Does an Alaska resident pay California sales tax when purchasing a car in California?

An Alaska resident is not required to pay California sales tax when purchasing a car in California if they will be registering and titling the car in Alaska. However, the Alaska resident will need to pay the California vehicle registration fee, which is based on the purchase price of the car.

When registering a car in Alaska, the resident will need to provide proof of residency in Alaska, as well as proof of ownership of the car. They will also need to pay the Alaska sales tax, which is 0%.

If an Alaska resident chooses to register and title the car in California, they will be required to pay California sales tax, which is 7.25%.