Bahamas with neither USCG nor State documentation

[soverel]

Florida does title boats.

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[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by soverel

Florida does title boats.

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you are correct. I took this from the FL Gov site.

Where do I apply for a title on my recently purchased vessel?
Applications for vessel registration and title certificates (original or duplicate) are to be filed by the vessel owner with the county tax collector's office in the county where the vessel is located or in the county where the vessel owner resides.

[Cheechako]

Florida will want a FL address, and willingly take your money if you have one. At least that was the case 3 years ago.
I did it in Brevard county and was quick and easy... used a friends mailing address as that was my FL address...
I had purchased the boat in FL months earlier, but had "taken the boat out of state to work on it", I asked the head of the office by email if I could FL register as I had decided to keep the boat in FL instead...

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by soverel

Florida does title boats.

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If it's a documented boat, you have to go through the Coast Guard first, assuming you want to keep it documented.

[jmschmidt]

To document you should (may be required to) have a Bill of Sale on Coast Guard Form CG-1340. One seller gave us a phony looking, type written BOS from a St. Martin LLC. If a foreign built vessel, I believe it is required. A signed copy of the original builder's certificate is advisable, especially for foreign built. One seller gave us one but it was unsigned, finally go the real thing. Coast Guard Form CG-5397 Application For Simplified Measurement is also part of the documentation package. Overlooking these details are what costs money and time in the documentation process. Call the CG, they are great people and will walk you through it.

[nautical62]

I am a non-Florida resident but registered my boat in Florida. It was no problem. In fact, I'm under the impression that any boat spending more than 90 days in Florida water's should be registered there. They want their registration fees after all.

As you mentioned past threads have shown that many people have cleared into the Bahamas with just Florida registration and no coast guard documentation. If in doubt check with Bahamas customs.

[soverel]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

If it's a documented boat, you have to go through the Coast Guard first, assuming you want to keep it documented.

The op says he has a florida title, which is only issued on a previously documented vessel if it has officially been undocumented.

The florida title in this case is the valid title. It is fact a crime to sell a titled vessel without transferring of the title into new owners name. The seller is required to report the sale of vessel to the state of florida upon sale.

I got impression op wanted to change it to a documented vessel.

The uscg website has all forms needed to do so.

Im amazed seller did not require immediate transfer of title into new owners name.

Its not worth the trouble to avoid paying sales tax in florida. A documented vessel in florida more than six months i believe, is required to register vessel in florida. They will collect sales tax if you cant prove sales tax was paid elsewhere.

You can lose your boat over this. Donr be cheap.

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[soverel]

FBSA/71 allows states to deny a documentation nber if state and local taxes have not been paid.

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[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by soverel

The op says he has a florida title, which is only issued on a previously documented vessel if it has officially been undocumented.

The florida title in this case is the valid title. It is fact a crime to sell a titled vessel without transferring of the title into new owners name. The seller is required to report the sale of vessel to the state of florida upon sale.

I got impression op wanted to change it to a documented vessel.

The uscg website has all forms needed to do so.

Im amazed seller did not require immediate transfer of title into new owners name.

Its not worth the trouble to avoid paying sales tax in florida. A documented vessel in florida more than six months i believe, is required to register vessel in florida. They will collect sales tax if you cant prove sales tax was paid elsewhere.

You can lose your boat over this. Donr be cheap.

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Oh, I misunderstood the situation. I think in that situation I'd just register it in Florida.

[soverel]

Ive sold boats to people with texas id and no problem with them transferring title. It was written in bill of sale they had 30 days to do so and if they did not i kept money and boat.

I do that to protect myself and follow florida law.

The op will be in florida still for a while and stuff happens.

Florida leo will sticker as derelict any non registered vessel. Think run aground. Stuff happens.

And a brief read thru uscg documentation site says they want title transferred to new owner prior to documenting.

In the case of a previously owned vessel, the applicant must present bills of sale, or other evidence showing transfer of the vessel from the person who last documented, titled, or registered the vessel, or to whom the vessel was transferred on a Builder's Certification or Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin. If title was transferred by some means other than a bill of sale, contact the NVDC for assistance.
Top of Page

http://www.uscg.mil/nvdc/nvdcfaq.asp#07



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[gilgsn]

Hello,

You do not need an LLC to register in Delaware.. You should be able to do it, service included for a few hundred.

Gil.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by gilgsn

Hello,

You do not need an LLC to register in Delaware.. You should be able to do it, service included for a few hundred.

Gil.

For just a little more money, he can just register it in Florida. Why get wrapped around the axle trying to bend the rules when it's fairly easy just to do it the straightforward and correct way?

[brownoarsman]

Wow, went out to get new ground tackle for the day and came back to all these responses! Thanks everyone for your input.

I'm not trying to avoid anything, just don't want to get involved with one process and then find out it hurts me in another. I think I have it all worked out with everyone's help; I will update the thread with my experience when I have it sorted out.


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[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by brownoarsman

Wow, went out to get new ground tackle for the day and came back to all these responses! Thanks everyone for your input.

I'm not trying to avoid anything, just don't want to get involved with one process and then find out it hurts me in another. I think I have it all worked out with everyone's help; I will update the thread with my experience when I have it sorted out.


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Just to be clear, I didn't think you were, though some of the advice you were getting seemed to be leaning that direction.

[zboss]

If the boat is in Florida now (sounds like it is), make a stop in Green Cove Springs Florida at St. Brendan's Isle. Its a mail forwarding po box. You can get a Florida address there, they will help you with the necessary forms, then drive two blocks to the DMV and register the boat. You get your registration and stickers on the spot. This takes only about 3 hours.