Where and Even if to Register a Liveaboard Boat

[Liming II]

Hello Everyone,

We are in the process of purchasing a boat hat will be in FL when we purchase it. The boat is a CG Documented boat and we will have documentation. We will most likely stay in FL for 2-3 months, then will be moving on, somewhere up the East coast. The plan is not to stay more than a month or so in any one state

Our question is, in your opinion should we register in a state, and if so why do you recommend registering and which state is the most economical. And if your answer is not to register could you please share your reasoning?

Any other suggestion regarding the purchasing process would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

[Shrew]

Registration is about where the boat lives. You would need to register the vessel in each state in which you stayed beyond the max. requirements for that state. This might mean multiple states. Just because a vessel is registered in Rhode Island, doesn't mean it can navigate CT waters for more than CT's maximum of 60 days.

If you're never in any one state longer than required for registration, then why register it?

The catch is any state that has limits in a calendar year. For example CT is 60 days in a Calendar year.

If you were to register it, I would choose a state with no sales, use or personal property taxes and register it there first. Most states will not charge sales tax if a vessel has been registered in another state first. Even here you have to be careful, some states specify that you have to prove taxes were paid in another state first.

States with no Sales or Personal Property tax:

Delaware
District of Columbia
Rhode Island
USVI

[Jolly Roger]

In other words, it's a bureaucratic mess. Talk about states rights. If you keep moving, you don't live anywhere, so just keep your head down. If you try to "register" you'll be pushed from one office to the next in every state.

[Rackman]

I'm not sure how closely they follow the maximum number of days clause. My boat isn't registered in the state that I keep it in and I see lots of others around me that aren't either...never been asked or bothered about it.

[Shrew]

In all honesty, your biggest issue is going to be if you sign a contract for a seasonal lease in a state that collects taxes. States like CT and NY will request a list of vessels from the marina, looking for out-of-state Reg. They'll walk the docks as well. (I got caught years ago trying to register a boat in NH (tax was pennies) but keep the boat in CT).

If you are only anchoring, in transient moorings, or transient slips and continually move it won't be an issue. The Atlantic city, NJ cop has no idea that you were in Sandy Hook, NJ for 3 weeks. Just don't stay in any one location for more than a few weeks and put some distance between long stayovers and you'll be fine.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Rackman

I'm not sure how closely they follow the maximum number of days clause. My boat isn't registered in the state that I keep it in and I see lots of others around me that aren't either...never been asked or bothered about it.

Your location is RI. A state that doesn't collect taxes on boats. As a result they don't care. They certainly don't allocate resources to check on something that doesn't generate revenue or promote public safety (nothing inherently unsafe about an unregistered vessel).

[Rackman]

True, but the rule is if you spend more than 90 days in RI the boat should be registered there...nobody cares. I guess if it was a money maker they would pay more attention.

[Liming II]

Thanks for the responses. Our plan is be in marinas very rarely due to the size of the boat, 44 foot cat. So most of the time will be on a ball or on the hook.

[sailcrazy]

FWIW, we bought our boat in Singapore in 1998; she is USCG-documented, and we DO keep that current(yearly). We have sailed Asia(13 yrs), the Medd(4 yrs),and now the ne Caribb for the past 7 years. We have frequently been asked for the boat documents on country check in/out. A crew list, that I made up and signed as the Capt(???), the USCG document, and a copy of our insurance cover page is ALL we've ever been asked for. Granted, we have not been in a US state (yet), but there have been several threads discussing this theme, and the consensus, from what I've read, is...don't stay to long in any one place, and don't lose any sleep over it! ONLY if you intend to stay in one state(ie, Fla) for a long time-1 yr plus- is it worth asking the question(and drawing the attention)!

[Gudgeon]

It varies from state to state and how strictly it is enforced. I have seen some comments in other threads that Florida is 90 days then you need to register it there. Hawaii does not requires state registration if USCG documented. Washington requires it after 180 and will go after you for sales tax if not paid. Please check with the state you are going to be in.

[LoudMusic]

What I've skimmed of the other repliers seems correct. My recommendation is to keep it USCG registered and leave Florida as quickly as possible. From my reading and observation, Florida is the only state on the east coast that really pays close attention to registration. Others only seem to get involved if you stick around an excessive period, such as a year, and there is ample documentation to identify you've been in their jurisdiction the whole time.

We are USCG registered and don't tend to stay in any state more than a couple months. It's worked fine for us the past three and a half years. I was both surprised how frequently Florida marinas requested boat documentation (registration and insurance), and how disinterested other states' marinas were in any documentation that I had.

[Cheechako]

You need to register and have a sticker displayed or you will get stopped, especially in FL. IF your dingy has a motor then that also!

You can register anywhere you have an address, but will be limited in time you can spend in any other state. Often 90 days, some can extend to 6 months. You may have to pay taxes in the state you register.

If you are going to the Caribe etc, you dont need the registration if you have documentation. But need to get out of Florida before your 90 days (?) are up.

Another possibility is to dry store the boat on the hard until you are ready to leave. Last I heard they don't look for registration if stored. (it would discourage business in the state.)

[LoudMusic]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

You need to register and have a sticker displayed or you will get stopped, especially in FL. IF your dingy has a motor then that also!

You can register anywhere you have an address, but will be limited in time you can spend in any other state. Often 90 days, some can extend to 6 months. You may have to pay taxes in the state you register.

If you are going to the Caribe etc, you dont need the registration if you have documentation. But need to get out of Florida before your 90 days (?) are up.

Another possibility is to dry store the boat on the hard until you are ready to leave. Last I heard they don't look for registration if stored. (it would discourage business in the state.)

For non-Florida registered boats in Florida they have 90 days. If they are in storage or are being serviced by a recognized marine service facility the timer effectively pauses.

I still say USCG documentation is the way to go. Then leave Florida ASAP ... for many reasons.

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Your location is RI. A state that doesn't collect taxes on boats. As a result they don't care. They certainly don't allocate resources to check on something that doesn't generate revenue or promote public safety (nothing inherently unsafe about an unregistered vessel).

I got pulled over and busted for an unregistered dinghy in Rhode Island. I bought a 2 year registration there for about $20 and kept renewing it until I sold the boat. The dinghy had been bought in Australia and was over 5 years old, so they said I didn't owe them any sales tax.

The advice to keep moving is good. I bought my boat in New York and left the next day. Two years later the State of California came after me for sales tax because I home ported it in Santa Cruz on my documentation. I gave them an inch of receipts showing that the boat had never been in California, and they gave up on their sales tax. When I finally brought the boat back home, I completed its sale a week before the property tax guys walked the docks and missed those taxes too.

Florida does a sticker system even for documented vessels, but they give you a grace period of a month or so. I spent a total of about 6 months there, but never got pulled over.

[Moontide]

Used to be you could avoid Florida sales tax if you got the boat out of the state within 90 days of closing. Don't know if time in a boatyard having work done counts or not. Coordinated through the broker I used and they had to put a big ugly sticker on both sides with the 90 days date punched out. Think I also had to send then documentation that it had left the state by then as well. If they saw the boat in FL after that date would have had to pay sales tax on the purchase. Have been back to FL several times (several years later) since then and never had a problem. Boat is still only CG documented, not registered with any state.