Florida Use tax on USCG Documented boat purchased outside the US

[Sand crab]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Any other East Coast state have such a tax that is much lower than Florida's?

New Hampshire is pretty low because its 0. Delaware is also very low.

[sailon46]

Sand crab is right I’m facing same situation but oat berthed in St Croix. Bought the boat in Tortolla 5 years ago but in US virgins I have to go to BVI at least once a. Year and no Tax due. I think there is a time limit similarly (u hope) with Fla.

[danielamartindm]

Many tax attorneys provide free consultations. I would go that route, with a Florida tax attorney, before contacting the State of Florida. I'm not an attorney, but when I went through this issue (and decided to pay the tax), my impression was that if you're going to be a Florida resident and use the vessel here, they're going to want that 6%- either as a sales tax when you buy the boat, or as a use tax when you use it. If you can show that you did pay a sales tax when you bought the boat, that amount can usually be deducted from the use tax you'll owe. Lacking a state income tax, Florida is diligent in collecting its various and sundry other taxes. Best of luck!

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by sailon46

Sand crab is right I’m facing same situation but oat berthed in St Croix. Bought the boat in Tortolla 5 years ago but in US virgins I have to go to BVI at least once a. Year and no Tax due. I think there is a time limit similarly (u hope) with Fla.

I believe the USVI have no sales/use tax on anything, nor personal property taxation on boats.

Of issue is whether your Tortolla purchased boat has paid import duty when imported into the USVI and of course registration.

You must have a U.S. Virgin Islands Certificate of Number (registration) and registration decal to legally operate any vessel on the territorial waters of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The only exceptions are:
• Vessels with valid registrations from other states or territories of the United
States using U.S. Virgin Islands waters for 60 days or less
• Vessels from a country other than the United States using U.S. Virgin
Islands waters for 60 days or less
• A ship’s lifeboat or a vessel owned by a United States governmental agency

[Dooglas]

We are still lacking an answer from the OP about whether he paid sales tax / use tax in the State of South Carolina. I believe that is the crux of the answer to his question right there. If he registered his documented vessel in South Carolina and paid the appropriate tax - Florida will normally recognize this. If not......

[meridian28]

I would check with the DMV in Vero Beach or Marathon. Those two counties seem to know what’s up. When bringing my boat into FL, Clay county said I would owe 7%. I paid nothing when I used Vero Beach.

[Paul L]

If you move to Fla and become a resident and bring the boat to Fla you will owe use-tax. If you already paid sales-tax or use-tax in any other state then that amount will be credited toward what you owe in Fla.

[Stu Jackson]

How old is the boat?

[sailon46]

Originally Posted by Montanan

I believe the USVI have no sales/use tax on anything, nor personal property taxation on boats.

Of issue is whether your Tortolla purchased boat has paid import duty when imported into the USVI and of course registration.

You must have a U.S. Virgin Islands Certificate of Number (registration) and registration decal to legally operate any vessel on the territorial waters of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The only exceptions are:
• Vessels with valid registrations from other states or territories of the United
States using U.S. Virgin Islands waters for 60 days or less
• Vessels from a country other than the United States using U.S. Virgin
Islands waters for 60 days or less
• A ship’s lifeboat or a vessel owned by a United States governmental agency

I was under the impression that a USCG registered to the Colorado it’s ok in the uSVI as long as I go to BVI once a year am I wrong thanx for clarifying it for me

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by sailon46

I was under the impression that a USCG registered to the Colorado it’s ok in the USVI as long as I go to BVI once a year am I wrong thanx for clarifying it for me

Are you asking whether Montanan meant what he posted? I suppose he did. If you exceed 60 days in the USVI with a boat registered in another US State, you must register the boat in the USVI.

http://coralbaycommunitycouncil.org/...ating-Regs.pdf

[Dave22q]

I'm no lawyer but the language seems clear to me. You bought in a forign country and are bring it to Florida. Where you were in the interim is not relevant. However, I see little chance you will be caught if you do not register your boat in Florida.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Dooglas

Are you asking whether Montanan meant what he posted? I suppose he did. If you exceed 60 days in the USVI with a boat registered in another US State, you must register the boat in the USVI.

http://coralbaycommunitycouncil.org/...ating-Regs.pdf

Quote:
Originally Posted by sailon46 View Post
I was under the impression that a USCG registered to the Colorado it’s ok in the USVI as long as I go to BVI once a year am I wrong thanx for clarifying it for me

Agreed. USCG Documentation means that you do not need to title your vessel in the USVI but you do need to register your boat in the USVI, similar to essentially the requirements of all of the States.

Sailon, I am confused by what you mean as to "registered to the Colorado". Is your USCG documented boat hailing from a place in Colorado?

Why do you feel compelled to leave a US territory such as the USVI and travel to a foreign country such as the BVI once a year? What rule are you attempting to comply with, especially since your vessel is located in the USVI for most of the year.

Hey, it's winter time here in Montana, I am all for sailing from the USVI to the BVI, just a hop skip and jump and getting away from the snow.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

New Hampshire is pretty low because its 0. Delaware is also very low.

Yes but I suspect a zero state may be no good.

The registration issue could be beside the point, for **tax** purposes, FL may demand theirs if no sales / tax has ever been paid, no matter how long ago it was "imported".

AFAIK USCG documentation does not imply a physical import right? US citizens living overseas get US flagged all the time without importing into US territory land. . .

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

I'm no lawyer but the language seems clear to me. You bought in a forign country and are bring it to Florida. Where you were in the interim is not relevant. However, I see little chance you will be caught if you do not register your boat in Florida.

If you do not display registration numbers while in Florida, you are very likely to get pulled over. You have 90 days grace only if foreign flagged or registered in another US location.

If you are not registered because your state doesn't require it, you must register in FL before coming.

None of which is relevant to **tax** issues other than to show how unreasonable FL is, they just want the revenue.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Paul L

If you move to Fla and become a resident and bring the boat to Fla you will owe use-tax. If you already paid sales-tax or use-tax in any other state then that amount will be credited toward what you owe in Fla.

Not dependent on domicile state of the owner.

Based on where the boat is, for how long, even if the owner only visits for an occasional weekend.