GL: How to register a boat

[bob Austin]

If you buy a boat on the East Coast, thru a broker, he will be required to get
sales tax and I suspect that his county will be glad to take your money for
registration.  The simplist thing is to document the boat. Most boats 25 feet
and longer can be documented, and I have documented a couple of them smaller
than 25 feet, because of the hull configuration.  (The tonage for
documentation is a formula driven number more related to hull volume--not
weight).   Florida is one of the few which require the documented boat to be
registered immediately upon entering their waters.   Other states give you 60
to 90 days.  If you have the boat documented, owned it for 6 months, and had
no "intent" of bringing the boat to Florida--Florida will not collect sales
tax.  There are several other states which will not collect sales tax also.

There are also a number of "agents" who will provide you with an address for
mail, driver's license, insurance etc.  You can register the boat to this
address if you so desire.

Bob Austin