Boat taxes???

(big_xstar) · (big_xstar) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 05-18-2005, 12:57 PM

So we have owned boats before and always paid cash
for them. The current boat we financed last year when we purchased it. We were kinda surprised about the fact that the city accessors(sp) wanted
us to fill out a form for tax reasons. So we did and 3 weeks later we received a large tax bill for our boat. Is there a standard they go by?
Is this just on new boats, or ones that are financed only? Any info would be great.

(onealrep) · (onealrep) **Join Date: May 2002** 05-18-2005, 1:41 PM

California bills you annually for a 1% "luxury" tax

mia 05-18-2005, 1:48 PM

kevin,

i think it is if you store it on your residence...

(liveoz) · (liveoz) **Join Date: May 2002** 05-18-2005, 3:20 PM

You pay it no matter where you store it. Each county has their own assessor, I think I got tax bills from Rick Auchebach,L.A. County assessor. If you sale the boat or move it out of the county before January 1st, you need to notify them. If you sell it after January 1st. You must still pay the tax bill come September even if you sold it January 2nd.

(big_xstar) · (big_xstar) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 05-18-2005, 3:42 PM

so that 1% is every year for as long as you own the boat or until it is paid off?

akman 05-18-2005, 3:47 PM

Luxury Tax........pretty sure every year you own the boat!

(tyler_o) · (tyler_o) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 05-18-2005, 3:48 PM

Kevin,

As long as you own the boat until it's value falls below a certain level. I can't remember the exact number but it's vessels over 21 feet in length and over $25,000 in value or something close to that. I get double dinged this year with the new boat ($$$$$$$$$) and the old boat as I still had posession on Jan 1.

(jdaviso1) · (jdaviso1) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 05-18-2005, 4:24 PM

Why not register your boat in another state? AZ, NV...

~J.

(rake) · (rake) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 05-18-2005, 4:44 PM

It's not based on year or value, I still get a "luxury" tax on my '86 2001 which the value is stated at far less than 25K. They will tax you till you sell it, it sinks or is decommisioned.

(big_xstar) · (big_xstar) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 05-18-2005, 6:12 PM

We use to own a 1995 boat, and we never received
a luxery tax then. Hmmmmmm...
Guess just a way for the state to suck more money out of us.

imcmole 05-18-2005, 6:37 PM

It just started a few years ago in San Diego.

(big_ed_x2) · (big_ed_x2) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 05-18-2005, 7:25 PM

For my 84 ski centurion I got taxed.It was 67 dollars a year.

whitechocolate 05-18-2005, 9:55 PM

I feel your pain on the Boat tax, I think its total crap, I mean think about all the extra money you spend to keep your boat running, All that money that you pump into the local econmey
and then they want to tax you.

What are they thinking , These people can afford it so lets tax them, Or do they feel we (boaters) are putting a extra strain on the enviorment so we need to pay for our fun??

I would realy like to understand the thinking process when it came to this tax

(ian30) · (ian30) **Join Date: Jan 2005** 05-19-2005, 5:56 AM

I had a 1990 Bluewater I/O that I wasn't taxed on. I work with the guy I bought it from and he said that he hadn't received a tax bill the year before he sold it to me and when he called to find out why, they said it had fallen below the minimum value. The minimum value though is around 5,000 so most people here can expect to always receive a tax bill.

ag4ever 05-19-2005, 7:03 AM

"I would realy like to understand the thinking process when it came to this tax"

Good luck with that. When you find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow or the fountain of youth on your way to understanding beurocrats, let me know.

(peacock) · (peacock) **Join Date: Jan 2005** 05-19-2005, 2:40 PM

Yeah, I'll need your info as well, since I also charge a small tax. I know you won't mind. Just PM your address, etc.

Thanks in advance for your money!

(uga33) · (uga33) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 05-20-2005, 5:30 AM

I received my tax bill this year and the county I live in had actually appreciated my boats value. I was P.O.ED so trying to correct the problem now.

(aidan) · (aidan) **Join Date: Feb 2004** 05-20-2005, 10:39 PM

Go AZ , you can get all forms on line........$88.70 bucks. Keep trailer in CA. AZ doesn't care where you live. We used our CA address on boat reg with AZ tags

(big_xstar) · (big_xstar) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 05-20-2005, 10:54 PM

Can you really do that JT??
pm with more info if you could?

(wakeme884) · (wakeme884) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 05-21-2005, 7:28 AM

Kevin, my friend recently bought an 01 vlx out of state. When he went to regester it in Ca, they wanted $2800 in sales tax and $270 a year in luxury tax. He said fu and registered it in az....$88.70 total cost. My boat was same way. AZ charges $80 per yr for out of state residents. No need for az address. Go to az fish and game on line or call them for forms. AZ love us Cali boaters.

(jdaviso1) · (jdaviso1) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 05-21-2005, 7:53 AM

By law you can register your boat in AZ if you use it in AZ waters 50% of the time. If you live in SoCal and go to the river a lot, you probably run your boat in AZ water at LEAST 50% of the time.

Otherwise, they have no way of knowing how frequently your boat has been in AZ waters.

http://www.gf.state.az.us/outdoor_recreation/boating.shtml

~J.

(big_xstar) · (big_xstar) **Join Date: Nov 2004** 05-21-2005, 12:07 PM

Sweet!!! Thanks for the info guys!!!
So just to make sure I am understanding correctly
AZ doesnt charge a luxury tax annualy?

(Message edited by big x-star on May 21, 2005)

(speakersox) · (speakersox) **Join Date: Sep 2004** 05-21-2005, 6:12 PM

In California, it is not a luxury tax, it is called personal property tax. If they word it that way, they can find more ways to tax us for things that are not considered luxury items.