Can I be held liable for accidently not paying sales tax on a new car?

Question

About 2 years ago I bought a brand new car in one state, but I registered/insured the car in a different state. The state that I originally bought the car in noticed I registered the car in a different state so they refunded me the sales tax (I guess so I would pay sales tax in the state I registered the car in). Long story short it's been almost 2 years now and the state the car is registered in never asked for sales tax and continue to let me renew the registration every year :) I feel I could not be held liable for "tax evasion" or something because I am not an accountant so how much would I know to send them if they never told me anything...and it is the states burden to tell me how much taxes I owe, not my own. Could I be held liable or eventually might have to pay it?

Answer 1

Your home state probably allowed you a credit for the sales taxes that you paid in the state where you purchased the vehicle.  If that ever gets audited, they will come after you for it since the other state (improperly) refunded the tax that you paid them.  Will that happen?  Who knows.  But if it does, yes, you WILL have to pay it.

You SHOULD have contacted your state when the other state refunded the sales tax to you.  You didn't.  It could bite you in the backside someday.

Answer 2

You aren't going to jail for tax evasion over this, but yes you could eventually have to pay it, even if by then you didn't even own the car.