If your wife gives you her old car do you have to pay any tax when you register it?

No matter where you buy anything, there is probably going to be some form of tax issued upon the sale of the item, unless you bought a low priced item at some sort of garage sale where the seller doesn't issue a tax. When you purchase a car at a dealership, chances are there is a sales tax already issued to you upon the sale of the car, as the registration can be done at the dealership. When you purchase a car from your spouse, or any third party seller, there is no initial tax you must pay when you purchase the car. Even if you are given the car without having to pay you must still register the car in your name at your local DMV building. Doing so would cause you to pay the sales tax upon your purchased vehicle, or some sort of fee handed down for registering a car in your name. No matter where you get the car from, or how much you pay for it, if at all, you will be required to pay a tax and/or fee while registering it at the DMV.