Documenting a boat
 

How has documented their boat? We are looking into doing so and we are wondering what is needed and how much it costs. Also, who at LOTO does it? I have heard Port Arrowhead does, anywhere else? Thanks.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

scott at glencove

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Mark,
Your boat doesn't qualify. It doesn't meet the requirements.
Goes by length, depth, and width. Call and check it out...
Lake Ozark Marine Documentation and Title Services
573-365-3341
Ask for Dee
Regards

Re: Documenting a boat
 

You can do it yourself. You don't have to pay a service. I did. Go the the Coast Guard website and download all the forms. It takes a few months to get it all done.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

I just started the process today. Used a service because I am lazy and it was only $550 to do it.
My question is if I use the boat in MO and have the hailing port in KS do I pay KS a tax? I was told no, but still nervous. Anybody know otherwise?

Re: Documenting a boat
 

MO will still want to see a sticker on it... doesn't matter what state, but they want to see one...

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Funhome has his documented in KS and did not have a sticker and from what I hear gets pulled over alot. Ks does not know how to deal with documented boats so they don't issue stickers. I would just use Mo. address to get a sticker and pay Mo. taxes since they will be cheaper. Your hailing port can be anything you want.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

I'll keep it in Mo. I just don't want a "love letter" from KS saying I owe anything.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Come to think of it it would probably be cheaper to pay the fines for not regestering the boat. I've only been stopped 2 or 3 times in 10 years. How much is that ticket anyway?

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Why would you document one? just curious.

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I believe it is $125...

Re: Documenting a boat
 

that is cheap! I'll just pay that :D

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Kansas goes by where the boat is Jan. 1 for taxes. All kansas would care about is if you payed some state the taxes.I only register boats in Mo. since Ks. taxes are unreal on boats.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

The other reason to document a boat in KS and I believe still Mo. is no sales tax.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Huh?

Re: Documenting a boat
 

I got the "love letter" from Ohio Department of Taxation two years later. Original sales tax plus interest. They could have charged me a huge fine/penalty but declined with immediate cash payment.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

you don't pay sales tax if you document your boat in MO.... you pay a in-lieu tax which is dramatically less....

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If you document a boat you do not pay sales tax. It is one of the major advantages.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

your kidding right? I just spent some major coin on taxes.
:( :mad:

Re: Documenting a boat
 

But you still GET to pay personal property tax in MO.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

No

Re: Documenting a boat
 

I live in KS and leave the boat at LOTO. Had it CG Registered when I purchased it. I had to prove that I paid sales taxes first time I registered the boat. CG Documented boats still have to have MO registration tags that are good for 3 years. Also pay MO property tax every year. The property tax formula is based on NADA and the mill levy of county of where boat is located. My 1986 Fountain costs about $450 per year in property tax. Most of it goes to schools.

After I did all of that, I wondered why I had it CG registered. Doesn't seem to have any real advantages when all is said and done.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

We still pay the tax......Ohio

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Re: Documenting a boat
 

If you already have the boat registered you will not need to do it again. I was pulled over 5 times with my running letter, no reg because the sec of state would not do it until the cert from the CG came back. It was a real hassle and I was still pulled over with the reg and no #s. I do not think it is worth it, it is just one more cause to pull you over and search. I did it because it was already a doc boat, I did save on sales tax but the wait and hassle was about even to the savings. The CG is so backed up with a new computer system that it took 6 months, then I wrote a despiration letter and it was there in one week. I used a service but is was just a paper pusher and did nothing to speed it up so I would do it on my own next. I had a 32 Active Thunder.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

So I boughtthe boat from an private party. I have a bill of sale with an appropriate amount for a sale price on it. Do I pay sales tax if I document in KS? I know about the "In Leiu" tax in MO.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

as has been said many, many times...WRONG!

You will pay tax (however it's figured, straight %, in lieu of, property, or whatever) in the state who's reg. sticker you want to display on your hull to avoid getting hassled!

Re: Documenting a boat
 

So now I am really confused. So do you pay sales tax or not? I have heard from many people that you do not pay sales tax of any kind, all you pay is the doc fee. Is each state different? If so, what are the laws in MO?

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Yes each state is different.
In Indiana we don't pay sales tax on a CG Documented boat. We do pay a regestration price every year, just like a titled boat does. It is basicly a property tax.
I think the link to MO motor vehicles div will answer your questions.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

bottom line is your gonna pay for a reg sticker...more or less, depending on in what state you can legitimately register the boat. You need to please the water cops with a sticker that makes sense for where you boat the most, where they see you regularly.

Or risk getting stopped and asked about it, maybe when you need it the least...if you get my meaning. ;)

There is no free lunch.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

If you are going to register in Kansas (but not CG Documented) you may be able to save on the sales tax. In the Kansas Appliation for Certificate of Number Kansas Boating Act - it states in the instructions "(17) .....Private individual sales are tax exempt. Sumbit application with a bill of sale showing individual sale."

This is where I found the application instructions.

http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/boa..._renewal_forms

You will still get to pay personal property taxes every year (whether or not it is CG Documented).

If you keep the boat in MO for more than 60 or 90 days consecutively (I forget the exact number), you are expected to register it in MO. Then the whole tax thing comes into play again (sales tax, in-lieu tax).

Good luck.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

In VA you do not pay sales tax if you document. That saved me $5K off the bat. I have only been hassled once for not having numbers on my bow. Rookie water cop waved me over, asked me where my numbers were. I tell him why. He yells "spin it around and let me see" like he won't see them after I pass. Schmuck.

The city has found me though. Getting their 'love letters' now, but loving the fact they reduced the property tax rate on boats to $0.00. At least for now......

Re: Documenting a boat
 

F*ck! Forgot about personal property tax. Who knows about Arkansas tax on boats?

Re: Documenting a boat
 

So your boat is not registered correct? Or you got a Va. registration decal for free?

I don't know of a state in the union that does not require a boat to be "registered" for use on that state's waterways. There is always a fee for this priveledge...call it whatever you want.

This really isn't about "paying sales tax"...it's about what it takes to have proper display so you don't get hassled!

One BWI/DUI you get caught in because you got stopped for neeedless questions about the boat, may well cost you much more than doing it right in the first place!

your getting hassled because you don't have a "sticker" (state decal).

It's about registration "stickers" not the display of the "number" associated with it. The state decal tells them all they want to know...all they are told to look for...REVENUE. They could care less about the forward display of the reg. "number".

It's like cars...do you really think they watch inspection stickers for your "safety"? NO...it's about REVENUE for the state (you know, the $ that pays their salaries).

the state "sticker" is what proves you've paid for the priveledge of using the boat on that state's waters...and that's what they are looking out for!

99 out of 100 water-cops understand if they see the state "sticker" on your hull, a name and port on the transon that the boat is straight up, documented, and will not bother you. ;)

Re: Documenting a boat
 

In VA, if you document your boat with the USCG you do not have to register with the Dept of Game & Inland Fisheries. Therefore, no sticker, title, taxes or yearly fees required. That is why so many boats around here are documented, which decreases the hassle factor greatly. I've had mine for 4 seasons now without any problems other than the one mentioned above. And like I said, he knew enough to shut up as soon as he saw my boat name and hailing port properly displayed. :cool:

BTW, you guys paying hundreds of dollars to have a documentation company do your work for you are throwing your money away IMHO. It's too easy to download the forms you need from the USCG web site and send them in yourself. I think I paid like $125 plus I believe a small fee for registering the MSO, which is my title. The best part is that yearly renewal is the cost of a stamp.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Does anyone know if a sticker is required for MA or RI. I am USCG doc. in RI but boat in MA.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Sales tax "policy" will vary state to state.

Most states will require the boat to be registered (state sticker) even if it is documented. I believe there are loopholes in some states, but I'm not sure which ones.

The documentation process is pretty easy. I documented my last boat simply because I didn't want the numbers on the bow. I had a couple of questions about it & called the Coast Guard directly & they helped me through it. I think it cost about $90 to document it. Beats the hell out of paying $450-$550 for someone else to fill in ONE form. I think the turnaround was about 2-3 months.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

This is not true. Be careful.
If this was true EVERYBODY would document their boats providing it is large enough.

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Just got this Email back from the EPA in my state of MA.

Allen Millner
Program Coordinator
Mass. Environmental Police
Office Of Law Enforcement

"Good Morning:

USCG Documented boat’s require no additional decal or registration in MA... Enjoy our waters"

That's great news for me :drink:

Re: Documenting a boat
 

Go to the USCG website. It has all info on documenting and you wont be charged extra. You can do it yourself.
Go to the State of MO website. It lists the fees, ie In lieu of tax" and everything else you'll need.
BTW, in MO, no sales tax if you document. But in lieu of fee for MO state sticker is based on purchase price. That table in on the state of MO website.
You may need to pay personal property tax if you want to renew your MO state sticker every 3 years.
Of course, you could title in a no sales tax on used boat state. Then transfer to your MO residence and skip the sales tax. You have to be a little more devious to avoid personal property tax.
Gary