Question for world cruisers

[neverknow]

We have a question for you world cruiser from the USA. Do you keep your state boat registrations current when you are out of the states for yrs at a time?

Do other countries require a current reg. sticker from your home state?

[neverknow]

Anyone?

[HUGOSALT]

Not world cruiser and do not know about keeping state reg. current when out of country.
However other countries would be good with a current USCG
documented boat.

[neverknow]

Yea I just wonder what they do when they return to the USA and check back in. Wouldn't they be asked for the Reg?

[unomio]

Customs will be more interested in whether you're trying to import a boat obtained in another country. In most cases such an imported boat would require payment of customs duty. You'll need to show that you owner the boat in the US before you left. Documentation is considered proof of ownership, but is not _just_ a proof of ownership. See Vessel Documentation Information & Resources - MarineTitle.com for more info on documentation. See 19CFR4.94 (do a Google search) for info on requirements pleasure boats entering (or re-entering) the US.

Registration is one way of proving ownership, providing it is up to date. You can renew documentation (and registration, in most states) online, but hard copy is difficult to have sent to you overseas. In some cases we've been able to obtain an electronic copy of the documentation, which has sufficed so far. My advice: document your boat if it's eligible (it's cheaper, too), or if not, register it and keep the registration up to date. Keep a copy of either the registration or the documentation on board. Note that some foreign countries still want to look at the _original_ documentation certificate, with its certifying stamps.

Don't forget that you'll need to have your USBPS decal up to date if your boat is required to have one. See https://dtops.cbp.dhs.gov/

[miatapaul]

I believe that if a boat is documented you do not need to keep the registration current if you are out of the country. Most states only require registration after you have a documented boat in the state for a certain length of time. So you should have that amount of time to do it. I don't remember what the time is, I think it is like 60 or 90 days. So the first question is not going to be "may I see your registration" it will be let me see proof that you are a citizen, and this boat is yours.

[TQA]

Originally Posted by neverknow

We have a question for you world cruiser from the USA. Do you keep your state boat registrations current when you are out of the states for yrs at a time?

Do other countries require a current reg. sticker from your home state?

Remember that some places eg France and the French islands do accept US state registration. You need the federal version.

[hellosailor]

US state registrations for boats (or motor vehicles) usually apply to "vessels in the navigable waters of...for more than xx days..." so depending on your state law, the age of the vessel, etc. you may or may not need to update the registration within 30-180 days once you return to a US state. There may be additional complications per each state but generally, if it is not in state waters at all, it is not required to be registered in that state.

[orthomartin]

Our boat is US flagged and documented but we do not carry state registration, nor did we pay any state tax on purchase. The boat still by CC reg has the hailing port under the name but because we do not sail in the US there is no need for state papers. None of the 22 countries we have been to ever even ask, they just want boat doc paper and insurance proof

[DRFerron]

Originally Posted by Chris12345

On the contrary, I would take care to de-register (state registration) the boat, otherwise the DMV might come after you for years of registration fees, once you (or the boat) return.

I can't see this happening (it doesn't now). The state would have to prove that your boat was in their waters for that time period, wouldn't they? Who has the resources to do that and how can it be proven one way or the other? If you let your state registration expire, it's expired. If you want to renew it you just send in the renewal when you're ready. I've done that before.

Originally Posted by Chris12345

If you do owe property tax on the boat while abroad, I don't know.
I would assume not, because property tax if for US property; you would not owe it on a foreign house either.
But if the boat is state-registered, the state will want property tax.

Can you explain what you mean, please? Property tax is property tax. A boat is a vessel or vehicle and not property. I keep my boat in Maryland but I don't pay property tax on the boat, just on the property I own. Apples and oranges.

Originally Posted by Chris12345

If any country is going to be iffy about registration of your boat, federal is going to be better than state.

Probably true. It was once explained to me that sailing on a documented boat is like sailing on a little chunk of the US. True? No idea.