ads427

Just curious if you have to register in RI in order to do this?

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fishing machine

bdfishguy

I reside in CT, boat is registered in CT but stays in RI for the summer, Frank Hall Boat Yard, don't know if its right or wrong, haven't had an issue yet...

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Ben
23' Triton C.C. 'Nuff Said
www.nuffsaidfising.com
Custom Fluke Rigs & Components

AlloyToy

Live in W.Mass but boat stays on the trailer in RI. It's registered in RI.

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"First The Bite Then The Fight"

Albatross

I am pretty sure if you slip and do the majority of your boating in Rhode Island it is supposed to be registered in that state.

demonfish

I dont think it matters. I remember when I was young all the high end marinas around here had boats registered in Delaware because of the tax breaks they get. Boats are mobile just like cars. If they ask you are there a couple of months and then you go home to your state. Doesnt matter if its only the state next door. We are starting to see the florida and caribean yachts coming to long island for the summer.

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CaptBillB

RI has no sales tax assessed (for boats registered/documented in RI), but you must have a RI registration for the boat- regardless of which state you live in. At the moment, there is a bill on the RI legislative agenda that would do away with this tax break (it probably won't pass).
On the other hand, CT has agents from the Tax and Revenue Department surveying the docks of marinas for boats that are berthed in CT territorial waters for sixty continuous days (other than for winter storage). Regardless of where you live, if you are not registered in CT after that time period.. you will get a bill.. and a demand for the sales tax due on the vessels sale price whether or not you hold CT residence status.

"Unlike federal taxes which are predictable wherever you happen to live, purchase, or use a marine vessel or aircraft—sales and use taxes at the state level can quickly leave a yacht or aircraft owner caught up in a web of tax liabilities. The primary problem is that every state taxes marine vessels differently and imposes different requirements.
For instance, Connecticut requires that the owner of a yacht which spends more than 60 days there during the summer months, must register with the State and is required to pay a six percent sales tax to the State. But suppose you like to spend a portion of your winter in Florida rather than Connecticut. You will most likely will end up with a sales or use tax jeopardy with the State of Florida too."

DMV: Frequently Asked Questions on Boat Registrations

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Bill
www.billfishcharter.com

gerg

Bill, I went through this with my boat in CT, and you are mostly correct.

However, there are some significant variations. When I bought my boat, I registered it in MA and paid state sales tax here, which is about 5%. When I moved it to CT, they wanted their due, but since I already paid sales tax in MA, they waived that portion of the bill and only asked for the roughly 1% difference.

I also have to purchase a "certificate of decal" every year, which is kind of like a registration, but without the title. It costs the same though.

Now if I instead put my boat in a RI marina, I wouldn't have faced any of that. I would still have to pay the MA registration fee and sales tax, but RI doesn't have sales tax on boats so I wouldn't need to pay the extra %. If I didn't register it in MA and went directly to a RI registration, I would be subject to prosecution in MA. They don't allow you to avoid sales tax by keeping the boat in another state.

So from what I understand of CT revenuers, you are still responsible for paying CT sales tax and maintaining a CT registration on the vessel even if you keep it in another state. You may also need to register it in some way in that other state, but CT doesn't care as long as they get their money.

Possum

The truest statement said.

I am not clear on the RI berthage issues, but I do know, CT will do what they can to bleed you out, no matter what.

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iryby

I live in CT and used to fish out of Snug harbor. I believe the boat has to be registered in the state of principle use. Your trailer has to be registered in your home state.

I'm not sure how many days you can use your boat in CT before they want $, but sitting in your driveway on a trailer for the winter does not constitute use.

CaptBillB

Greg & All,
Nope.. 100% correct, as I owed & paid CT nothing on any boat over the past 16 years due to the fact that RI has a 'commercial exemption' for commercial usage on boats and supplies (including charter boats). In addition.. since the boat NEVER spent time in CT waters- other than in transiting- the boat was deemed to be a RI entity. I had a 'go around' with CT for the first year.. but I've never paid a penny of sales tax or any other fee to CT for the operation of vessels that were run out of RI.
The RI Legislature has a bill to eliminate that exemption in committee but it's going nowhere quickly.
Should have qualified that.. but even the CT Revenue Service couldn't crack it the RI commercial exemption and the fact that the boat never spent the 60 days in state waters.
The only time I had to register for a CT sales tax number was for the sale of t-shirts from my booth while in CT.

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Bill
www.billfishcharter.com