There is a specific kind of frustration that comes with standing in a fluorescent-lit government office, holding a stack of receipts for a custom-built trailer or a high-end RV.
You’ve invested significant capital and time into an asset that represents your lifestyle, yet you are often treated like a suspicious line item in a ledger.
The reality is that state agencies are rarely equipped to handle the nuances of specialty vehicles. Whether it is a custom overland rig, a luxury fifth-wheel, or a bespoke car hauler, the traditional registration process is a gauntlet of inspections, inconsistent appraisals, and aggressive tax assessments.
Think about the last time you dealt with a local tax assessor. Their goal is rarely to simplify your life; it is to maximize the revenue generated from your latest acquisition.
The Friction of the Standard Path
When you bring a custom build or a high-value RV to a local DMV, you are essentially asking for a headache. They often demand physical inspections that require you to tow your asset across town, only to wait hours for a technician who may not understand the specific classification of your build.
For instance, many state systems lack the “category” for a custom-built adventure trailer, leading to “denied” statuses simply because the clerk doesn’t have a button for it on their screen.
Furthermore, many states have introduced aggressive new tax burdens. In Washington, for example, a new luxury motor vehicle tax effective January 1, 2026, imposes an additional 8% tax on the selling price or fair market value of vehicles exceeding $100,000.
For a $500,000 Class A motorhome, this isn’t just a fee. It is an extra $32,000 check you are expected to write to the state, on top of standard sales tax.
Let’s be honest: paying a 15% to 18% combined tax rate on a mobile asset is a significant financial hit that offers you zero return in service, road quality, or convenience.
The Difficulty of the “No VIN” Dilemma
Custom builds are notoriously difficult to title because they often lack a standard 17-digit VIN or a Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO). If you’ve built a custom hauler or commissioned a bespoke camper, the paperwork trail is often a tangled web of component receipts and “specially constructed vehicle” forms.
In many jurisdictions, the process involves a law enforcement inspection, often guided by standards set by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA). You don’t want to be the person explaining your hydraulic lift system or custom axle configuration to a police officer who is more used to checking tail lights on a sedan.
This disconnect often leads to “assigned VIN” processes that can take months of back-and-forth mailing, all while your asset sits in the driveway, unusable on public roads.
The Montana LLC: A Valid Asset Management Tool
Instead of navigating the maze of your local state agency, savvy owners utilize a different tool: the Montana LLC. By forming a business entity in Montana to own your specialty vehicle, you shift the jurisdiction of that asset to a state with no sales tax.
This is not a “trick” or a temporary fix. It is a legitimate, compliant structure used by thousands of high-net-worth individuals to manage their most valuable mobile assets.
Because Montana does not have a sales tax, the tax optimization for an RV or a custom trailer can save you tens of thousands of dollars instantly.
Moreover, Montana offers permanent registration for many trailers and vehicles over 11 years old, as outlined in the Montana Department of Justice Title and Registration guidelines.
Imagine never having to worry about an annual renewal notice again. You pay once, you get your permanent plates, and the asset is managed for the life of your ownership.
The Smartest Way to Register Luxury Vehicles With a Montana LLC
If you want the full concierge-level roadmap—covering luxury cars, RVs, and trailers—the guide below walks through the Montana LLC strategy, the benefits (including no state sales tax and permanent plate options), and Ride Legal’s step-by-step process from consultation to plate delivery.
Read next: The Smartest Way to Register Luxury Vehicles: Montana LLC Services
Why Specialty Builds Require a Concierge
Handling these filings yourself is a recipe for rejection. A professional concierge service understands exactly how to categorize these builds to ensure they are road-ready and properly titled from day one.
You should be focused on the silence of the desert or the logistics of your next cross-country haul, not wondering if your registration paperwork is sitting at the bottom of the pile.
Think about it: the state agency takes six weeks to process a custom build only to return it due to a “classification error.” The expertise required to navigate the Montana Secretary of State and the Motor Vehicle Division is specific. It is a boutique skill set that protects your time.
We Manage Your Assets with Precision
Here’s the reality: the time you spend managing the fallout of a clerical error on your custom build is time you will never get back. The modern owner knows that the smartest move is to delegate the friction to experts who speak the language of the agencies.
At Ride Legal, we specialize in removing this burden entirely. We handle the formation of your Montana LLC and manage the entire registration process on your behalf.
Our team ensures that your custom RV, trailer, or specialty build is registered correctly, and we ship your plates and documents directly to your door in as little as 1 day after you send us your documents.
We have successfully registered over 80,000 vehicles, providing a white-glove experience that prioritizes your privacy and your schedule. You never have to step foot in a DMV, and you certainly never have to justify the value of your assets to a tax assessor again.
