VAT Experts are Sought

[lasun]

I am looking to buy a boat in Antibes and ship it to Norway next year. The boat is a 2007 and is posted as VAT not paid. Is there an expert out there that can answer questions about VAT rules? I wish to keep the boat in the western mediteranian. If necessary in Gibraltar, Spain for 1820 months and avoid paying VAT in EU and then VAT again when I move it to Norway in September 2013.What do I need to do? I am a Norwegian citizen living and working in the US.

[MacG]

Register the boat in Gib under a company flag. You pay an annual fee for the upkeep of the registration. Several 100' s pounds depending the value of the boat.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by lasun

I am looking to buy a boat in Antibes and ship it to Norway next year. The boat is a 2007 and is posted as VAT not paid. Is there an expert out there that can answer questions about VAT rules? I wish to keep the boat in the western mediteranian. If necessary in Gibraltar, Spain for 1820 months and avoid paying VAT in EU and then VAT again when I move it to Norway in September 2013.What do I need to do? I am a Norwegian citizen living and working in the US.

if you are non-resident in the eu,you are eligable to a tempory import permit,whilst in eu waters for up to 18 months.

after 18 months,or immediatly.
as a returning non-resident,who takes up residence again in the eu you can bring the yacht into the eu tax free as a personal possesion.

a gib flag/company registration cost about £1500,then £300 yr

[MacG]

Well, don' t keep your boat in Spain. In France they are less alien, my experience. In pre EU time we kept in the South a Dutch flagged boat for years. Depends from place to place and who you know.

[monstads]

I'm in a similar situation. (Norwegian living in the US, looking at possibly moving it to Norway). Not sure if this works with your timeline, but an option I'm looking at, is that if you move back and bring the boat with you, you pay no import duties, "motor size fee" or VAT on it IF: you've lived abroad for at least 5 years, you have owned and used the boat for at least a year, it is under 15m, you bring it in within one year of the move, and you don't sell it within 2 years. http://toll.no/templates_TAD/GuideAr...epslanguage=no has more info ( in Norwegian). That is at least my read on it, but would love to hear from anyone who has done it.

The biggest challenge I have is that if I buy one in the US, I believe getting the CE certificate might be difficult/costly. Of course being able to afford a boat that would be worth taking back, as well as being capable of sailing it across the pond is another, minor detail.. Let us know how it ends up working for you, and "lykke til! "

[lasun]

Originally Posted by monstads

I'm in a similar situation. (Norwegian living in the US, looking at possibly moving it to Norway). Not sure if this works with your timeline, but an option I'm looking at, is that if you move back and bring the boat with you, you pay no import duties, "motor size fee" or VAT on it IF: you've lived abroad for at least 5 years, you have owned and used the boat for at least a year, it is under 15m, you bring it in within one year of the move, and you don't sell it within 2 years. Tollfritak ved flytting - Tollvesenet has more info ( in Norwegian). That is at least my read on it, but would love to hear from anyone who has done it.

The biggest challenge I have is that if I buy one in the US, I believe getting the CE certificate might be difficult/costly. Of course being able to afford a boat that would be worth taking back, as well as being capable of sailing it across the pond is another, minor detail.. Let us know how it ends up working for you, and "lykke til! "

I belive the CE issue can be taken care of if you buy a boat manufactured in Europe they will have been CE marked prior to export to the US. However, you have the issue of changing the 110v generator and shorepower to 220 v which could be a costly conversion.
Needs to be a powerboat to take back, since the parices in Norway is basically the same as in the US. I am currently inc,lined to buy a boat in the mediterainian waters and take it back to Norway upon my retunr form US. (5 years next October).

Keep me posted on your plans and let me know if you get any good ideas and I will do the same.
Thanks, Lars

[monstads]

Originally Posted by atoll

after 18 months,or immediatly.
as a returning non-resident,who takes up residence again in the eu you can bring the yacht into the eu tax free as a personal possesion.

Do you happen to have a link to the regulations? I'm curious if there's similar restrictions as importing directly into Norway, and if it would apply to EEA members as well ( http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Area for those not familiar with the weird little group of EEA countries).

[lasun]

CE marking should not be a problem if the boat is european made. Windy, Nimbus, Beneteau are good candidates for power boats. My concern is with the 110 v systems versus 220. Possibly a cost conversion. I am at the point where I think a EU purchase would be better. Tax excemption in Norway still applies since I have been 5 years abroad in October next year.There seems to be no requirement that the boat needs to be in the same country as you.

[monstads]

It could be interesting to buy in Europe but it does seem pricier (although exchange rates have been improving). Since you have to apply for the tax waiver in advance, and presumably show some proof of "use", I would be a little worried about that part. Any idea what they might consider an "acceptable" amount of use? Having a boat sit in the Med for a year, and flying over there to use it a couple of times seems like it could get pricey as well (airfare, storage, etc). I'm looking for a sailboat, and every so often I see some for sale in the Caribbean that have been sailed over from Europe, which might be a good option as far as 110/220 and CE are concerned.

[lasun]

I am in the powerboat market so I have not been looking much at sailboats.I have However, your idea about a european boat in caribia sounds excellent. Since the Norwegian autorities have not specified the deifintion of "use" it is not easy to determine what is minimum acceptable useage. However, if the boat has been stored onshore in a boatyard it would proably not qualify. I believe it should be possible to check this with the Norwegian customs on a specific case.