Florida Use tax on USCG Documented boat purchased outside the US

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Yes, I have. And I know others who have. Even though that's completely irrelevant. The law is what it is. Whether or not I, personally, have been affected by it, doesn't change it one bit.



Come on, seriously, people. If you buy a boat while you're living in -- let's say -- Maryland, and six years later you move to Florida, and bring the boat with you, do you really think Florida is going to try to collect use tax from you for the boat? No, of course not! Well, the time limit is six months. It's right there in the law. Whether you have owned and used the boat for six years, or six months, the law is the same.


Florida's use tax applies on property that you bought for use in Florida. Not somewhere else. If there is evidence that you intended to bring it to Florida right from the beginning, then of course they're going to try to tax you. That's why you have to own AND USE the boat outside of Florida for more than six months.


It's really not that complicated. The laws are all right there for anyone to read.

There's the law and there's the various interpretations. You make it sound preposperous that bringing a boat into a state after years of ownership could trigger the use-tax. In Washington state it certainly does if you leave the boat over the prescribed period.

I'm interested in a particular situation.
US documented
Purchased offshore
Used in the US for greater than 6 months by current owner
Never been state registered
Currently offshore
Owner not a Fla resident
If the boat enters Fla and stays greater than 6 months is use-tax owed in your opinion?