Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

[Buccaneer]

Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

So I’m looking at a boat in Miss, one in Fla, and one in Tex.
I’m thinking to move East from Calif.
Where would y’all suggest I buy the boat, so as to pay the Tax Man the least amount?

 

[jim rosenthal]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

Doesn't the tax get paid where you register your boat? I had the impression that many states have an exemption from sales tax if you are moving the boat to your state of residence, because you will pay the sales tax there.

 

[Phasma2128]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

Doesn't the tax get paid where you register your boat? I had the impression that many states have an exemption from sales tax if you are moving the boat to your state of residence, because you will pay the sales tax there.

this has always been my experience

 

[Boatsb]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

California. And keep it there. It will save your paying east coast sales tax. I'm sure the taxes there are much better.

Sales tax is based on your wanting to spend money on something that's not a necessity. It's a fair tax as you don't have to buy it so you don't need to pay it.

Also here it's part of the budget used to support the waterways. Please don't come here looking for a free ride. We get enough freeloaders.

 

[Pascal]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

It’s not about where you buy the boat but you will register it AND use it.

Some states like Del and RI do not have sales tax so in the theory you can homeport it there and not pay a dime. This will work if you do not spend all your time in one state. If you do, most states will send you a tax bill. Others like I believe NC have an annual tax levied on vessels present in the state at a set date.

And of course your state of residence will affect your tax exposure as well.

It’s a complex issue and you probably should consult either a maritime attorney or a documentation agent

 

[JD5652]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

In Florida, sales tax on boats is 6%...

 

[Pascal]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

In Florida, sales tax on boats is 6%...

But capped to 300k value, so max tax is $18k

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

The RV guys form a Montana LLC and that holds all of their vehicles and boats. They pay no sales tax and registration fees are minimal.

https://www.49dollarmontanaregisteredagent.com/montana-llc?gad_source=1

 

[brettportzer]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

I wouldn't do this myself, but, friends of mine registered their newly purchased used boats in Rhode Island, even though they reside in NYS...

The boats are in NYS as well, and have not been in Rhode Island...

 

[Scarlett]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

If you buy a boat in a state, especially Ca. And plan to move it to another state be careful. We just did this. We bought the boat in Ca. But took an offshore delivery which requires a copy of the newspaper and a picture of your GPS position at least 3 miles off shore. You can then keep the boat in Ca. For up to 6 months if you can document that work is being done on it. When you leave keep all receipts for moving , storage and fuel from your new destination and Ca. Will still try to get the sales tax from you. We just buried them in receipts from our East Coast cruising and they finally let it go.

 

[Retired1]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

So I’m looking at a boat in Miss, one in Fla, and one in Tex.
I’m thinking to move East from Calif.
Where would y’all suggest I buy the boat, so as to pay the Tax Man the least amount?

All of that tax stuff is easily avoided, but the main question you should be asking is WHERE are you going to find dockage and insurance, which is now pretty much necessary for dockage?

 

[Pascal]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

I wouldn't do this myself, but, friends of mine registered their newly purchased used boats in Rhode Island, even though they reside in NYS...

The boats are in NYS as well, and have not been in Rhode Island...

Then Mass senator John Kerry tried that a few years ago… he bought a beautiful 80’ sailboat made in New Zealand (as if we don’t have good custom builder in the US…) and homeported it Newport RI. That worked for a while until his constituents and the Boston Globe noticed that the boat spent all summers in Nantucket, Mass…. He ended up paying the sales tax to his home state…

 

[brettportzer]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

One of the guys sold the boat after two years, the other guy still has his.

I should ask if he eventually registered it in NY or whatever, because, I would think it would catch up somehow, eventually.

 

[whoover]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

I am also looking at this and have found that the easiest and most legal way to do it is register in Florida and pay the 18,000 max sales tax if the boat is worth that much. Otherwise the boat can only stay in Florida for 90 days or with an extension 120 days. Depending on how you use it this may work. I'm Canadian so paying the tax was the easiest and the boat can stay in the state. If I were to bring it north then I would only need a cruising permit for the summer. Being a Canadian on a US boat in Canadian waters may cause me an issue as far as boarding but that's fine, I follow the rules.

Walt Hoover

 

[metama]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

Where in NYC would they dock?
NJ? Either way they will get that Road Island tax.

 

[rwaldrop13]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

All of that tax stuff is easily avoided, but the main question you should be asking is WHERE are you going to find dockage and insurance, which is now pretty much necessary for dockage?

Over a year and a half since Ian hit Ft Myers and we have 2-3 marinas reopened, one of which kicked everyone out in December (owner of property is in a dispute with management company that actually owns docks and marina facility), and per-foot cost rivals downtown Miami. Insurance is actually easier to get right now than dockage.

 

[Bob Bradley]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

I live in Ct. My boat and my $$ go to RI. I summer in Westerly on the boat. And yea, John Kerry is a pompous ass and a complete hypocrite. Lets take a private jet to the climate meetings. Seems reasonable to him.

 

[Cricket]

Re: Where to buy … lowest taxes etc?

New Jersey, boat sales tax rate is half of the normal 7% rate (3.5%) with maximum tax amount capped at $20,000.