Living aboard in a different state.

[Loaf1967]

I am relatively new to the MD area having accepted a job in DC. I moved here from Ohio and still have a house and a wife in Ohio. The plan was that she would stay in Ohio until she could find a job here in the DC area.
Since I still have a house in Ohio I have been renting a 1 bdrm apartment and still have an Ohio driver’s license and Ohio plates, since I still consider my residence to be in Ohio until the wife moves out here.
My question is registering a boat. I am thinking of buying a Catalina 30 with the intent of being a liveaboard for a year or so. I would be at a slip in MD. Do I need to have the boat registered in MD or can I get away with registering it in Ohio until I fully switch over to MD?

[scottyt]

maryland will want it registered here. they have the law if it will be here over 6 months they want the tax

make sure when you title the boat here, bring a notorized bill of sale, or they will blue book it for taxes.

[kd3pc]

Loaf

the MD tax can be quite high...around $3K for my 42 unless you can PROVE that you paid tax elsewhere, then it drops to a couple a grand yearly after that. Finding an affordable liveaboard marina that is commuting distance to your job (unless your job is in SoMd) can be the biggest challenge. YOu may do better trying to find liveaboard and tax friendly slips in VA, again the commute may take a toll.

Re: the tags and license...look in to getting them changed over too, MD does not like those arrangements, they have been known to cruise through apt complexes and taking tag numbers...

BEst of luck, at least you have a job.
dave

[velero]

Make sure you register your car in MD as well. The tax man has people driving around appartment complex looking for folks w/o MD plates. Only military folks are allowed to keep their state of record plates but hey still have let the state know that they are residing in MD. Check tHe MD MVA for more info. V49

[scottyt]

loaf as others have said do the car too. you have IIRC 90 days to register it for "free" then they make you pay taxes and get the car inspected.

i maybe wrong but i have heard the above before, being i am from this dam state i dont know for sure how it works

also on the tax on the boat they go off of the noterized bill of sale, which must include sellers names and sigs, the date and the price. make sure you put the hull number on the bill of sale. the price on the bill of sale is what you will pay 5% tax on. if the bill of sale says 2 grand you will pay a 100 bucks... get it