Registration

Old peoples refuge

Doug
That's where all heading.or a big black box

They have Stamp Duty, not sales tax. Public pressure to remove this scourge has seen it reduced on home loans and if this Government wants to get re-elected, they will most likely drop it on cars in the next year or so.

Annual certification is not required in WA - a big plus.

We are going to maintain WA registration for our vehicle/trailers/boat even though we won't be back for years. We use our Daughter's address for correspondence.

Cheers,

Russ.

Sales Tax - all states in Australia have that. Don't you mean Stamp Duty (on the transaction) - all states in Australia have that too!!
It's my understanding that ALL states require that vehicles be registered and Drivers Licences be issued in/for the state in which you reside. To the best of my knowledge, correct me if you know better, none of the states have managed to introduce legislation that specifically covers the very situation as mentioned. i.e. travelling around for an extended period with no fixed address. Why are people forced to make false declarations thus compromising themselves with the possibility of prosecution and cancellation of 3rd party insurance?

Russ & DIO, Yes, you are of course right - it's stamp duty. Sorry about that.

When I downloaded vehicle ownership transfer forms from the WA website I could not see how any non-resident of WA could own a WA registered vehicle so I emailed the WA Dept for Planning and Infrastructure. I explained that I did not have an Australian issued drivers licence and as I was traveling I would not have a permanant residence. I also had no place in WA to "garage" the vehicle.
I include their reply below:

FROM: Call.Centre@dpi.wa.gov.au

Thank you for your email regarding the purchase of a WA registered vehicle.
To enable the vehicle to be transfered into your name you are required to supply a WA residential address. This can be a backpacker hostel, friend or relatives address.

When purchasing the vehicle you are required to complete a Change of Ownership form available from our website. When sending this form to Licensing please attache certified copies of your primary identification (drivers licence with photo, birth certificate, or passport).

These documents must be certified by a police officer, doctor, JP etc.
You will then be required to pay transfer and stamp duty fees as well as the vehicle registration when it becomes due.

Please ensure that when you are traveling around Australia that you keep your postal address updated with us so we can send any documentation to you.

If you have any further enquiries please reply to this email or visit our website www.dpi.wa.gov.au Alternatively you can contact our Customer Contact Centre on 13 11 56 or (08) 9427 6404 if interstate or overseas.

The above email reply was sent to me within a couple of days of my enquiry. Since then I have paid my accounts by visa over the telephone and have found them to be very helpful - no problems at all.