Louisiana was the only state with the "loophole" where if you documented your boat you did not have to register it, hence, no sales tax. However, just last week they passed a new law that all boats must be registered with the Louisiana Department Wildlife and Fisheries, even if they were already documented.

Oh yeah, I was also told that the "Delaware Corp." is going away also.

If you are documented in VA you do NOT have to register.

Off the Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries Website

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating.../procedure.asp



Documented Vessels
Vessels documented by the U.S. Coast Guard cannot be titled in Virginia. Though there is no requirement that documented vessels be registered, owners may register them if desired. The registration decals may be useful if traveling to another state that requires display of registration decals. Contact the Department for an application or use the application provided at this site and prominently write "Documented Vessel" at the top.

I assume that your vessel exceeds 5 tons?

In missouri the sales tax is about 1/2 when you document the boat. That means you have a boat name and a home port on the back. You still have to pay the state for the little square sticker every couple of yrs. But all in all you save money on the documentation over the state numbers.

No schit? Hadn't heard that. Gonna suck for a lot of people I know.

[QUOTE=seafordguy;2696908]If you are documented in VA you do NOT have to register.

Off the Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries Website

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating.../procedure.asp


Here's where I ran into trouble when I bought my Powerplay. A little off-subject, but when I bought the boat it came from Georgia. Just like Virginia here, the DNR handles registration of PWC and watercraft and only issue's registration. In Michigan, where I reside, this is handled by the DMV (SOS). Two problems arose here. 1. The Michigan SOS does not recognise a registration issued by the DNR as a valid proof of ownership & 2. If the watercraft meets the criteria in the State of Michigan to be a titled watercraft, then you must have a title in hand to transfer. It took a few months, but we got it all figured out.

I remember when my friend bought his boat from LOTO. I remember the guy he bough it from had to pay taxes then, instead of when he bought it 3 years previous. When we brought the boat back to Michigan, he didn't mess around. Just paid the State sales tax and paid the standard registration fee's.

if you boat and your boat is mainly located in a state that you do not reside in as far as i know you had better have that boat registered in that state. i may be wrong but that is my understanding.

also hailing port as i know is anywhere you want it to be, as long as it is a u.s city, you dont have to have that be your home port.

The key word was "falsely". Registering as an individual in a state you don't reside in for the purposes of avoiding taxes is a no no.

Yes- hailing port can me anywhere in the U.S.

You will get hassled by the marine patrol with no sticker.

Just go to the Motor vehicle office in the most busted up ghetto neighborhood, and tell them you already have title, just need the sticker. Show them the coast guard documentation paperwork as proof.

Worked great for me, the worst neighborhoods have the incompetants as employees.

got it, thanks for the clairification. i have had 3 boats documented one that i do not use on my home waters and still get very confused with it. i guess just like the rest of my life.