Help Me Choose a Hailing Port

[CarinaPDX]

Witzgall- Check here: USCG National Vessel Documentation Center, FAQ Page Both 4" and "clearly legible" are requirements. This is a relaxation of the rules when I documented Carina; then it was 6" for name, 4" for port, and only block letters allowed.

Ironhorse74- Minor correction: The WA tax folks don't continue to harass; once in their sights you either pay or get a tax lien and a chain to the dock. I would consider moving to the Sound if it weren't for their wanting to collect 8-1/2% tax on my boat if I did. (Yes, it IS a big deal!) BTW I live aboard at Hayden Island, so the bridge debacle is near and dear...

[Snore]

Originally Posted by Delfin

I like Reno too. Unlikely for the Nevada State Legislature to come up with boat ownership rules that would interfere with you.

However, for pure class, it would be hard to beat BRONX, although there are few taxing authorities more heinous that those guys.

Sir PLEASE as someone who lived the many years ago, but still visits... It is THE Bronx--- or in colloquial termz DA Bronx (expletives optional).....

[kevingy]

Originally Posted by vintageray

I need to research this Florida tax thing. I was told that if you stay in Florida for over 90 days that depending on when you bought the boat and whether you intended to bring it to Florida that they sock you with a pretty hefty tax. Putting a Florida hailing port on the stern and having it on the documentaion certificate would probably indicate that I intended to bring it to Florida. Maybe someone here has experience with this and can clarify it.

I laugh every time I see the word "intent" regarding Florida law. Contrary to popular belief, Florida doesn't have "thought police" to determine what your intent is to be able to enforce a law based on intent. Intent doesn't factor into the equation at all.

Florida law simply states if a boat owner brings a boat to Florida for more than 90 days, the boat must be registered with the Florida Department of Safety and Motor Vehicles via any county tax collector. There, the tax collector will collect Florida 6% Use Tax, plus any county-levied surcharge. If the boat owner is an out-of-state resident, the boat owner may (i.e., has the option to) keep the out-of-state registration number. (The idea, good or bad, agree or not, is if you're using Florida's waterways, including the supporting infrastructure, you should pay for your usage. A stay more than 90 days is more than just visiting/vacationing usage.)

Therefore, if you put Reno on your stern and stay in Florida for more than 90 days, you will still get a tax bill from the State of Florida (assuming you get caught). If you plan on being in Florida for more than 90 days, you might as well put Florida on your stern.

Originally Posted by vintageray

I'd like to use a Florida hailing port but have already paid taxes in NC and don't feel the need to pay again in Florida.

When did you buy your boat? If you bring the boat to Florida within 6 months of purchase date, Florida will deduct the NC tax you paid from the Florida tax bill to avoid double taxation. NC state tax is 5.75%, plus at least 2% county surcharge. The most you would be liable for is .25%, less if the tax collector takes into account the NC county surcharge. Under these circumstances, if they apply, you could come to Florida tax free.

[zeehag]

documented vessels do not get harrassed anywhere for taxes. get reaL. IS NOT state registration, is federal documentation. you are taxed one time. after that is property taxation which is damn near universal. if you are in one locale long enough for the locale to see you on a list of permanent residents for property taxation, you will be taxed by that place. you guys make me laugh so hard in your ignorance.
the name has to be 4 inches the port has to be legible. i have seen everything from 2 inch port to 4 in port-- there is not gonna be some letter police come after you to re-letter your boat. have some common sense and just do it. remember the letter police are too busy trying to see inside your holding tank to mess with your letters. if they can read them you are good. sheeesh.

[kevingy]

Originally Posted by Unicorn Dreams

What is the OBSESSION with TAXES. Vintageray owns the boat, NO taxes involved. Looking for a hailing port.

Vintageray would like to store the boat in Florida and has stated that he would like a Florida hailing port, if it weren't for the taxes. If he plans on having the boat in Florida for 90 days, he might as well get what he wants - a Florida hailing port - since he's going to have to pay the taxes anyway.

The Florida tax on boats is a USE tax, not a SALES tax. Florida residents pay the USE tax like a sales tax when the boat is purchased. Non-Florida residents pay the USE tax if their boat stays in Florida for more than 90 days - regardless of the state or nation of origin or registry or how long the boat has been owned.

[bstreep]

OK, I have a winner for you. There's one in our marina, and I'm told that there really is no town named this, but that the CG doesn't care. It cracks me up every time I see it:

City/Town: Bight
State: Maine

Put 'em together and you have: BIGHT, ME

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by bstreep

OK, I have a winner for you. There's one in our marina, and I'm told that there really is no town named this, but that the CG doesn't care. It cracks me up every time I see it:

City/Town: Bight
State: Maine

Put 'em together and you have: BIGHT, ME

as one is only allowed to use places whereto usps delivers mail, you know there IS a place called BIGHT, MAINE. and YES uscg DOES care.

[CarinaPDX]

Yikes! There is some flawed info here. Having made my share of mistakes as well, I am not throwing any stones, but a few corrections are in order.

When a Florida resident buys a boat locally he pays sales tax. When he brings a boat into Florida he pays a use tax. The use tax is IN LIEU OF sales tax, and is simply a way of denying out-of-state purchases an advantage (and of course raising revenue). Taxes paid to another state are credited.

From an official Florida publication (look on the web site):

Use tax and surtax are not due on boats brought to Florida if you meet all of the following conditions:
• You own the boat 6 months or longer, and
• You have shown no intent to use the boat in Florida at or before the time of purchase, and
• The boat has been in use 6 months or longer within the taxing jurisdiction of another state, U.S. territory, or the District of Columbia. Time spent in foreign waters does not count as part of the 6-month period.

So he can bring the boat into Florida without paying use tax providing he meets these criteria, which is likely. He will still have to register and pay property taxes within 90 days of contiguous stay (or 183 days in any one year period). (There is some info on Cruiser's Net that it has been changed to 180 days, and something about a Sojourners permit that must be obtained within 90 days to do this; I'll let someone else dig into it.)

It is rare that I disagree with Zeehag, but this time I do: some states do indeed collect use taxes on old documented vessels: Washington state would collect it on mine if I stayed there (and I know friends who have had to pony up). I could keep my Portland, OR hailing port but I would have to register and pay those fees as well, just like Florida (but at least Florida wouldn't stick me with the use tax).

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by zeehag

as one is only allowed to use places whereto usps delivers mail, you know there IS a place called BIGHT, MAINE. and YES uscg DOES care.

OK, I did a search on Google. No Bight, ME. So I checked the FAQ, and found this:

"Under new marking regulations, the hailing port can be any recognized place listed in the U.S. Department of Commerce Publication 55DC. This includes all listed places in the United States or its territories."

I searched the 55DC database, and found no "Bight, Maine". Found "Bigelow Bight" and "Western Bight". But no just plain "Bight". BTW, both of these "Bight"s are bays - but under the above noted regulations, they would work, and there's obviously no US Post Office in a "bay".

So, it seems that maybe they got the hailing port name into the USCG before the "new marking regulations" came out.

[zeehag]

ooooooooooooh--they changed the rules, then and i can make my protestations known on my trnsom-----rofl....

aas re the tax--i was ONLY referring to kali --- they havent USE--just a nequalization taax and i KNOW they only allow ye to be in state for 30 days before taking boat tto another country and then you have to keep it out for one full year yay arnie. i staated kali laws npt fla not colo not ri not anywhere else--- but if the locale ypu are in sees your boat ther eyou will have to deal with it yourself. and if kali, as the asker was, then , 30 days --OUT ONE YEAR then back to avoid equalization which is SALES tax. just as i reported. i have done 2 boats recently in kali. i do not plan on buying another boat nor do i plan on becoming a resident of any other state. your home port doesnt have to be where you reside and you will get no flack from having a documented vessel out side that port.

[LostAtSea2011]

I just registered my documented boat in Florida...it's was only like $190 .

[Unicorn Dreams]

My registration is a whopping $0. One advantage of owning an antique.

Just leave Fl. every 88 days, a nice little jog over to the Bahamas, Alabama or Georgia..

[David M]

In order to be taken seriously by the officials, you may want to make sure port of registry is in the same country as you country of registry. I know international law requires this of large commercial vessels. I have no idea about recreational vessels.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by zeehag

documented vessels do not get harrassed anywhere for taxes. get reaL. IS NOT state registration, is federal documentation. you are taxed one time.

In Rhode Island (where I keep my boat) you must obtain and keep current your state registration even if the vessel is federally documented. That costs money and is a form of taxation. The bright side is that the purchae/sale of a boat is not taxed in RI. But it is in other states, whether or not the vessel is documented.

[captain58sailin]

In Alaska, documented or not you will pay taxes on your vessel. It is higher or lower depending on the municipality where the vessel is moored, they tax you based on physical presence regardless the home port. The local harbor masters report to the borough (county) tax people where the vessels are tied up. In most cases it starts on the 1st of January and no prorating, if you have paid taxes on your vessel in one area and move to another, you can contact the borough people, if you receive a notice and let them know and they will not tax you unless the vessel is still there the next January. Not all are run this way but most are.