What is the process to buy a boat in Australia?

[sailorbluehawai]

We are US family looking to purchase a boat in Australia and wondering if anyone has experience with this and could walk us through the steps? How does it work to re-register it? Do you have to register in the US? How does it work to get a cruising permit and visas? We would like to stay in Australia for at-least 6 months and explore.

[HankOnthewater]

Welcome to Australia!
You can stay as long as your visa is valid for, I guess.
If the boat has no international registration, then the boat can stay here indefinitely.
If the boat has Oz registration, than as a non-Australian owner you can not have that registered in Oz, but... there may be ways around it.
If the boat has other than Oz registration, then boat can stay in Australia for 1 year, not sure if that be extended another year or not before it is taxed for import duty (5%) and GST (VAT) (10 %).
One cannot sell an overseas registered boat in Oz, unless it is imported first.

AMSA is the government agency that deals with this stuff, https://www.amsa.gov.au/vessels-oper...ional-shipping

[sailorbluehawai]

Thanks for the info and link Hank! I will check out the link.
It is an Oz registered boat that we are considering buying that is currently in Queensland.

[Jim Cate]

A couple of points from our experience in this process...

1. Get the owner to do the de-registration with AMSA before the transfer of title. You, as a non Australian citizen, can not own a registered vessel.

2. Retain the Queensland rego. This will allow you to continue to sail the boat until your US rego (either state or Coast Guard) becomes valid. You will not be able to clear out of Australia until the new rego is valid (this was a real nuisance for us!).

3. You will not be burdened with either GST or duty if t he boat has been built in or imported into Australia. Further, you will not need a cruising permit while sailing in Australian waters, and this is a real advantage!

Enjoy your cruising here... we surely have, and we've been doing it for a long time now.

Jim

[justsail]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

A couple of points from our experience in this process...

1. Get the owner to do the de-registration with AMSA before the transfer of title. You, as a non Australian citizen, can not own a registered vessel.

2. Retain the Queensland rego. This will allow you to continue to sail the boat until your US rego (either state or Coast Guard) becomes valid. You will not be able to clear out of Australia until the new rego is valid (this was a real nuisance for us!).

3. You will not be burdened with either GST or duty if t he boat has been built in or imported into Australia. Further, you will not need a cruising permit while sailing in Australian waters, and this is a real advantage!

Enjoy your cruising here... we surely have, and we've been doing it for a long time now.

Jim

I second the above.

I don't know what your plans are. Boats in Australia are more expensive because import taxes are high and few boats are made in Australia. Labour is expensive in Australia so Australian made boats are not cheap either.

If you plan to only cruise in Australia or cruise in Australia for a long period then purchasing a boat in Australia may be the most cost and paperwork effective option (as opposed to importing a yacht to obtain a cruising permit etc.)

If not, you will have to ultimately import your yacht back home and this will add to an already inflated price.

[truckman]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

A couple of points from our experience in this process...

1. Get the owner to do the de-registration with AMSA before the transfer of title. You, as a non Australian citizen, can not own a registered vessel.

2. Retain the Queensland rego. This will allow you to continue to sail the boat until your US rego (either state or Coast Guard) becomes valid. You will not be able to clear out of Australia until the new rego is valid (this was a real nuisance for us!).

3. You will not be burdened with either GST or duty if t he boat has been built in or imported into Australia. Further, you will not need a cruising permit while sailing in Australian waters, and this is a real advantage!

Enjoy your cruising here... we surely have, and we've been doing it for a long time now.

Jim

Jim, I was looking to purchase a boat in Australia and cruise over at least two years. As a US citizen would that be possible. It sounds like you may be doing the same? I searched the Maritime link posted and wasn’t able to find an answer. Perhaps I need to contact them directly via email. Was hoping you had some further insight to add.

Dave

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by truckman

Jim, I was looking to purchase a boat in Australia and cruise over at least two years. As a US citizen would that be possible. It sounds like you may be doing the same? I searched the Maritime link posted and wasn’t able to find an answer. Perhaps I need to contact them directly via email. Was hoping you had some further insight to add.

Dave

Dave, if the boat was either built or imported into Australia it can sail here forever with no issues. If it is a foreign boat it will need a cruising permit and will eventually need to leave the country OR be imported. The regulations concerning these things change now and then, so a current inquiry will be needed to determine the duration and the process needed.

Y ou, as a Yank will need to obtain a visa for yourself and family/crew, and you will need to follow the timing stipulated in the visa. The rules re visas also change, so careful inquiry to the Immies relative to your specific situation is a must. And these days there could be health issues that confound the situation, and those change without much warning.

We have greatly enjoyed our time in Oz. It is enough like the States to be comfortable, and different enough to be interesting... and the Aussies are a friendly lot.

Jim

[truckman]

Really appreciate your prompt response. We have come to really love visiting Australia and have been thinking about the logistics and requirements for keeping a boat in Australia over several seasons with us visiting maybe a total of 6 months each year. We spent a month in Tasmania this past March and really enjoyed the people and the Island. Thanks again it sounds like this may be possible so I’ll keep looking into it. Will be back in Australia in February of 2023.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by truckman

Really appreciate your prompt response. We have come to really love visiting Australia and have been thinking about the logistics and requirements for keeping a boat in Australia over several seasons with us visiting maybe a total of 6 months each year. We spent a month in Tasmania this past March and really enjoyed the people and the Island. Thanks again it sounds like this may be possible so I’ll keep looking into it. Will be back in Australia in February of 2023.

That sort of schedule should work out ok if you buy an Aussie boat. Should not be too hard to get a visa that will allow 6 month stays, but who knows what the immies will come up with next!

If you get back to Tassie make yourself known and we'll have a cuppa or a beer with you.

Jim