Sojourner Permit for Florida

[Scarlett]

Need help from the experts. We just purchased a second boat that we are going to ship to the east coast and keep it there. We plan to cruise Florida and the Bahamas in the winter months, then go north for the summer, flying back and forth from California. I just read about this Sojourner Permit and it seems a little confusing if we need it. Anyone have any knowledge of this. Thanks, John

 

[rwaldrop13]

I refuse to claim anything other than a passing familiarity but I took the liberty of looking it up. The problem with Florida is that if you're in state waters longer than 6 months the state expects the boat to be registered in the state. I don't know how they might enforce this, other than if they do a random boarding and catch you twice in a year. As far as I know the Coast Guard does not enforce this since it's a state regulation.

This was the only information I could find on the subject -

Sojourner's Permit, Do You Need One? (popyachts.com)

Now to be clear, I am a Florida resident and full-time liveaboard so we had to register our boat in Florida anyway. My suggestion would be to determine what county you'll be in and contact that county's tax office or county clerk directly.

I hope this helps!

 

[Boatsb]

It's a way to get a bit of income from people using our waters. I have to pay why shouldn't you.

Kind of like sales tax. If you don't want to pay it don't buy things.

 

[Briankinley2004]

If it is USCG documented you can just get a FL registration. If it is your signature boat and has original "type" power you can register it as an antique. It will cost you about $5/ year. That is what I did with my boat when I moved here. It is still USCG documented just has a FL registration for the state guys. If you are buying the boat in FL you will have to pay sales tax on it if you don't get it out in 90 days. If you already own the boat and its USCG documented you should be able to get the registration. I had a friend that just bought a Bertram. He was told if he didn't move it out of FL in 90 days he would have to pay sales tax. I helped him move it to LA a couple weeks later.

 

[Pascal]

Since you are not a Florida resident, you don’t have to worry about sales tax or registration.

The state uses the USCG documentation database to make sure Florida residents or florida corporation have paid sales tax on boats that were recently documented

In your case you are not a fl resident AND the boat was not purchased in Florida.

If you spend more than 6 months a year in the state, then you should get a sojourner registration just so you don’t have to worry. The state isn’t going to count days although supposedly they do access marina and bridge records if needed. But if you move the boat around to the bahamas and north, you don’t have to worry.

This is not the SRC (socialist republic of California) . Our sales tax is capped at $300k value / $18k tax.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

This is not the SRC (socialist republic of California) . Our sales tax is capped at $300k value / $18k tax.

Correct. It’s the SRF. SC sales tax is capped at $500.

 

[Pascal]

Correct. It’s the SRF. SC sales tax is capped at $500.

But no property tax...

 

[oscarvan]

But no property tax...

It's the package..... Income, sales, tourist, real estate, inheritance etc etc.....

Here are the rankings, and yes CA is more expensive than FL. But aside from hurricanes FL doesn't have much to offer. No earth quakes, mud slides or massive fires.

https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-highest-lowest-tax-burden/20494

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

But no property tax...

Seems you've forgotten our previous discussion--so here we go again. At Aslan's present assessed taxable value, it would take 31 years of SC property taxes to equal the front-end sales tax that I could have paid in FL. Being I've owned Aslan for about 6 years, that leaves another 25 years to put me in the red. While I can't predict the future, I prophesize that one of y'all will own Aslan well before I'm (if I'm lucky) in my nineties (You listening, Walt?). Of course, Aslan's taxable value can be reasonably expected to decline further stretching out the amortization.

 

[Pascal]

I remember. To me it s the principle of being taxed on property which you already own and have purchased with money alteration taxed...

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I remember. To me it s the principle of being taxed on property which you already own and have purchased with money alteration taxed...

OK, I thought you were comparing boat ownership costs between FL and CA.

 

[whoover]

Yes Mr. Clarckson I'm listening. My questions are 1) can the name be kept because I think its a perfectly named boat and 2) how will Aslan feel with Canadian registration. We pay sales tax once.

Walt Hoover

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Yes Mr. Clarckson I'm listening. My questions are 1) can the name be kept because I think its a perfectly named boat and 2) how will Aslan feel with Canadian registration. We pay sales tax once.Walt Hoover

Well Mr. Hoover, the name isn’t registered so it’s up for grabs. The Canadian thing is troubling, however. Aslan must remain a southern boat. What part of Canada would we be talking about?

 

[whoover]

Not to worry Mr. Clarkson, it would only be on the great lakes and never north of the Mason Dixon line in the winter.

Walt Hoover

 

[Jammin']

I'm enjoying the negotiation. When do we get to the dowry part?

One of the names in the running for our boat was "Spare Oom". I still like it.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Not to worry Mr. Clarkson, it would only be on the great lakes and never north of the Mason Dixon line in the winter.Walt Hoover

Well as long as it’s southern Canada. Can’t abide no yankees.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I'm enjoying the negotiation. When do we get to the dowry part?One of the names in the running for our boat was "Spare Oom". I still like it.

Almost went with Blazing Paddles.