Used boat purchase in different state ?s

[kenpilot]

I live in GA and I'm purchasing a used boat from an individual in CA. Does anybody know if and what state I have to pay taxes to? I would guess GA since that is the state I will be registering the boat in. But I have also heard you only pay sales tax if it is from a dealer. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Also if you have any experience with transfer of title/ownership with this sort of transaction please let me know as well!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Used boat purchase in different state ?s

Ayuh,... The folks at Your Local jurisdiction can answer your questions...

 

[dewey0726]

Re: Used boat purchase in different state ?s

I can tell you what I had to do. I live in Texas and bought a boat in Alabama. I paid taxes in Texas. On both the boat and trailer. Good Luck


Tim

 

[labguy]

Re: Used boat purchase in different state ?s

You will pay sales tax in your state when you go to register it. In Alabama, just take your bill of sale and previous owners registration and 10 minutes later, you're done. Does Georgia title boats? If not, should be a similar process.

 

[koko1]

Re: Used boat purchase in different state ?s

Depending on the price and if you are purchasing from an individual do 2 bill of sales. One for the actual price you payed and one for a considerable amount less. Alabama likes to hit you with these high luxury taxes so that is what I do when purchasing a item like a boat. I learned that the hard way when I went to title a $20,000 camper and got popped for $800 in tax. I bought a boat a while back for 15k and had the seller write me a bill of sale for 6k. If questioned just say it was not in good shape or the motor had winter damage.

 

[jt224]

Re: Used boat purchase in different state ?s

I don't believe you will have to pay sales tax if you are buying from an individual and not a dealer.

 

[labguy]

Re: Used boat purchase in different state ?s

You won't pay taxes at the time of sell, but you will when you transfer ownership and register it. The government WILL get theirs.......

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Used boat purchase in different state ?s

Koko what you are suggesting is title fraud/tax evasion and is a crime.
jt--of course every state is different but most collect the tax from the buyer at time of registration. And now, almost any boat with a motor has to be registered.
Ken be sure you know somehting about the seller and do not send/hand over any money until you have both the boat and titles in hand. The long distance sale is prime ground for fraud--although there are good deals done that way, too.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Used boat purchase in different state ?s

And some states charge you tax on what they "think" the boat is worth.
They have a little book, and the number in the book is what you pay tax on.

Really hurts to have to pay tax on a boat they say is worth $10,000, even though you bought it with a blown engine and rotted transom for only $1,800.

Then there is the the crop that NC pulls on cars; sales tax, road use tax, personal property tax (3 years up front) . And don't try moving to NC and registering a vehicle. Don't know why the citizens put up with it. But I digress.

 

[kenpilot]

Re: Used boat purchase in different state ?s

Update: Well I called the tax assessors office in my county and told them my situation and asked them if and who i pay taxes to and they didnt believe I had to pay any taxes since I'm buying from an independant seller and that they wouldn't be collecting any taxes from me. Also, I only register the trailer with them and I don't pay taxes on that either. I then called the Georgia Wildlife Resources where we register boats here in GA, and they too said they don't collect any tax for registering the boat, just a registration fee. So since nobody is going to charge me the tax when I register the boat and trailer in GA and I don't know who to pay if I had to at this point, I guess I'll be saving a couple grand! I guess worse comes to worse I'll get a letter sometime saying I owe the state some money, at which point I guess I'll cough up the cash