WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Used boat tax?

Zumawater

Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2018
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Newb here. I’m starting to look for used boat. If I buy from a Az dealer and register it in Az do I have to pay sales tax? I live in commie-fornia but spend most of boat time in Az. Same question too if I bought/finance from Ca and regi in Az. Thanks in advance.
 

DWC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2012
Messages
11,313
Reaction score
24,120
Newb here. I’m starting to look for used boat. If I buy from a Az dealer and register it in Az do I have to pay sales tax? I live in commie-fornia but spend most of boat time in Az. Same question too if I bought/finance from Ca and regi in Az. Thanks in advance.
Make sure to read the rules on where it can be used/stored. CA came after us over a year later for tax because they thought it was stored in Ca
 

sirbob

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
10,569
Reaction score
14,497
Pretty sure you will pay tax someplace

I live in Ca - I took delivery of my boat in Az / store it in Az and has never been in Ca other than being on the Ca side of the lake in Havasu.

When I regged as a non resident in Az they wanted to see the receipt for tax paid in Ca. Where it was built.

I was able to get a receipt for having paid tax on a bare hull which saved some money.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DWC

Singleton

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
18,135
Reaction score
23,513
Newb here. I’m starting to look for used boat. If I buy from a Az dealer and register it in Az do I have to pay sales tax? I live in commie-fornia but spend most of boat time in Az. Same question too if I bought/finance from Ca and regi in Az. Thanks in advance.

Dealer should walk you through the step.
My high level understanding,
Purchased in CA or AZ (Via DEALER) = pay sales tax
Purchased in AZ (PRIVATE PARTY) = no sales tax

Registered in CA - pay property tax (apx 1%) annually
Registered in AZ - no ca property tax (IF STORED IN AZ AS WELL)

You can register in CA, and store 100% of the time in AZ and get a CA tax exception, but you have a bunch of red tape to go through and cant use the boat in CA at all (unless it is being repaired and tested)
 

J&k beer can

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2018
Messages
629
Reaction score
1,098
got a bill 2 years later saying no taxes was paid from cali..(woman was on title cali resident)
i think cause new owner that bought boat was from cali and then they looked for a money grab..

had to show cali that it was a AZ boat the whole time and im AZ resident.. never heard back from state after i sent in all paperwork...
 

QC22

Landing Loser
Joined
May 14, 2018
Messages
1,947
Reaction score
2,971
NV has no sales tax on private party, used boat, transactions as well.
 

sirbob

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
10,569
Reaction score
14,497
Dealer should walk you through the step.
My high level understanding,
Purchased in CA or AZ (Via DEALER) = pay sales tax
Purchased in AZ (PRIVATE PARTY) = no sales tax

Registered in CA - pay property tax (apx 1%) annually
Registered in AZ - no ca property tax (IF STORED IN AZ AS WELL)

You can register in CA, and store 100% of the time in AZ and get a CA tax exception, but you have a bunch of red tape to go through and cant use the boat in CA at all (unless it is being repaired and tested)


Where does a manufacturer fall on that? Would they be considered a "dealer"?
 

Singleton

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
18,135
Reaction score
23,513
Where does a manufacturer fall on that? Would they be considered a "dealer"?

when I did deliveries with Jason from Ultra, out of state deliveries required sales tax, but purchaser was responsible for paying the tax based on state they were going to register boat in. Ultra did not collect the sales tax on out of state deliveries, purchaser had to pay that.
 

LC925

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2017
Messages
684
Reaction score
1,033
If you buy from private party that has it currently registered in AZ, it’s a real easy process. I called AZ G&F and asked what it would cost to transfer title and leave it registered as an out of state resident, $57 if I recall. Made the deal, had the title in a week. This was a HUGE incentive being a larger purchase (for me) that would have cost me close to $8,000 in tax here in CA. Allowed me to buy what I thought was out of reach.

But I believe as stated above, rule of thumb, Buy from private party and you are good, buy from dealer, Pay tax.

Now there is one thing I’m not sure of. If you buy a current CA registered boat private party, and register in AZ, will you pay or not? I don’t know.
 

sirbob

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
10,569
Reaction score
14,497
when I did deliveries with Jason from Ultra, out of state deliveries required sales tax, but purchaser was responsible for paying the tax based on state they were going to register boat in. Ultra did not collect the sales tax on out of state deliveries, purchaser had to pay that.


When I got mine Jason brought it to AZ and I took delivery there but when I did the non res AZ tags they wanted to see that tax was paid before they would give me tags or I had to pay them (AZ) the tax.

Thats when I used the receipt from the hull progress payment and paid the tax on that.
 

bocco

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
2,176
Reaction score
2,288
So if you keep AZ registration but store and use the boat in NorCal, are you breaking a CA law?
 

Singleton

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
18,135
Reaction score
23,513
So if you keep AZ registration but store and use the boat in NorCal, are you breaking a CA law?

maybe, if you are a CA resident you might get a letter asking you to pay personal property tax in said boat.
 

Riverryder

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2019
Messages
3,456
Reaction score
3,651
If you buy from private party that has it currently registered in AZ, it’s a real easy process. I called AZ G&F and asked what it would cost to transfer title and leave it registered as an out of state resident, $57 if I recall. Made the deal, had the title in a week. This was a HUGE incentive being a larger purchase (for me) that would have cost me close to $8,000 in tax here in CA. Allowed me to buy what I thought was out of reach.

But I believe as stated above, rule of thumb, Buy from private party and you are good, buy from dealer, Pay tax.

Now there is one thing I’m not sure of. If you buy a current CA registered boat private party, and register in AZ, will you pay or not? I don’t know.

do you have to have an az address to do this?
ndow is closed boat i currently have has az numbers on it.
 

LC925

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2017
Messages
684
Reaction score
1,033
do you have to have an az address to do this?
ndow is closed boat i currently have has az numbers on it.
No you do not, hence the “out of state resident” fee which is only a few bucks. You can use your CA address.
 

Riverryder

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2019
Messages
3,456
Reaction score
3,651
No you do not, hence the “out of state resident” fee which is only a few bucks. You can use your CA address.
thanks i just saw on the website its 259 for my boat in question...
i live in nv. ndow(handles our boat stuff) is closed.
 

Attachments

  • WATERCRAFT-FEES-FINAL.pdf
    239.8 KB · Views: 42

84miller

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
561
Reaction score
874
So, I bought a boat from a snowbird from Oregon, who had the boat registered both boat and trailer in AZ with their Oregon address. My plan was to do the same and register both in AZ or transfer to CA. Found that the boat is registered with AZ game and fishing, went there first, transferred using my CA address, paid $241.00, they never asked the purchase price. Problem started with the trailer, after multiple attempts, AZ DMV would not allow a CA address for the trailer, you must have a AZ address, even thought prior AZ title had a Oregon address, but that was a "mistake". So to do the trailer required that I take the trailer to CA DMV in Blythe so they could confirm the serial number on the trailer with the AZ title. That was done. So CA DMV asked me how much I paid for the trailer....was sales taxed on the trailer...but I decided to transfer the boat from AZ to CA with me holding AZ title.....I paid a small $20.00 transfer fee. Without even trying or thinking I bypassed paying CA sales tax on the boat, which would have been $900.00, but paid AZ $241.00. However it was not worth the hassle.
 

Done-it-again

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2016
Messages
8,822
Reaction score
10,841
When I bought mine in NV I asked the sellers to give me 2 bill of sales, one for the trailer and one for the boat. Took the trailer to CA DMV and had them check it out, paid the sales tax and got my plates.....Took the boat to Kingman Game and Fish paid for a non rez tag and all was set, pretty simple... Now looking back I should have kept NV #'s but oh well.
 

LC925

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2017
Messages
684
Reaction score
1,033
So, I bought a boat from a snowbird from Oregon, who had the boat registered both boat and trailer in AZ with their Oregon address. My plan was to do the same and register both in AZ or transfer to CA. Found that the boat is registered with AZ game and fishing, went there first, transferred using my CA address, paid $241.00, they never asked the purchase price. Problem started with the trailer, after multiple attempts, AZ DMV would not allow a CA address for the trailer, you must have a AZ address, even thought prior AZ title had a Oregon address, but that was a "mistake". So to do the trailer required that I take the trailer to CA DMV in Blythe so they could confirm the serial number on the trailer with the AZ title. That was done. So CA DMV asked me how much I paid for the trailer....was sales taxed ow dcb n the trailer...but I decided to transfer the boat from AZ to CA with me holding AZ title.....I paid a small $20.00 transfer fee. Without even trying or thinking I bypassed paying CA sales tax on the boat, which would have been $900.00, but paid AZ $241.00. However it was not worth the hassle.
On my purchase the trailer was CA registered and boat AZ registered. I kept it the same way. Stated $250 “as-is” for the boat trailer on sales price and called it a day registering here in CA. I don’t even think AZ asked for price since it was private party but can be wrong.
 
Top