CA vs. AZ new boat registration!

Ok guys... I know this topic has been talked about before and I have gone through all the previous posts. But maybe you can help me on this.

I just ordered a new boat. What I want to do is the way you are suppose to do things via my understanding of CA highway laws and the Coast Guards registration laws.

Register trailer in CA (I will tow the boat on CA highways)
Register boat in AZ (I will use the boat on AZ waters)

How do I do all of this?
Do I need an AZ address (my dealer says I need this)?
Sales tax (boat and trailer)?

I have contacted the AZ fish and game got no straight answer. I figured since a few of you have done it, you might be able to give me a correct direction to go.

Thanks a ton,
Jeremy

I also spoke with AZ fish & Game they mailed the forms to me with no problem told me to write a check for $80.00 & send it on in. Beats CA $375.00 yearly fees. I do keep my boat in AZ though. I still have a bank note on the boat AZ just requested the lien holders name. If you want i'll post the phone # that i called.

Similar situation. I purchased a used boat/trailer in SoCal. I registered the trailer in California (was told the CHP will note if you are towing a AZ boat/trailer behind a CA tow vehicle). The boat is registered in AZ since the majority of use is at Havasu. No sales tax, just the $79 fish and game fee I recall.

Where did you order the boat from?

If you buy a boat in California and take possesion of it here you are going to pay California sales tax, doesn't matter where you use the boat or where you (or if) you register it. Sometimes you can cheat the rule when buying a used boat by not registering it in California because it is at the DMV office that they normally collect the sales tax.

If you bring the boat to California and have stored here on January 1st, even if it is sitting on the trailer in your driveway, you are going to pay California property tax on it. Note that it doesn't matter where the boat is registered, what matters is where the boat physically is located on January 1st.
Sometimes you can hide the boat from the tax assesor, but you will be violating the law in the sense of "tax evasion".

I know a few people who have bought expensive yachts out of state and left them out of state for three months to avoid the sales tax. If you could buy your boat in Arizona and leave it there for the winter you could likewise avoid the tax, but I don't think you can avoid it if you take delivery in California.

As for the registration fees itself, it only costs $5 a year to register a boat in California. Other than trying to evade the taxes there isn't much reason to register elsewhere.

Calif you pay yearly property taxes on your boat though

you pay fees with the Arizona Fish and Game, my trailer is CA registerd and my boat is AZ, as long as you use the boat 50% of the time in Arizona waters, you do not have to have a residence in Arizona, saves a lot on new boat purchases, taxes etc.

When I bought mine new in cal, I had to pay sales tax, but immediatly registered it in Az. The only benefit of Az registration is not paying the Calif Luxury Tax that Big Arnie wants out of you. But as Rod states if you get caught by the tax asseser you will have to pay back tax. As long as you dont tell them they wont know.

Also try this http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/187241.html#POST406437

Thanks Paul

how do you get the AZ address to say were its located, and what do you tell your insurance bout location?

Kenny,you dont need az address to reg boat. Az is where you use your boat more than 50% of the time. Most ins co dont care where its registered. At one time I had AAA ins and they refused to insure my boat because of az reg. Everyone I know whose reg is az has calif address. As long as the trailer is same reg as tow vehicle and driv license, chp wont bother you. Call Arizona dept of fish and game and ask them to send you registration application. Then just follow instructions.......

AZ allows non-resident to register the boat in AZ, its the $80 yr. fee. So you use your home address.

I believe you can have your dealer deliver the boat to AZ for you to take actual possesion of the boat there and you can pay the AZ sales tax. I know people who bought new boats in Cali, had it delivered to AZ, reg. it in Oregon and paid NO sales taxes.

I also believe Ca. law states you must pay a 1% Use Tax on the boat if you "store" the boat in Ca. It does not matter where you actually use the boat.

ok so I bought my boat this past summer, just got the property tax thing in the mail to fill out end of Oct. ...

so I will call AZ fish and game fill out the formand send back. once that is done they will send AZ reg, put the new reg on boat and inform insurance company that it has AZ reg cause I use it there 51% of the time min. I am insured through USAA. I do know that what county I say I use my boat in affects my insurance, why I dont know.. SO then I will no longer have to pay the CA tax BS even though it is stored at my house?

call the phone # on the tax form you got and inform them the boat is IN arizona, not calif. I wouldnt suggest that you tell them its stored here either. Also inform them its been in az since you bought it. At that point youre done with Calif boat taxes.just a little teenie fib.

I dont think you are gonna get outta paying this years tax. Even if you stretch the truth. Its my understanding that once you get that little letter or prop tax thing you call it, you have to pay da tax.

Sounds like too much trouble to save a few bucks.

I registered my boat in AZ as a non-resident. If you register in CA AND you live in Los Angeles County, then the Tax Assessor will charge you 1% unsecured property tax (boat tax) every year. I don’t know what the Orange County Tax Assessor charges.

As far as insurance goes, I tell them the truth. My boat is stored in California. I don’t think the insurance company cares where it is registered, but rather where it is stored and how secure it is.

The money I save every year by not having to pay a boat tax covers my insurance cost.

When i called up (sept.) the tax collection office & told them my boat was in AZ, they asked since when I said March. They asked where the boat was on Jan. 1st. When i said cali they said i would have to pay the tax. Andrew