Arizona Boat Registration Fees!

[haulina29]

California should put a 5000 dollar a load surcharge on all freight that rolls from LA harbor down I 10 to that right to work , producing nothing waste land .

[vegasriverjunkie]

Hey boatcop or maybe somebody that knows, I have this friend that boat a boat paid full in cash in AZ in 03' through his company. It still has not been registered so no reg numbers have been issued. Is there a sales tax that needs to be paid on this if its registered in AZ. I know in NV they asked for the sales tax to be paid prior to registering. If he sells the boat is the new owner responsible for the sales tax, if he is for what amount the original or the amount it was sold. Just asking and any response would be helpful.

[JustMVG]

You answered that question yourself.
Just owning property or having a vacation home in AZ doesn't make one a "Resident" under the law. To qualify as a Resident Arizona must be your primary home. Including, voting, employment, vehicle registration, kids attending school, paying State Income taxes as a "resident", etc. etc.
The Game and Fish Dept. has been pretty lax in enforcing this, pretty much just basing it on addresses. However, there was so much abuse and fraud, (using PO Boxes, friend's addresses, etc.) they realized how much revenue they were losing and have begun imposing the law as written and are now verifying that all persons registering as a "Resident" are indeed "Residents".
Now what if you only are using the boat while on vacation and the boat "Resides" in AZ, you have a house there and the boat is used only in AZ, but you live and work in Cali or wherever, c'mon if you own a vacation home or property, and the boat is used primarily there in AZ why not get the "resident" rate?

[shueman]

Thanks Alan...glad to help support the F'n G.....!!!
Whatever it takes....

[Boatcop]

Hey boatcop or maybe somebody that knows, I have this friend that boat a boat paid full in cash in AZ in 03' through his company. It still has not been registered so no reg numbers have been issued. Is there a sales tax that needs to be paid on this if its registered in AZ. I know in NV they asked for the sales tax to be paid prior to registering. If he sells the boat is the new owner responsible for the sales tax, if he is for what amount the original or the amount it was sold. Just asking and any response would be helpful.
He needs to show a bill of sale, MSO or invoice to prove that he is the owner. If he paid sales tax when he bought it (to any state) then he won't owe any tax when he registers it in AZ. If he's never paid any sales tax, he must pay it to the AZ Dept. of revenue before AZ will register it.
There is never any sales tax in transactions between privtae parties.

[Boatcop]

Now what if you only are using the boat while on vacation and the boat "Resides" in AZ, you have a house there and the boat is used only in AZ, but you live and work in Cali or wherever, c'mon if you own a vacation home or property, and the boat is used primarily there in AZ why not get the "resident" rate?
Again you answered your own question. Where the boat "resides" doesn't matter. It's where the owner "resides"
A vacation home or proprty owner from out of state may pay property taxes, sales taxes, etc., but, except for the property tax, only pay that stuff part of the time. They also pay their State Income tax to their home state. Pay vehcile license fees in their home state, etc. The sales, gas tax, etc they pay in Arizona are the same as any other visitor who buys things in AZ.
Property taxes don't go to pay for things like the Game and Fish Dept, Lake improvements, Marine Patrol, etc. They go to pay for County Services, Fire Districts, Schools, etc.
There are no "What Ifs" or "Buts" or "How Comes" or anything else. You're either an Arizona Resident or you're not.

[Floored]

California should put a 5000 dollar a load surcharge on all freight that rolls from LA harbor down I 10 to that right to work , producing nothing waste land .
Being a trucker, I believe they should put giant wharehouses at the border of cal, in az, nv, ore and if californians want anything just drive to the border and get it yourself. Trucking in cal blows and I refuse to drive there anymore so keep your harbor freight. :crossx:

[voodoomedman]

Thanks for putting it into perspective. At least it makes a little more sense. What doesn't make more sense is over doubling it. Are there any ramifications for changing to Nevada registration? What are the pros and cons for doing it especially if you own a house in Havasu and your boat is 95% of the time in Arizona?
Just to put things in perspective, the Arizona Game and Fish Dept. is funded completely through Boat Registration and Fishing/Hunting License fees. They don't get any Property/Sales/Gas, etc. tax money, nor do they get any State General Funds.
In addition, a portion of the Boat Registration fees goes to the State Lake Improvement Fund Grant program, (to add ramps, rest rooms, campsites, etc. and other improvements to Arizona State Parks and Arizona Lake Recreation Areas) and to the Arizona Law Enforcement & Boating Safety Fund Grants to Counties (to fund County Sheriff Lake Patrol Officer Salaries.)
Basically put, the benefits enjoyed by the State's boaters are paid for by the State's boaters. If not for the way these funds are used, the other things you mention would be a whole lot higher.

[Boatcop]

Are there any ramifications for changing to Nevada registration? What are the pros and cons for doing it especially if you own a house in Havasu and your boat is 95% of the time in Arizona?
Where the boat is 95% of the time doesn't matter. It's where the boat is USED 51% of the time. All States' and Federal law require that a boat be registered where it is used more than 50% of the time. If you boat on the Colorado River, you can choose between any of the states that border the River, where you mostly use the boat.
If you boat on Havasu or points south most of the time, you can choose California or Arizona. Mead or Mohave: Arizona or Nevada. Powell: Arizona or Utah.
This is kind of hard to police, since there's no one watching your boat all the time to see where it's being used. Pretty much, the only thing really preventing anyone from committing registration fraud and perjury, by registering a boat in a state where it's not used the most, is your own sense of right and wrong.

[OutCole'd]

This is kind of hard to police, since there's no one watching your boat all the time to see where it's being used. Pretty much, the only thing really preventing anyone from committing registration fraud and perjury, by registering a boat in a state where it's not used the most, is your own sense of right and wrong.
Good point. Also, since I boat 99.9% in Havasu, I don't mind paying my tax to the people that support my habit.
If everyone tried to get out of paying money to AZ, how poorly would the LE be funded then?