ONLY a student pilot you are exempt. How they police it, I don't know.
 
mikea said:
In Illinois it's $20 for two years.

Pilots have to register, too, for another $20.

Private sales are no longer exempt from the use tax. They closed that loophole. I got in under that one so I never paid.
Click to expand...

Interesting because I received a request from the State of Illinois to register as a pilot after moving here and did. Last month I received a request from the State to register the plane. When I talked to my partners I found out that they had refused to register the plane and themselves. They said they had actually phoned someone in the state government and argued the fact that flying was governed by the Feds, not the state, and therefor the state had no jurisdiction requiring registration.

I filed the registration info and paid the $20. Just seemed like less hassle to me.
 
Interesting because I received a request from the State of Illinois to register as a pilot after moving here and did. Last month I received a request from the State to register the plane. When I talked to my partners I found out that they had refused to register the plane and themselves. They said they had actually phoned someone in the state government and argued the fact that flying was governed by the Feds, not the state, and therefor the state had no jurisdiction requiring registration.
Click to expand...

ya I kinda felt the same way, but didnt feel like fighting a fight I knew I would lose.
 
bstratt said:
Interesting because I received a request from the State of Illinois to register as a pilot after moving here and did. Last month I received a request from the State to register the plane. When I talked to my partners I found out that they had refused to register the plane and themselves. They said they had actually phoned someone in the state government and argued the fact that flying was governed by the Feds, not the state, and therefor the state had no jurisdiction requiring registration.

I filed the registration info and paid the $20. Just seemed like less hassle to me.
Click to expand...

:rofl: Hey, Barry, whatd'ya know about being a citizen-curmudgeon? You haven't had enough years of experience as those of us native borns.

I've never heard of any law enforcement going after a pilot but I signed up right away, too. It gets you the quarterly newsletter and the IL Department of Aviation does a good job at Wings Weekend, which BTW, is gonna be at DPA.

The really sleezy thing the state did was with the Illinois Department of Revenue getting tipped off by these guys that you bought a plane and then pretending they didn't know a private sale was tax exempt. The registration form strangely had no box marked "Individual" to check for "Purchased from:" Ticking any of the boxes on the form would have made you liable for the use tax.
 
Last edited:
mikea said:
:rofl: Hey, Barry, whatd'ya know about being a citizen-curmudgeon? You haven't had enough years of experience as those of us native borns.
Click to expand...

No need to get insulting!!!:D Next time I'm going to march and wave my Canadian flag! It's part of my "Let's all just get along" view of life. By the way, did you see the article in the business section of today's Tribune on Canada? I'll see if I can find a link.

I did have to order the CD from the FAA to get a copy of the sale docs to prove it was a private purchase before the law changed. I'm hoping that they're just thankful that I'm finally registering and don't wonder where we've been for the past 5 years!
 
tonycondon said:
ya I kinda felt the same way, but didnt feel like fighting a fight I knew I would lose.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure you'd lose even if you pursued this with a large war chest. As long as the fees are only imposed on planes kept in the state I think there are strong legal arguments why this doesn't prempt the FAA. And to be fair, if the proceeds are (mostly) used to fund improvements in the state's airports and associated facilities, it can actually make sense. OTOH if the money simply goes into the general fund it would suck.

In Minnesota I've been paying $170/yr for the Baron and $25/yr for the Porterfield. The good news is that they finally elminated the stupid decal that owners were supposed to apply every year (I never put mine on and never got asked).

Also I just read the online information on Minn aircraft registration, and it appears that the registration fee amounts to $50 or 0.25% of the original list price for the plane (wonder how they establish that for an experimental?) on any aircraft more than 5 years old. Aircraft used for "recreational purposes" with a "base price" (original list?) of $10,000 or less qualify for a fixed $25/yr fee and antique aircraft only require the $25 to be paid once each time there is a change of ownership. Looks like I've been getting ripped off on the Porterfield.
 
Ron Levy said:
Virginia does require registration, but I don't know the cost.
Click to expand...

$5 for non-commercial to the state. However, an airplane is considered personal property and is taxed annually. It varies by county. The county I'm based at charged $0.425 per $100 book value...about $500 a year for my 182RG. One county over, it's $0.01 per $100...pretty wide variation...

Greg
 
PA = 6% use tax on selling price, but not if you buy from an aircraft dealer. I can't remember the details, whether dealers are exempt or pay it in some other fashion. I do know that, as the good and honest taxpayer that I am, I sent in my PA tax & form the day after I bought the plane. 3 months later I get a letter telling me that I have to pay the tax (and noting a purchase date 1 month later than actual). They generously allowed that, if I had paid the tax, if I provided proof of payment then I would be ok. I hit the roof -- if I've paid (which I had) why in the H$&# should I have to provide the info? They have my check and they want me to prove it?????!!!!!

Resolved it with a phone call (well, about a dozen phone calls, because they rarely answer the phone at PA Dept of Revenue and rarely return calls). They had recorded the tax I paid under my plane's tail number minus the N; the info from the FAA they used to generate their letter included the N. Two different planes, so PA thought, and no one smart enough to figure out the difference. "This happens all the time with the info from the FAA" I was told.
:hairraise:
 
ejensen said:
Nothing in Colorado for plane or pilot. They get their money from gas tax. They do nick you for 3% sales tax when you buy.
Click to expand...


3% isn't too bad. 0 would be better. I got dinged twice in PA for 6%. (Two seperate planes). And they WILL track you down. :(
 
Last edited:
Anthony said:
3% is too bad. 0 would be better. I got dinged twice in PA for 6%. (Two seperate planes). And they WILL track you down. :(
Click to expand...

Yeah, they did. About 6 months to catch the sale from the FAA. At least there was no penalty for not paying at the time of sale. Ant the county and city stay out it. Other wise there be another 3-4 percent.
 
I got a letter from the state (MS) less than three months after the purchase wanting their 3% sales tax. I drove down to the local regional tax office and explained to them it was not a dealer transaction. They called up the seller and convinced themselves somehow it really was a private transaction (which it was) and let me go with an apology. They were going to slap a lien on the plane had it gone unchallenged and unpaid.

MS law regarding aircraft sales tax:

http://www.mstc.state.ms.us/taxareas/sales/rules/72rule46.pdf

One of the confuser factors is rental fees are taxable at 3% but instructor fees are taxable at 7%...makes for unnecessarily interesting math when writing a check for dual in a rental plane.

.
ejensen said:
Yeah, they did. About 6 months to catch the sale from the FAA. At least there was no penalty for not paying at the time of sale. Ant the county and city stay out it. Other wise there be another 3-4 percent.
Click to expand...
 
mikea said:
In Illinois it's $20 for two years.

Pilots have to register, too, for another $20.
Click to expand...

In WI, the pilots are free but the planes are charged a fee based on gross weight. 2000-2500 pounds is $78 for two years, 2500-3000 is $100 for two years.

The good news is our Division of Aeronautics (I think that's what they call it) is worth at least that much. They publish an excellent Wisconsin Airport Directory (complete with aerial photos, etc.) and a "Wisconsin Aeronautical Chart" (at WAC scale, I believe).

They provide Meteorlogix weather computers for all public airports in Wisconsin (the ones that have a building to put a computer in, anyway). Wisconsin pilots can also get a free subscription to FlightBrief.com (Meteorlogix web site), which is normally $9.95/mo or $119.60/year so if you use that service, the registration fee pays for itself.

Wisconsin pilots can sign up for access to that site here:

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/air/weather-access.htm
 
Massachusetts

Aircraft Max Certified Takeoff Weight Annual Fee Less than or equal to 2,000 Lbs $100.00 From 2,001 to 3,500 Lbs $165.00 From 3,501 to 12,500 Lbs $230.00 Over 12,500 Lbs $300.00
 
CapeCodJay said:
Massachusetts

Aircraft Max Certified Takeoff Weight Annual Fee Less than or equal to 2,000 Lbs $100.00 From 2,001 to 3,500 Lbs $165.00 From 3,501 to 12,500 Lbs $230.00 Over 12,500 Lbs $300.00
Click to expand...
Point: In lue of a sales tax. Whip out the HP and figure 60K at 5%. I figure the break even is 2026 so I'm ahead.
 
New Mexico has an annual fee of $1 per hundreds pounds of gross aircraft weight. The money goes the the state aviation division, which is basically one guy, who is always very nice on the phone. No sales tax on a private sale.
Jon
 
Oregon requires registration of aircraft and pilots; Washington registers aircraft. WA formerly also registered pilots and mechanics but ended that last year; the loss of the revenue from the $8 annual fee was made up for by a penny-per-gallon increase in fuel tax.

-- Pilawt
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top