T&T: Alaska Registration

[Mike Maurice]

> As to tax; there is no state sales tax in Alaska. Some of the cities do have
> a sales tax. I am not sure if these cities would be allowed to tax a boat
> purchase. I do know that my daughter bought her new truck in a city that
> does have a sales tax, but there was a maximum tax of $25 on the purchase.
> 
> I will be investigating documenting my boat out of Alaska and then moving it
> south to the Gulf. Any information anyone can give me is appreciated.
> 
> We summer in Alaska and winter south in our RV. We are currently in Corpus
> Christi. Oh yeah, the boat is on the hard in Canada's North Channel, waters
> we know very well.
>

There is no sales tax, unless the sale is from a dealer in that town. My 
contacts in AK tell me that private sales are not taxed.

There is no definitive answer on what to do with a boat about 
registration, where it is itinerant.
If you live in XX and the boat is primarily used in YY, then your 
decision depends upon a series of factors.

If YY has sales/use tax then in SOME states you own that tax if you 
register it there; WA is such a state, but in FL not if you have owned 
the boat more than 6 months and are not a resident of FL.

To summarize the paragraph above. Sales/Use taxes on boats are generally 
due, but there are a myriad of exemptions, one state at a time.

Then the boat may be subject to property taxes. Which are not one time, 
but every year and will add up over the long run.

Technically if the state allows property taxes on boats and you intend 
to stay, this can be big factor, if the property taxes are high. I 
posted a list of such states from highest to lowest.

If it is not clear, there are exceptions all over the place, even where 
I can generalize about the situation.

I have been researching this topic for some months and I still don't 
have tables which I consider definitive. The issue is further clouded by 
all kinds of personal issues associated with the owner, the boat and 
it's intended usage. In other words, there are a myriad of trade offs 
all centered around the expected costs.

I had a delusion once, that maybe I could juggle all this into a small 
pamphlet. Now I fanticize about a large one, maybe.

Mike

_____________________________________
Capt. Mike Maurice
Beaverton Oregon(Near Portland)