USCG Vessel Documentation. Anyone do it?

[wineknot]

Since we're on the subject of vessel documentation, be advised that it is vessel documentation SCAM season. If documented, you will receive all of these offers to renew your documentation from companies that will only charge your $125-$300 dollars. They do all of the work for you. BE AWARE!

The only place to renew your documentation, from my experience, is https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Our-Organi...s-DCO-D/National-Vessel-Documentation-Center/

If memory serves, the annual fee is $26. You can now do multi-year.

Pro Tip: If you lose your certificate of documentation, they will replace it for $50. However, you can just chose to renew early for $26.

Jaybeaux

This is a GREAT post by @Jaybeaux - The scammers make their letters they mail to you look so official. They should be fined for it. The information is public so they know when your USCG documentation expires and mail you a month before the USCG does. As stated, they charge insane fees to do the renewal that you can do effortlessly online with USCG for a fraction the cost.

 

[highslice]

I'm curious, how are you guys avoiding sales tax via federal documentation? Seems like the states still want their money either way?

In Missouri, at least when I bought my boat, there is reduced tax if you document. Had I not documented my sales tax would have been right at $4,000. If you document the state has a different tax table they call "Replacement Tax". For the net amount we paid for our boat, my replacement tax was $1,400. YMMV. I had to do a bit of research on that. I was going to document this boat either way because I didn't want to do registration numbers and my kids wanted the boat to have a name.

Our lake does span two states, which also makes it convenient.

 

[Papabrer]

My boat is documented. I purchased it through a broker and he put me in touch with the documentation company during the process.

I am in California and have not received anything from the state for my property taxes? Is it my responsibility to notify the state that I now have this property? Shouldn’t that have been part of the sale’s process?

 

[dmorris800]

Each state is different, in TX if I remember correctly needed to be registered within 3 months of arrival in the state or you would be finned + pay the tax. My guess is that come spring when you go to use the boat you will get boarded by one of the constellation of local safety departments (Texas Park / Wildlife which is the game warden is out in force before memorial day and sporadically afterward) for not having a sticker / registration. When I lived in CT it was the local police who enforced it.

Tax man wants his money. Hasn't changed since the time of Rome!

 

[Skybolt]

In Missouri, at least when I bought my boat, there is reduced tax if you document. Had I not documented my sales tax would have been right at $4,000. If you document the state has a different tax table they call "Replacement Tax". For the net amount we paid for our boat, my replacement tax was $1,400. YMMV. I had to do a bit of research on that. I was going to document this boat either way because I didn't want to do registration numbers and my kids wanted the boat to have a name.

Our lake does span two states, which also makes it convenient.

That's pretty cool, I have not heard of that before. Do you have to pay personal property tax like VA has to?

 

[highslice]

That's pretty cool, I have not heard of that before. Do you have to pay personal property tax like VA has too?

Unfortunately, yes we do have to pay personal property tax. In my opinion that is outright theft by the state.