SpeedSouth
04-14-2008, 12:25 PM
Where should I start?
I guess I'll start by making sure there is no confusion on one thing, my difficulty had NOTHING to do with my dealer. My paperwork was quick to arrive, and it was accurate. There was never an issue with the paperwork.
My local tag office, on the other hand...wasn't entirely helpful or knowledgeable.
I'll try to explain. First, I was under the impression that I would pay the sales tax at the tag office, since I purchased my bike from an out of state dealer, but that isn't correct. Their web site doesn't explain it, but because the bike was purchasded out of state, I had to go to the Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division to pay the taxes.
While I was at the DoR, I was handed a form (T-22B) and told I would need to have the bike inspected, and the VIN verified. I was told (and shown where the form confirms the information) that I could have an agent at the tag office perform the inspection, or a police officer, or other state official (as listed on the form).
I came home and loaded up the bike on my truck and headed over to the tag office, for a second time. I am then told I need to have a police officer inspect the bike. In spite of the paper claiming a county tag agent to do the inspection, I was told it was incorrect, I was misinformed and in addition to the VIN inspection, I would also need another form completed and notorized by the dealer. 8O
I should also mention here that I encountered several repetitive questions. Is it really under 300lbs? Is it really only a single cylinder? And the one I got most often...is it a scooter? If I said it once, I said it 100 times...it's a full size motorcycle NOT a scooter.
After several minutes of my questions and confusion, the lady seemed to have a revelation. It's not a scooter, and therefore it doesn't need the forms (not the T-22B or the other one) and she proceeded to issue my tag.
This was all very frustrating, but it wasn't really difficult. I'm not sure what I would have done if the revelation hadn't come to her, and she had stood behind her original requests for the other papers. Perhaps I got lucky.
For anyone else wanting to buy online and tag their motorcycle in Georgia, I can only offer the following advice. First, locate your nearest Dept. of Rev. Motor Veh. Div and plan to carry your paperwork there first to pay the taxes. Then you can take the tax receipt and other papers to the tag office. If possible, take the bike with you in case they want to look at it and verify that it is not a scooter.
The scooter question seems to be the biggest source of confusion, followed by the single cylinder (damned if I know why)....but if you can convince them it's not a scooter, it seems to flow pretty quickly from that point.
And that's my story. Exactly 2 weeks after speaking with my dealer (MotoXtreme.net) and placing the order, I have completed the whole process of receiving the bike, assembly and adjustments, insurance and tax, tag, title.
14 days from start to finish is pretty damn good, IMO. Now there's nothing left but to enjoy the bike and look for the title in the mail in a couple of weeks.
Maybe this will help someone else in the future. :)
I guess I'll start by making sure there is no confusion on one thing, my difficulty had NOTHING to do with my dealer. My paperwork was quick to arrive, and it was accurate. There was never an issue with the paperwork.
My local tag office, on the other hand...wasn't entirely helpful or knowledgeable.
I'll try to explain. First, I was under the impression that I would pay the sales tax at the tag office, since I purchased my bike from an out of state dealer, but that isn't correct. Their web site doesn't explain it, but because the bike was purchasded out of state, I had to go to the Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division to pay the taxes.
While I was at the DoR, I was handed a form (T-22B) and told I would need to have the bike inspected, and the VIN verified. I was told (and shown where the form confirms the information) that I could have an agent at the tag office perform the inspection, or a police officer, or other state official (as listed on the form).
I came home and loaded up the bike on my truck and headed over to the tag office, for a second time. I am then told I need to have a police officer inspect the bike. In spite of the paper claiming a county tag agent to do the inspection, I was told it was incorrect, I was misinformed and in addition to the VIN inspection, I would also need another form completed and notorized by the dealer. 8O
I should also mention here that I encountered several repetitive questions. Is it really under 300lbs? Is it really only a single cylinder? And the one I got most often...is it a scooter? If I said it once, I said it 100 times...it's a full size motorcycle NOT a scooter.
After several minutes of my questions and confusion, the lady seemed to have a revelation. It's not a scooter, and therefore it doesn't need the forms (not the T-22B or the other one) and she proceeded to issue my tag.
This was all very frustrating, but it wasn't really difficult. I'm not sure what I would have done if the revelation hadn't come to her, and she had stood behind her original requests for the other papers. Perhaps I got lucky.
For anyone else wanting to buy online and tag their motorcycle in Georgia, I can only offer the following advice. First, locate your nearest Dept. of Rev. Motor Veh. Div and plan to carry your paperwork there first to pay the taxes. Then you can take the tax receipt and other papers to the tag office. If possible, take the bike with you in case they want to look at it and verify that it is not a scooter.
The scooter question seems to be the biggest source of confusion, followed by the single cylinder (damned if I know why)....but if you can convince them it's not a scooter, it seems to flow pretty quickly from that point.
And that's my story. Exactly 2 weeks after speaking with my dealer (MotoXtreme.net) and placing the order, I have completed the whole process of receiving the bike, assembly and adjustments, insurance and tax, tag, title.
14 days from start to finish is pretty damn good, IMO. Now there's nothing left but to enjoy the bike and look for the title in the mail in a couple of weeks.
Maybe this will help someone else in the future. :)