Los Angeles County Cruisers Beware!

[s/v Fais Do Do]

WARNING!

If you depart a marina in Los Angeles County to do some extended cruising, be sure to establish a new situs. (permanent legal location for property for taxes purposes)

I left Marina del Rey in October, 2013, headed to San Diego, then on to Baja with the Ha-"Ha fleet in November. The boat has been in Mexico ever since. I just received a bill for $1177.06 from the county of Los Angeles for tax year 2014. Calling the tax assessor's office, I sadly learned that since I had not established a new permanent home for the boat as on January 1, 2014 that I owed them the full amount of the 2014 tax bill even though the boat had not been in LA County since 2013.

Establishing a new situs would have involved signing a long term contract in a out of county marina, or changing the address on my USCG documentation. My documentation did not expire until later in the year, so I waited.

If your boat is registered in LA County or if your USCG Documentation mailing address is in LA County and you plan to do some extended cruising: CHANGE YOUR MAILING ADDRESS FOR YOUR USCG DOCUMENTATION BEFORE YOU GO!

Otherwise you will pay the county of Los Angeles for the pleasure of not being there!