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Does Anyone know the tax (property)LAW concerning boats, we are cruisers, we are a Delaware Documented vessel we thought we might hand in NC for a while. We have been told numerous different things we must do to avoid paying any tax anyone know the requirements for having to pay NC tax? Thanks
We have been told numerous different things we must do to avoid paying any tax anyone know the requirements for having to pay NC tax? Thanks
I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. If the boat is not registered or purchased here there should be no taxes. If you become full-time NC residents, the boat would have to be registered here.
All registration and taxation information can be found on the Wildlife Enforcement website.
Im not real sure on NC. Our boat is documented in NC but spends year round in SC. For SC if the boat is in the state one day beyond 6 months you owe SC taxes no matter where its documented. NC sends us a tax bill every year and we have to show that the boat is berthed in SC and the taxes are paid there. I have been told that NC is the same, but I cant say for sure. You may try calling a county tax office for New Hanover or Carteret County where they deal with documented boats regularly and ask them for clarification? Good Luck
__________________ 1999 27' Sea Ray Sundancer Special Edition
1988 34' Luhrs 342, Sold
1978 20' Robalo w 1993 225 Yamaha, 8 month rebuild, including Alexsealed, wiring, electronics, canvas, For Sale
1984 18' Regal bowrider, Sold after 14 years
1967 12' Jon Boat w 1967 Mercury 5 hp, family has had since new
What Baby Huey said. I live in NC in one county and my boat "lives" in another. Where ever the boat is for 6 months and 1 day is where the taxes are listed. I too get a bill from my county every year and have to show them the other receipt.
Can anyone elaborate on this any further? I live in New Hanover County and have never recieved a property tax on either of my boats. I purchased a new boat several years ago and never got one. I sold that and purchased a used boat two years ago. I pay taxes on my trailer but thats it. I only know one person that actually gets a bill. Does it come from the state or the county?
Thanks,
Matt
__________________ 2006 23'Sea Hunt 250 Yammie "My Allybi"
Can anyone elaborate on this any further? I live in New Hanover County and have never recieved a property tax on either of my boats. I purchased a new boat several years ago and never got one. I sold that and purchased a used boat two years ago. I pay taxes on my trailer but thats it. I only know one person that actually gets a bill. Does it come from the state or the county?
Thanks,
Matt
It used to be that if you did not title your boat, then you could avoid paying taxes. Nowadays everything has to be titled and therefore taxed. Did you title your old boat? Is your newer boat titled in your name?
Both boats were/are titled in my name. Another guy at my office is the same way. He even bought his boat from a dealership. I bought my Sea Hunt from a private individual. I also have another friend that has a 2006 31 Contender that has never gotten a tax bill??? What percentage are you taxed at?
Thanks,
Matt
__________________ 2006 23'Sea Hunt 250 Yammie "My Allybi"
since when do boats registered in NC have to be titled? I thought it was optional? We dont get tax bills for our boats that are state registered, just the CG Documented one.
__________________ 1999 27' Sea Ray Sundancer Special Edition
1988 34' Luhrs 342, Sold
1978 20' Robalo w 1993 225 Yamaha, 8 month rebuild, including Alexsealed, wiring, electronics, canvas, For Sale
1984 18' Regal bowrider, Sold after 14 years
1967 12' Jon Boat w 1967 Mercury 5 hp, family has had since new
I think NC boat titles are mandatory now on new/re-sales. AFAIK, buying NC boat registration is what puts the whole property tax thing in gear. NC Wildlife notifies county owner lives in. It is up to owner to amend where boat is stored. As others said, no matter where owner lives, tax is paid where boat is kept.
I think the OP is referring to a little "tax trick" towns like Beaufort SC pulled a few years ago. Town of Beaufort decided to charge property tax on every transient boat in harbor that had stayed in their harbor over 6 months.
since when do boats registered in NC have to be titled? I thought it was optional? We dont get tax bills for our boats that are state registered, just the CG Documented one.
Count yourself lucky not to pay tax on the non titled ones. If you live in NC and own a boat they can tax you. They even tried to tax my riding mower here in Wilmington. I'am not kidding.
So just as the talk is on the docks. It seems everyone has a different answer, I think our best option is to move on, It is a shame we like the New Marina in Bridgeton but as usuall Bureacracy ruins everything. .
As we've agreed here, as long as you are CG Documented, feel free to stay for 5.5 months and enjoy our area haha. Truthfully I dont know what VA's tax rules are, but NC, SC, and I think GA are pretty close the same from what Ive heard. Good Luck
__________________ 1999 27' Sea Ray Sundancer Special Edition
1988 34' Luhrs 342, Sold
1978 20' Robalo w 1993 225 Yamaha, 8 month rebuild, including Alexsealed, wiring, electronics, canvas, For Sale
1984 18' Regal bowrider, Sold after 14 years
1967 12' Jon Boat w 1967 Mercury 5 hp, family has had since new
It used to be that if you did not title your boat, then you could avoid paying taxes. Nowadays everything has to be titled and therefore taxed.
Even before boats had to be titled the county collected taxes on trailers. I got a call from the local tax office asking if there happened to be a boat on my "boat" trailer. Busted.
__________________ The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Call the Craven County tax office. Get your information straight from the source. Typically bills go out to boats that are in marinas on January 1. Go anchor out on Broad Creek or someplace for New Years if you are that paranoid. But if your boat is a Delaware boat and you are indeed transient all you have to do is go to the tax office on Pollock St & Craven, in New Bern and they will cancel it. You will also probably be surprised at how little money it is in the first place. Or, if you are going to be here awhile, and live on your boat, why not pay a little towards the county services you receive? Or do you just want to free load off the rest of us?
For the guys not paying taxes, you receive a tax notice at the first of every year requiring you to list personal property such as cars, boats, and changes to your house, such as an addition, etc. It is legally incumbent upon the owner to pay property tax in the county in which the property resides. If you are not paying taxes and willfully omitted the item on your tax notice, you can/will be subject to back taxes and penalties if it is discovered that you have not paid the tax. Just an FYI for you guys.
So just as the talk is on the docks. It seems everyone has a different answer, I think our best option is to move on, ....... .
Another option is to check with the state DNR or the county auditor's office. No reason to change your plans because of unreliable and conflicting opinions.
As Aftergolf said, you have to list your boats on the form they send you each year. If you do not truthfully report your property, then there could be legal consequences.
I had a wild time with my county tax folks this last year because they decided to match the outboards listed with the boats listed. I got a whopping bill for an old 14 foot jon boat and eventually found that they had put my 200 Suzuki on the small jon boat and a 15 Evinrude on my 22 foot Downeaster. I got the boats paired up with the correct motors after a visit to the tax office but still wound up paying the same amount of tax.
I have always gotten tax bills on titled vessels. Until a January 1 2006 I never got tax bills on untitled vessels. That was the year I think the state mandated titles for all new boats and anytime a used boat was sold. Aftergolf is correct, you are supposed to list the items on your annual tax notice from the county. As others have stated, just call the tax office and ask them. They are usually helpful over there.
Matt, you live in New Hanover Co. It is like a different state there.
taxes (property) 
