I've documented my last few boats when we lived and boated on LOTO in the State of Missouri, when buying a boat it was cheaper to document it with the Coast Guard and pay the "in lieu" of taxes than paying the 6% Missouri state sales tax, but I'm getting information that Florida doesn't have this option, does anyone have any information concerning what the policy is in Florida.

Do you mean Coast Guard documentation of just Florida registration? Because, you still have to pay sales tax in Florida. Eventually, you have to register it somewhere.

I know I have register the boat in Florida and get a state sticker (3"x3") but in Missouri we didn't have to pay sales tax if we Coast Guard documented the boat and paid a $1,200 "in lieu" of tax, we didn't have to pay any sales tax, your boat doesn't get any numbers on the hull, the state uses your CG Doc numbers as your boat numbers, you have to have a documentation plaque mounted somewhere in the boat, like the bilge or under the dash, is there anything like this in Florida or am I screwed and have to pay the 6% sales tax no matter.

What's the advantage to documenting a boat in Florida if I can't save money on the state sales tax, yes, I know all boats have to be registered in the state it's primarily used.

Not sure about CG documentation but private party sales in Florida on outboard powered boats you only pay tax on the hull, not the motors. Buy a 50k center console, value the engines at 20k each and you pay tax on the 10k hull only.

Also in Florida on any boat, you only pay tax on the first 300k, max tax of $18,000. So 10mm yacht or just a 400k SeaRay the tax bill stops at 18k.

That's why I'm asking, we're looking to sell our Formula that is registered in Missouri and documented with the CG and doesn't have any Missouri State numbers, but does have the little MO. sticker and when I bought it we only had to pay "in lieu" of tax, the boat was over 100K and we only had to pay $1,200 in taxes to the State of Missouri, but I'm not finding that down here, we're looking to buy a center console and want to make sure we're doing the righht thing when registering the new boat.

Good info on the engines and hull tax thing, thanks for the help guys.

Register the new boat in Missouri, insure it there (save money on both) then the next season re-title it in Florida and pay no tax.

I would not risk insuring my boat saying it's in one place (state) but actually in another. If something were to happen I think I would be left holding the bill and my d*ick in my hand.

The problem with that is weren't not full time Missouri residents anymore and to get your boat registered in Missouri you have to have a paid personal property tax receipt and I haven't paid any the last two years because we've lived here in SWF.

And the boat is gonna be down South for 9 months and only 3 months at LOTOs, probably best to be registered and insured down here, thanks for the suggestions.

If your "story" coincides with the 90 requirement here, no need for in state registration. My 357 has been here for 14 yrs, documented, no in state registration.

You might be able to pull it off on the west coast of Florida but over here they will pull you over 75% of the time you have the boat out. No numbers means PROBLEMS. There are several threads on this. The DNR and or coast guard pulls you over if you dont have FL stickers. Just a fact of life. If you can deal with that.... or dont have to deal with it. It is fine.