Boat Registration Question -- For Active Duty Military

[c130king]

Hello Fellow Trailer Sailors,

Any active duty folks? My question concerns registering my boat when I move this coming Summer? I am a Florida resident with a Florida DL and Florida tags on my truck and trailer which are stored in Florida right now.

Can I move to another state and keep my boat registered in Florida? Simplifies my life a little and hopefully avoids any pesky tax issues.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[sailingdog]

Get a legal mailing address in Florida and change all the paper work over to it. St. Brendan's Isle has mail forwarding services that would do the trick.

 

[taichi]

I'm retired Army so I think I might just know this one; Where you happen to be staitioned is not your state of residence - only if you want it to be. You don't do state income tax in a different state every time you get relocated do you? You can keep all your toy's registered in your home state of residence regardless of how long you've been away- it has little or nothing to do with were you recieve your mail. It mainly goes by where you call home for tax purposes.
Now just to complicate matters a bit: if you happen to move somwhere where it's much cheaper to keep things registered - then you might want to set up your legal residence in that state in order to save some money. But then you'll have to start doing state taxes there too. Hooah!

 

[c130king]

Taichi,

I knew most of that. That is why I am a Florida resident. Just wasn't sure if those rules for cars and DL's applied to boats as well.

I will register my boat in Florida and just keep it that way. I think that will be easiest.

Don't want to change states again...done that a couple of times already in my career. Florida is my state and will stay that way for a while I hope. No state income tax, easy online registration for voting and vehicle tag renewals.

Once I retire if I live somewhere other than Florida then all of this changes.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Rick Webb]

Cars are one Thing Boats are Another

Where are you going to be stationed?

Your car and drivers license may remain with Florida your boat likely will have to go to where it is used the most not even necessarily where it is slipped or stored it will all depend upon the state. Some states have funny rules, Virginia for example will not charge personal property taxes on a car titled in Virginia to a military member who is a resident of another state however if that members spouse is on the title also they will be stuck with paying the tax. In Hawaii you may keep your out of state tags until they expire then you must get Hawaii tags. Another issue is the rule of three you cannot reside in one state have a license from a second and tags from a third. Sometimes you can skate on the sales taxes for your vehicle but when you return home and go to register your vehicle they are going to want the taxes that should have been paid when it was purchased.

Using information from strangers on the internet may not be the best avenue to keep you out of trouble. Check with your base legal office for the straight poop.

 

[Ron20324]

In Maryland the boat has to be registered "in the state of principal use"- whether that's where you live or not.

 

[emergpa1]

jim, do you use one of the military marinas ? I have wondered if there were a group of users (group or club) in the PCB area.
keith

 

[petersea]

My suggestion is to check with your "home" state and verify their rules. the attached link is for CT dept of motor vehicles "active duty" status. (in CT. a boat would qualify as a vehicle) Hope this helps

http://www.ct.gov/dmv/cwp/view.asp?a=810&q=245076&dmvPNavCtr=|#40205


This link is to FLA DVM and their with regards to military personal and out of state reg is only good until expired then must be registered in Fla. their law seams to be a little bit of a conflict from CT as far as only temporarily good. Again check with the state you will be stationed in. As an example CT will not require you to "register" your boat in CT with a CT address but will make you get a CT registration decal (with home state address) if you plan on using your boat and are in state more then 90 days. So does FLa. according to link. I'm confused ! !

http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/faqboat.html


And THANK YOU for your service to our country ! !

 

[Benny]

It varies from state to state. Here is the regulation for Florida.....
Are military personnel exempt from registering their vessels in Florida?
Out-of-state registration certificates and numbers for vessels owned by military personnel on active duty in Florida are valid in Florida until their expiration date. Then they must be registered and titled in Florida in order to be operated on state waters.

I was surprised that Florida does not only require registration but also titling of the vessel. You should be exempt of any taxes but probably not them pesky fees.

 

[c130king]

jim, do you use one of the military marinas ? I have wondered if there were a group of users (group or club) in the PCB area.
keith

Keith,

Yes, I use the NAS Jacksonville Marina (FL) on the St. John's River since Nov 06. I have also used the Norfolk Naval Base Marina (VA) (Apr - Jun 07). And I used the Keesler AFB Marina (MS) this past Christmas for two weeks. Not sure what you mean by PCB.

To All,

Thanks for all the advice. I do not yet know where I will be stationed. The USAF is making me wait...and wait...and wait...etc... But I will be moving this Summer. Once the location is determined I will look up the rules in that state. Boat is currently registered for Georgia as that is where I lived when I bought it. That registration expires in Nov 2010 so I will probably register it in Florida before I move it to my new state...unless the new state has some rule that requires in-state registration. I currently live in the UK but the boat is being stored on the trailer along with my truck on NAS Jacksonville.

Thanks again.

Jim

 

[Rick Webb]

How Many Places are Left with 130s?

Little Rock, Dyess, DM, Patrick, Herbie more than I thought at first, are they srill at Moody and Mountain Home?

 

[taichi]

So just keep your registrations up to date and you'll be fine. As far as the beaurocrats at the DMV and DNR are concerned it's none of their business anyway where you've been in order to keep them safe at home. I was all over the planet for 22 years and never ever had anyone want to be such an ass as to question my residence. Yes every state has different regs but it's one of those things that's rarely if ever enforced as a professional courtesy. Federal business trumps State business. As long as you've got current tags from somewhere your fine.

 

[c130king]

Little Rock, Dyess, DM, Patrick, Herbie more than I thought at first, are they srill at Moody and Mountain Home?

Yes to Moody...HC-130Ps...my previous assignment. Don't think there are any Hercs at Mountain Home. But Cannon, Pope, Ramstein, Mildenhall, and several guard/reserve bases have C-130s.

Jim

 

[Rick Webb]

Forgot About Cannon

Eeck! Not much sailing around there.

I thought they had pulled all the airframes from Pope

Not sure where your hoping to go but good luck gettting there. I know which of those bases I'd want to end up.

Keeping it on a trailer probably reduces the chance that it becomes an issue for so long as you keep it current and in line with your drivers license and truck tags. Don't forget about the boaters safety course and sometimes card for where ever you PCS to.

Give me a shout if you come through here.

Rick

 

[timebandit]

What they don't have Legal Aid or First Sgts. anymore.

As I recall as long as it had current registration in some state it was ok but if it was expired then you had to register in that state.

Just keep everything registered(by mail) and you will be OK.