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Arizona NBSIF Fee - Apparently AZ is not far behind CA in taxation.

COCA COLA COWBOY

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I just received my boat registration for Arizona and immediately thought WTF!

First of all, this is a simple 1990 Ultra Day Cruiser that I paid $5800 about 18 months ago. This is not a luxury boat or high dollar boat by any means! The Renewal Fee was a modest $52.50 for the year. However, the Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee (NBSIF) is $336.00!!!! It's safe to say I'm bringing this registration back to California!



Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee (NBSIF)

Please note that nonresidents of this state must pay a Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee and possess proof of payment of the fee before mooring, anchoring or operating the watercraft on the waterways of this State. This additional surcharge is used for boating education, law enforcement, emergency response, improvements to public launch facilities and the placement of navigational aids.

A member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is on active duty and stationed in this state for a period of at least thirty (30) days immediately before applying for watercraft registration, or who is stationed in another state or country and who lists this State as that member’s home of record is exempt from the requirement to pay the Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee.
 

sirbob

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I just received my boat registration for Arizona and immediately thought WTF!

First of all, this is a simple 1990 Ultra Day Cruiser that I paid $5800 about 18 months ago. This is not a luxury boat or high dollar boat by any means! The Renewal Fee was a modest $52.50 for the year. However, the Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee (NBSIF) is $336.00!!!! It's safe to say I'm bringing this registration back to California!



Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee (NBSIF)

Please note that nonresidents of this state must pay a Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee and possess proof of payment of the fee before mooring, anchoring or operating the watercraft on the waterways of this State. This additional surcharge is used for boating education, law enforcement, emergency response, improvements to public launch facilities and the placement of navigational aids.

A member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is on active duty and stationed in this state for a period of at least thirty (30) days immediately before applying for watercraft registration, or who is stationed in another state or country and who lists this State as that member’s home of record is exempt from the requirement to pay the Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee.


You got my attention !!!!

Is this a one time fee or will it be assessed every year with the renewal?
 

Wizard29

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Does this still apply if you register to an AZ address? How would it be verified if you are a resident or not?
 

Ziggy

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Does this still apply if you register to an AZ address? How would it be verified if you are a resident or not?
Where do you file your taxes?
Mine is Az registered to my Az address but since I am not domiciled in Az I still get hit with the non-resident fee.
 

79 HUSTLER

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I just received my boat registration for Arizona and immediately thought WTF!

First of all, this is a simple 1990 Ultra Day Cruiser that I paid $5800 about 18 months ago. This is not a luxury boat or high dollar boat by any means! The Renewal Fee was a modest $52.50 for the year. However, the Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee (NBSIF) is $336.00!!!! It's safe to say I'm bringing this registration back to California!



Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee (NBSIF)

Please note that nonresidents of this state must pay a Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee and possess proof of payment of the fee before mooring, anchoring or operating the watercraft on the waterways of this State. This additional surcharge is used for boating education, law enforcement, emergency response, improvements to public launch facilities and the placement of navigational aids.

A member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is on active duty and stationed in this state for a period of at least thirty (30) days immediately before applying for watercraft registration, or who is stationed in another state or country and who lists this State as that member’s home of record is exempt from the requirement to pay the Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee.

Well you’re not a resident of this great state so you don’t get the great state discount. Enjoy your weather!!!
 

PlanB

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Have had a house in Havasu for almost 20 years. We don't rent anymore, so it is truly a second home for us. Still have to pay a non-resident fee. If you are a homeowner you are paying taxes. The non-resident fee should be waived IMO.
 

Wizard29

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Where do you file your taxes?
Mine is Az registered to my Az address but since I am not domiciled in Az I still get hit with the non-resident fee.

My boat is registered at my lake house in NV, so I don’t really have any concerns about AZ stuff, but I was just wondering how they establish you are domiciled in AZ for registration purposes. Any time I’ve ever registered a boat or vehicle in another state where I don’t live, I’ve never really had to prove residency as long as I just gave an address in that state.
 

Singleton

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I seem to recall I paid around 250 last year - are you saying it will be 250+ 300 now going forward?

they seem to be going up.
I did the math, kept the boat registered in CA and SD country granted an exception on the property tax, since boat is stored in Havasu. Since Lake Havasu is considered a CA lake as well, keeping reg in CA was still legal. Took a ton of paper work, but SD country is one of a few that allow that exception
 

PlanB

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My boat is registered at my lake house in NV, so I don’t really have any concerns about AZ stuff, but I was just wondering how they establish you are domiciled in AZ for registration purposes. Any time I’ve ever registered a boat or vehicle in another state where I don’t live, I’ve never really had to prove residency as long as I just gave an address in that state.

On the last boat we bought (2015) the dealer in Havasu submitted our paperwork as non-residents. They knew we had a house in Havasu but also knew we spent most of our time in California. The fee is fairly new so I don't know how it works on boats not registered through a dealer.
 

Bobby V

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I seem to recall I paid around 250 last year - are you saying it will be 250+ 300 now going forward?
I just got my bill yesterday. $259 for non resident for a 98' 25' Eliminator Eagle.
 

COCA COLA COWBOY

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I seem to recall I paid around 250 last year - are you saying it will be 250+ 300 now going forward?

No, I believe I paid $227 last year. However, this is a big increase. I can justify a low value for this boat so will be taking it back to California as the luxury tax will be minimal, but for some it may be getting close to whether it makes sense to register in AZ anymore.
 

COCA COLA COWBOY

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I understand that. My question is if you have an AZ address to register the boat to, how do they verify if you are actually a resident or not?

They verify that you pay taxes in that state. Apparently, AZ has those checks and balances in place.
 

COCA COLA COWBOY

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LOL its just our way of saying California is calling you back. :D

For the moment! I have one foot out the door though. I am currently working on business ventures that will allow me to leave California. I love changing peoples lives here in San Diego, but my family prefers fresh water boating, off-road, shooting, and freedoms so it will make sense for us to leave soon.
 

Wizard29

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They verify that you pay taxes in that state. Apparently, AZ has those checks and balances in place.

Hm. I assume you mean income taxes, not property taxes. Didn’t know AZDOT/AZGF had that tie-in.

If you own a place out there and pay property taxes, having to pay an additional fee to use your boat there on top of registration is BS.
 

Bobby V

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That sounds more like what I’ve been paying - good to hear it’s not doubled from my last renewal!
From AZ website

Non-residents with boats measuring:
  • 12 ft: $100
  • 12 ft 1 in to 16 ft: $110.
  • 16 ft 1 in to 20 ft: $222.
  • 20 ft 1 in to 26 ft: $259.
  • 26 ft 1 in to 39 ft: $292.
  • 39 ft 1 in to 64 ft: $330.
  • 64 ft 1 in and over: $495.
 

RCDave

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Hm. I assume you mean income taxes, not property taxes. Didn’t know AZDOT/AZGF had that tie-in.

If you own a place out there and pay property taxes, having to pay an additional fee to use your boat there on top of registration is BS.

Government doing what it does best. Bend over its constituents
 

Taboma

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When I purchase my Cole in the late 90's, I mentioned our Havasu place and wanting to register the boat in AZ, since that's where it would be stored and used.
I asked that the registration renewal get mailed to our home in San Diego --- no problem at the time. For years we processed the renewal, not even realizing there was a "Non-Resident vs Resident" fee structure difference --- until one year that is.
Wife mails in the renewal with a check from our local SD area bank as she'd always done. We get a response back from AZ requesting proof of AZ residency, requesting a copy of our AZ driver's license AND a copy of our AZ state tax return. Neither of which we had, despite having a valid 2nd home address in Havasu.

The letter then progressed to a much more threatening tone, like how many years in jail for fraud we were facing. OR simply pay the Non-Resident fee, basically no questions asked and no retro-active fees levied. Warning shot understood, we paid up and have ever since, for our boat and two jet skis.
Of course now considering the age of those vessels, CA would be less expensive even with any property taxes ---- unless of course the greedy CA pricks tried to collect retro-actively ?
So for now a boat we've just not wanted to rock. :rolleyes::D Once my wife retires in a couple of years we'll most likely just be switching to an AZ residency anyway.
 

Bobby V

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Hm. I assume you mean income taxes, not property taxes. Didn’t know AZDOT/AZGF had that tie-in.

If you own a place out there and pay property taxes, having to pay an additional fee to use your boat there on top of registration is BS.
When I bought my 2nd home in Havasu over 35 years ago there was no non resident tax. AZ figured out that boaters were coming from other states to pay AZs cheaper fees. That's when they came up with the non resident fee.
 

Ziggy

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My boat is registered at my lake house in NV, so I don’t really have any concerns about AZ stuff, but I was just wondering how they establish you are domiciled in AZ for registration purposes. Any time I’ve ever registered a boat or vehicle in another state where I don’t live, I’ve never really had to prove residency as long as I just gave an address in that state.
Az is making you prove residency, drivers license, tax filings,etc.
I've even heard some say to establish residency they want you to have been in Az for a year +.
 

Wizard29

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When I bought my 2nd home in Havasu over 35 years ago there was no non resident tax. AZ figured out that boaters were coming from other states to pay AZs cheaper fees. That's when they came up with the non resident fee.

One would think AZ would be happy with the additional revenue coming in from those people from other states that wouldn’t have had existed if their fees were higher. Now that their fees are apparently getting higher, it seems like people are thinking about taking their money back where it came from = less revenue for AZ. Great strategy.

It’s kind of like a free market. Have the best price, get the business. Raise the price to where it’s no longer the lowest, lose business.
 

mesquito_creek

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We need to take the non-resident boat registration fees and start building that wall across I40/I10 and rice road immediately!
 

PlanB

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One would think AZ would be happy with the additional revenue coming in from those people from other states that wouldn’t have had existed if their fees were higher. Now that their fees are apparently getting higher, it seems like people are thinking about taking their money back where it came from = less revenue for AZ. Great strategy.

It’s kind of like a free market. Have the best price, get the business. Raise the price to where it’s no longer the lowest, lose business.

That’s why you see more NV and MT registered boats on the lake these days. Our next boat will most likely not be registered in AZ.
 

Cole Trickle

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One would think AZ would be happy with the additional revenue coming in from those people from other states that wouldn’t have had existed if their fees were higher. Now that their fees are apparently getting higher, it seems like people are thinking about taking their money back where it came from = less revenue for AZ. Great strategy.

It’s kind of like a free market. Have the best price, get the business. Raise the price to where it’s no longer the lowest, lose business.

AZ is still a deal on a an expensive boat as they do it by foot.

Based on what Bobby posted a non resident would pay $292 for a 26-39' boat.

California would apply the 1% luxury tax so you would be paying $2500+ a year on a new 250K Deck boat.

Cheap old boats would be better in CA.

Sounds like a smart business plan grab some of the big CA money who cares if you loose a couple dock banger's.
 

2Driver

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For the moment! I have one foot out the door though. I am currently working on business ventures that will allow me to leave California. I love changing peoples lives here in San Diego, but my family prefers fresh water boating, off-road, shooting, and freedoms so it will make sense for us to leave soon.

Thats what we did. Scripps Ranch exit in ‘93 back to AZ
 

Wizard29

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AZ is still a deal on a an expensive boat as they do it by foot.

Based on what Bobby posted a non resident would pay $292 for a 26-39' boat.

California would apply the 1% luxury tax so you would be paying $2500+ a year on a new 250K Deck boat.

Cheap old boats would be better in CA.

Sounds like a smart business plan grab some of the big CA money who cares if you loose a couple dock banger's.

Good points and there’s no way in hell I would ever register my 34’ Eliminator in CA. Just paid $101 in NV.

If I were a state though, I wouldn’t want to lose any revenue. Just seems silly to lose potential revenue from cheap old boats, which (especially as time goes on) are probably the majority on the lake. Why go for the big money only, let the fees get ridiculous, and let CA have any revenue back? I’d rather make $400 on three older boats than only $292 on one newer one.
 

PlanB

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This isn't something new, it's been a fee for multiple years already.

what year did it start. From what I can find online it appears 1012? I know we did not pay it when we first started registering our boats out there in about 2000.
 

Ziggy

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what year did it start. From what I can find online it appears 1012? I know we did not pay it when we first started registering our boats out there in about 2000.
Sounds about right, can't remember exactly.
 

Rivermama

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Does this still apply if you register to an AZ address? How would it be verified if you are a resident or not?

We went to the Game and Fish Dept in Kingman to register our boat. In spite of having businesses in Lake Havasu and Bullhead as well as a residence in Bullhead, the clerk went by the address on our CA driver license. My husband said its been that way for a while.
 

Justfishing

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I understand that. My question is if you have an AZ address to register the boat to, how do they verify if you are actually a resident or not?
I assume it would have to do with where you file Taxes
 

mjc

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They verify that you pay taxes in that state. Apparently, AZ has those checks and balances in place.
2 boats ago I did my reg after purchase thru the mail with my az address and nobody ever asked where I lived, just had it mailed to the az address since I had the boat.
 

Finally made it

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I understand that. My question is if you have an AZ address to register the boat to, how do they verify if you are actually a resident or not?
You must have an Az. drivers license and be a resident for 6 months. That is what we were told.
 

BoatCop

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Arizona has always had a higher fee for out of state residents to register their boats. However, several years ago, during a Federal Audit, the Coast Guard said that they could not do it any more, as Federal Law required that a vessel be registered in the state of principle operation. (where it's used the most) The State then came up with the Non-resident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee (with the Coast Guard OK) which, when added to the standard registration fee, equaled what the non-resident registration fee was. So while it's called something else now, it hasn't changed what non-residents have always paid.

It's not a "tax", nor is it based on boat value or what anyone paid for the boat. Is it based on boat length and being a non-resident only. As far being a resident, you are a resident of the state that you live in, duh. YOU CANNOT LIVE IN TWO STATES AT THE SAME TIME! You are resident where you: Live, Registered to Vote, possess a valid drivers license, pay State income taxes as a resident, hold professional licenses as a resident, send your children to school at in-state rates, possess in-state hunting or fishing licenses, and other requirements.

It doesn't care if you own property, have a vacation home, use Uncle Clyde's address in Chandler, pay sales taxes, property taxes, work a partial year job in Arizona, wife works in Arizona, nor anything else in Arizona. YOU CAN ONLY BE A RESIDENT OF ONE STATE! PERIOD!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...ct_Sheet.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2XvLVElJSOTUTG_V3KdOa8
 

BoatCop

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One more note, there have been loads of fraud cases brought on people who have fraudulently claimed AZ residency on Boat Registration, Fishing and/or Hunting Licenses. In addition to any criminal charges, including fines and jail, they can (and do) revoke any other boat registrations you may have, will be flagged to never be able to register a boat in AZ again, and file fraud on and suspend or revoke hunting and/or fishing licenses for anywhere from 5 years to lifetime. Plus, they cross-check anyone they find with fraudulent registrations, with hunting and fishing licenses and vice-versa, to see if those, too, are fraudulent. Someone who tries to game the system on their boats, will do the same with their other licenses, too.
 

BoatCop

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One would think AZ would be happy with the additional revenue coming in from those people from other states that wouldn’t have had existed if their fees were higher. Now that their fees are apparently getting higher, it seems like people are thinking about taking their money back where it came from = less revenue for AZ. Great strategy.

It’s kind of like a free market. Have the best price, get the business. Raise the price to where it’s no longer the lowest, lose business.


Arizona Game and Fish is 100% funded by Licensing Fees (Boat, Hunt & Fish), Federal Grants, and civil penalties assessed by the Commission (not Courts) for Hunting/Fishing violations. They use ZERO state tax (income, sales, property) or any other state monies. Likewise, the State of Arizona gets ZERO money from Game and Fish fees or civil sanctions.
 

Hypnautic

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Nevada is where you want to go.
I do not believe they have a non-resident fee. There are no questions on where the boat is stored—only where the boat is used.
My 24’ was $55 + $10 for invasive aquatic species.
 

CoolCruzin

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Just went thru this .
I was told I need a az driver’s license
To show residency
 

wettrthebettr

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Are you saying to visit Lake Havasu Nautical resort in AZ coming from Californy I am required to pay for a
Nonresident Boating Safety Infrastructure Fee to moore at Lake Havasu Nautical resort?
 
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