Washington state fees and taxes

[Gudgeon]

Planning on cruising Washington state and British Columbia. Would arrive in Washington in June Cruise norther Puget Sound in to BC in to the fall. Then find a place to stay for the winter in Washington. The next spring summer we would do some more cruising. Then in late summer start heading south.
From what I can gather if I stay more than 180 days in Washington I have to register the boat in Washington and pay an excise tax of 1/2 0f 1 percent plus registration fees and possible sales tax for Washington state.
If you have cruised and out of state boat in Washington what fees/taxes did you have to pay?

Aloha
Mike

[Shrew]

You might want to verify. I believe it is 60 days, not 180.

https://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregist...isterboat.html

RCW 88.02.620: Nonresident vessel permit. (<i>Effective until July 1, 2026.</i>)

[Gudgeon]

Shrew I found some where that it changed to 180 days I am finding much confliction information. Seem Washington make is hard to bring your boat to the state. Just starting my research and planning for next summer

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Gudgeon

Shrew I found somewhere that it changed to 180 days

I would trust what the state has posted over an alternate resource. It's not hard to bring the boat to the state of Washington. It's hard to stay in Washington over 60 days and avoid paying a use tax on your vessel.

The verbiage also doesn't clearly state whether that is 60 consecutive days or cumulative over a specified time period. IF it is consecutive, then you could periodically take the boat to Oregon or Vancouver and obtain receipts showing transient slip or mooring in intervals of less than 60 days.

[Paul L]

You can purchase a 1 year exemption
https://dor.wa.gov/get-form-or-publi...onresidents://

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Paul L

You can purchase a 1 year exemption
https://dor.wa.gov/get-form-or-publi...onresidents://

Link (above) includes invalid HTTP syntax:

https://dor.wa.gov/get-form-or-publi...s-nonresidents

[Montanan]

Reference recent forum post and replies which will provide you with the details you are inquiring about.

How To Legally Avoid WA Sales Tax - Page 3 - Cruisers & Sailing Forums


Enjoy the Salish Sea.

[Mithril Bham]

I've jumped through this hoop for many years with many boats. Depends on who you talk to. Maybe better now but found few in government knew what the rules were. Make sure you get a signed document from whoever tells you what the rules are. Call Olympia.

[CarinaPDX]

Agree that you should read the recent thread - starting an identical thread only a few days later than another active thread with many informative posts just shows that you didn't search first. Not meaning to be rude, just pointing out proper "netiquette". And explaining why I am not going to repeat my research again here...


Greg

[NewMoon]

I am resident of a different state. Bought a USCG documented boat, located in Anacortes, owned by a Californian. No sales tax.

Left WA to head north within the 45 day limit. Cruised BC and AK for the summer, returning to WA in October. Automatically had 60 days I could stay in WA without tax issues. Extended that to 180 days via two 60-day permits from WA DOL for about $75.

Could do that each year, but it turns out that 180 days is not long enough for my needs. So I bit the bullet and registered with WA, paid use tax of 8-9 percent (same as sales tax) and then annual tax (excise?) each year thereafter.

[Gudgeon]

I am waiting fro response from Washington state via email I have got different answers from two different agencies. As Mithril Bhram says it is very confusing. Do not want to arrive there and find out I have a $25K as that would put a dent in the cruising kitty.

CarinaPDX
Just to clearify I have been following the other thread, but I am not purchasing a boat in Washington I am sailing a >12 year old boat in to the state as a non resident of Washington I am Hawaii resident. I have no plans to reside there, I want to cruise for two summers. Please read what I wrote.

Newmoon
How did Washington value the boat 8-9% could be a large sum on a cruising boat. How much was use tax. Sound like you are doing what I want to do and your are spot on 180 days is not enough. So the clock stops for the time you are out of the state?

Montanan
So are the going to tax me on the purchase price from 13 years ago? That will keep me from going there and spending my cruising dollars


Shrew
Both the 60 day and 180 were on two different Wa gov web sites.


Paul L
Looks like the exemption is only if you purchase the boat in Wa.

[NewMoon]

Originally Posted by Gudgeon

I am waiting fro response from Washington state via email I have got different answers from two different agencies. As Mithril Bhram says it is very confusing. Do not want to arrive there and find out I have a $25K as that would put a dent in the cruising kitty.

CarinaPDX
Just to clearify I have been following the other thread, but I am not purchasing a boat in Washington I am sailing a >12 year old boat in to the state as a non resident of Washington I am Hawaii resident. I have no plans to reside there, I want to cruise for two summers. Please read what I wrote.

Newmoon
How did Washington value the boat 8-9% could be a large sum on a cruising boat. How much was use tax. Sound like you are doing what I want to do and your are spot on 180 days is not enough. So the clock stops for the time you are out of the state?

Montanan
So are the going to tax me on the purchase price from 13 years ago? That will keep me from going there and spending my cruising dollars


Shrew
Both the 60 day and 180 were on two different Wa gov web sites.


Paul L
Looks like the exemption is only if you purchase the boat in Wa.

WA use tax was based on the price I paid for it, exactly like sales tax. Yes, it was a bundle. OTOH, I would have been illegal after 180 days unless I registered w WA, and paid that tax. Subject to the tax plus penalties.

Don't know how they figure value for the annual tax.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Gudgeon

CarinaPDX
Just to clearify I have been following the other thread, but I am not purchasing a boat in Washington I am sailing a >12 year old boat in to the state as a non resident of Washington I am Hawaii resident. I have no plans to reside there, I want to cruise for two summers. Please read what I wrote.

Well, I did read what you wrote. The answers are the same. It doesn't matter how old your boat is, or where you reside, it only matters where the boat is used. I started building my boat in 1978, and have been an Oregon resident the entire time. If I want to use her in Washington for more than 180 days/year I have to pay the Use tax (same percentage as the Sales tax) on the current market value (not what was paid for her unless recently purchased). If you have paid sales tax in Hawaii then that is deductible, so a 12 year old boat would usually not owe anything if sales tax had been paid at purchase. It is mostly Alaskans and Oregonians who get screwed because we don't have a sales tax. BTW the market value determination is a discussion you have with the tax folks, and usually you can work out a number on the low end of the range then. There is, or at least used to be, a guy in Olympia who reviewed the applications and raised questions if the numbers were too far out of line (recognizing that not all counties had the necessary expertise). [Edit: IIRC the application requires you to state the value of the vessel, but if too low then discussion ensues - be prepared to defend the number.]

Greg

[Gudgeon]

With those answers that keeps Washington off the list of places to cruise.

[BB Bosun Mate]

few question on this subject

1. Who enforce these rule/regulation?
2. How do the determine that when was you actually enter the state of Washington. If you not telling them.
If you are too worry about that then sail your vessel out to international water for a day and then return to port. it only 12 miles off shore