Florida questions

[powsmias]

Hi all,
went to visit daughter in winston salem on way to florida. on way there i stopped in west virginia to document boat with the coast guard. no water within who knows how many miles. govt at work. Got to florida and registered and questioned why the charge is so much because i understood if boat is over 25 years the fee is only 6.00. She said because of the coast guard documentation it takes that off the table. what are advantages of coast guard doc? if not in florida for a long length of time do i need to renew my registration there or only make sure i'm up to date if in the state? will other states/countries question florida reg being overdue? will be liveaboard for a long time on shoestring budget and want to cut any unnecessary stuff out. next year should i let coast guard doc lapse or a keeper?
thanx in advance
eddie

[Hudson Force]

It is true that the USCG documentation and the state registration are separate certifications and one does not replace the other.

I do have my vessel documented with the Coast Guard, but as a Florida resident and spending most of my time in Florida, I also have a Florida registration.

If you have a Florida registration, but keep your boat in another state, then you will subject to being required to pay for registration in that state.

If you have an old outdated Florida registration decal on your vessel this would not be recognized by Florida, or another state, to be currently registered.

By the way, there is no activity of the USCG documentation system that would require that the documentation offices be near the water.

[roberttigar]

I have a 30+ year old documented boat and it is registered in FL as an "antique vessel". Cost of regis is $6.00/year. You need to meet certain requirements-must have original engine or one similar. State of Fl web site lists the form needed under registration of vehicles, I believe. Its the only cheap thing associated with boating.
Bob

[Captain Bill]

I have never heard of a requirement that antique vessels must be Florida titled rather than federally documented to qualify for antique status. Florida Statute 328.72 section 2 does not list this as a requirement. I think you got an employee that did not know the law as well as they should.

[Boatguy30]

It is said that banks prefer USCG doc if making a loan.

I have cruised to over 20 countries with state registry and even sold and imported a boat into Australia w/o even presenting the actual title until I mailed it over when I returned home.

There's no practical reason to have USCG especially if you qualify for antique registration. I do not qualify so USCG is cheaper for me.

AS an FYI, right or wrongly; The FWC commander for NE Florida has told me if you take your boat more than 3 miles offshore every 90 days you do not have to be FL registered. Have it in an email somewhere.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

.......................
....................... The FWC commander for NE Florida has told me if you take your boat more than 3 miles offshore every 90 days you do not have to be FL registered. Have it in an email somewhere.

Of course this does not mean you don't require registration at all!

This means that you can keep a vessel registered in another state as long as you periodically remove it from Florida.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by powsmias

Got to florida and registered and questioned why the charge is so much because i understood if boat is over 25 years the fee is only 6.00.

How much was "so much?"

I don't recall annual FL registration being a big deal, once past original purchase/sales tax issues.

-Chris

[Suijin]

You can let your USCG documentation expire for an indefinite period and then just renew it when you need it, although if it is expired for more than a year you'll have to pay the fee of a new documentation as opposed to a renewal. Once your boat has a doc number, that number stays with it indefinitely. When you renew you'll just renew that number.

Honestly, if the boat is paid for, until you leave US waters there is little value to being currently documented other than not having to put state registration numbers on your vessel.

And for Florida, are you citing the 6% use tax? I believe if you've owned the boat for 6 months or more and you move your residency to Florida that no use tax is owed at the time of arrival, until the boat has spent 90 consecutive days or 183 days out of the calendar year in the state.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

How much was "so much?"...

Florida Boat Registration Fees vary by the length of the vessel, as follows:

Class A-1 (vessels less than 12 ft and all motorized canoes): $10.25

Class A-2 (12 ft to 16 ft): $21

Class 1 (16 ft to 26 ft): $33.50

Class 2 (26 ft to 40 ft: $83

Class 3 (40 ft to 65 ft): $132.50

Class 4 (65 ft to 110 ft): $157.50

Class 5 (110 ft or longer): $194.50

Please note that some counties may tack on additional fees.

➥ Florida Boat Registration Instructions | DMV.org

[Boatguy30]

Plus county fee about 1/2 the counties charge which is roughly 50% additional

[Jason Flare]

New question but related to this thread:

I want to register our boat in FL. The boat is documented with the CG. Sales tax has NOT been paid yet. I requested an email and snail mail copy of my Bill of Sale from the CG and I received it and have it in hand. There is no mention of the price I paid for the boat on the BOS.

What do I do? Does anyone know how I can pay sales tax and get my boat registered?

(BTW, I was on the phone with the Dade County tax collector's office for over an hour last Winter and they said I needed a copy of my BOS from the CG to pay my tax.)

[Boatguy30]

On smaller boats they generally just accept the amount you declare.

Are you a Florida resident? If not, I would investigate getting a title only from your home state and paying the tax there. You will not be charged tax again in FL with proof of equivalent tax paid.

In northern Michigan counties for example, they are happy to take your money and I have a local address. I have registered several boats up to 43' there and have never been questioned on my declared values.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

I have never heard of a requirement that antique vessels must be Florida titled rather than federally documented to qualify for antique status. Florida Statute 328.72 section 2 does not list this as a requirement. I think you got an employee that did not know the law as well as they should.

Don't lose that hat Bill... I think it's helping you hold all those smarts in...

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

On smaller boats they generally just accept the amount you declare.

Are you a Florida resident? If not, I would investigate getting a title only from your home state and paying the tax there. You will not be charged tax again in FL with proof of equivalent tax paid.

In northern Michigan counties for example, they are happy to take your money and I have a local address. I have registered several boats up to 43' there and have never been questioned on my declared values.

I am not a FL resident. The boat is kept in CT during the Summer. CT is a non-title state and I would prefer to pay the sales tax to FL.

[a64pilot]

This year my old girl turns 30.
It will cost more to renew the dinghy than my IP 38, but with both of them added together, I think it's less than $20.
Even if she was brand new, both of them added together is I think less than $100.
However wait until you buy car tags