Boat registrations and State

[Misty IV]

Boat registrations and State

This has been a question of mine for a few years, but never followed through with it.

 

How many of you live outside of New York State (ie. PA, OH, VT, MA, etc) and have your boat registered in your state of residence, yet primarily use your boat on Lake Ontario and its tributaries?

 

I've been told for years that wherever you primarily use your boat is where it needs to be registered, regardless of what state your primary residence is in. My residence is in PA and my Islander is used 100% on Lake Ontario. I've never had my boats registered in NY. I wasn't really concerned about this "law" until last year at the launch when the DEC was doing one of their surveys and I got stopped. They noticed my boat was registered out of state and asked me if I fished primarily on Lake Ontario, to which I responded "yes". The one officer told me that was against the law and I should get the boat registered in NY.

 

Anyone heard any truth to this "law" and actually changed their registered state to NY? Or is this merely a way to get more revenue into the state? My boat is in NY at the lake from April through October, and home in PA on the trailer winterized November through March. Thoughts, input? Thanks!

[TileMan Dan]

Lie. I don't see you not going to heaven over this issue.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

[stoneam2006]

I'd be registering it where ever it's cheaper lol

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Misty IV]

I've looked into what's involved and it's kinda insane. I bought my boat in 2005 and the state wants to charge me tax on what I paid on the boat 12 years ago. I already did that in 2005, as I purchased it up near the Thousand Islands. I asked a friend of mine with the USCG in Ogdensburg and he said the DEC officer was correct.

[lineman49]

  Don't tell on yourself & tell them no just visiting.  sounds like another way for NY to screw some one!  jmo   As my father would say "F-em"!

Edited January 18, 2017 by lineman49

[treedude363]

all about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ the  same boat can be sold 10  times in one year and pay tax on it  10  times

Edited January 18, 2017 by treedude363

[lineman49]

 

24 minutes ago, treedude363 said:

all about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ the  same boat can be sold 10  times in one year and pay tax on it  10  times

  Same as a used car!

[rbochan]

It's funny. I asked a DEC officer a few questions a while back, mostly about what was going on with lake levels and fishery health. His reply was. "I don't know these things, they just give me a gun and a book of tickets to write."

 

Glorified tax collectors.

 

[rolmops]

2 minutes ago, rbochan said:

It's funny. I asked a DEC officer a few questions a while back, mostly about what was going on with lake levels and fishery health. His reply was. "I don't know these things, they just give me a gun and a book of tickets to write."

 

Glorified tax collectors.

 

That does not sound like any DEC officer that I ever encountered. Maybe he was just having a very bad day.

[lost a lure]

You have up to 90 days before it needs to be registered in with the dmv. Its only illegal if you get caught. 

https://www.boat-ed.com/abc/abc_specific_images/pdfs/ny_law.pdf

Edited January 18, 2017 by lost a lure

[moonfish]

2 hours ago, Misty IV said:

Boat registrations and State

This has been a question of mine for a few years, but never followed through with it.

 

How many of you live outside of New York State (ie. PA, OH, VT, MA, etc) and have your boat registered in your state of residence, yet primarily use your boat on Lake Ontario and its tributaries?

 

I've been told for years that wherever you primarily use your boat is where it needs to be registered, regardless of what state your primary residence is in. My residence is in PA and my Islander is used 100% on Lake Ontario. I've never had my boats registered in NY. I wasn't really concerned about this "law" until last year at the launch when the DEC was doing one of their surveys and I got stopped. They noticed my boat was registered out of state and asked me if I fished primarily on Lake Ontario, to which I responded "yes". The one officer told me that was against the law and I should get the boat registered in NY.

 

Anyone heard any truth to this "law" and actually changed their registered state to NY? Or is this merely a way to get more revenue into the state? My boat is in NY at the lake from April through October, and home in PA on the trailer winterized November through March. Thoughts, input? Thanks!

I think if you are a non resident and you have to buy a fishing license in our state, and you are utilizing OUR resources, THEN PAY UP  for a registration if this is where you fish 1/2 the year. If I want to fish Allegheny reservoir I need nys, Penn., & possibly even a pay for permit to Indian reservation that splits two states. Lake O is 100 miles from your border. Cancel your Reggy in November, get a refund from NYS DMV, and renew it in April if you don't like losing money for 6 months when your not using boat. 

Honestly I think your whining about little. Appreciate the fact that you can come here to do it. There's a lot of people that wish they had a boat so they didn't have to fish from shore. Count your blessings, even if it means you have to pay for NYS Reggy.

[thumbburn]

just tell them you fish all over....... never give too much info!!!!!

[drlfc]

I'm almost 100% sure you have to register it in your state of residence using your home address. Just food for thought...what address would you use to register the boat here in NY? Mike's Marina address? Beth would love that...LOL.

[lineman49]

 Moonfish, you do need all 3 to fish Allegheny reservoir in NY. because NY was afraid they would loose $$$$ if they went along with Pa. & the Res. by having a license that would have allowed all 3 to fish anywhere on the water.  Pa. & the Res. wanted a combined license.

[Misty IV]

Moonfish,

 

First off, let me thank you for your reply and input.

 

Now, a little about me. I have been fishing Lake Ontario for the better part of 40 years, ever since I was a kid. My family has had property along Mexico Bay since the early 1900's and I currently have property along the lake shoreline. I pay property taxes, school taxes and flood insurance, all for a property I use 6 months out of the year. I'm not some out-of-stater that randomly drives up to the lake.

 

My original post was merely a question as to what other out of staters do and if anyone knows of any truth to what I was told by the DEC officer. That's all. I'm not "whining" or feeling priviledged for utilizing Lake Ontario for my recreational purposes. I purchase an out-of-state NY fishing license every year and it is the ONLY fishing license I have. I do not have a PA fishing license and haven't in over 20 years. 

[lrg355]

I am in the same situation as you with a cottage on Sandy Pond.  Taxes are unbearable but I put up with it or sit home.  I have 3 boats , 2 used for fishing and they are registered in NY.  I know they are supposed to be.  The trailers are however, registered in PA because it is much cheaper.  NY wants $80+ trailer reg for my 27 ft Sportcraft trailer.  Unreasonable.  $6 in Pa.  I have a pontoon bought in Pa and as soon as the current reg is up I will transfer to NY.  It is in fact true that the regs say the BOAT should be registered where it is used most.

[lrg355]

I am in the same situation as you with a cottage on Sandy Pond.  Taxes are unbearable but I put up with it or sit home.  I have 3 boats , 2 used for fishing and they are registered in NY.  I know they are supposed to be.  The trailers are however, registered in PA because it is much cheaper.  NY wants $80+ trailer reg for my 27 ft Sportcraft trailer.  Unreasonable.  $6 in Pa.  I have a pontoon bought in Pa and as soon as the current reg is up I will transfer to NY.  It is in fact true that the regs say the BOAT should be registered where it is used most.

 

Trailer reg in NY is $5.39 per 500lbs so for a 8500gvw trailer it is $91.63.  Sort of like the NY property taxes.  Reg in Pa  up to 3000 gvw   $6.   3001 to 10000 gvw  $12

[moonfish]

1 hour ago, lineman49 said:

 Moonfish, you do need all 3 to fish Allegheny reservoir in NY. because NY was afraid they would loose $$$$ if they went along with Pa. & the Res. by having a license that would have allowed all 3 to fish anywhere on the water.  Pa. & the Res. wanted a combined license.

I'm well aware, doesn't change how I feel. If I'm docking, utilizing wateways, fishing, and contributing pollution (which every engine does) for 6 mo's in a state I don't reside in I would expect to pay. Better yet why would I pay for registration in pennsylvania when it doesn't even get operated there ? That money should go to NY. where the boat resides and operates. 

[moonfish]

43 minutes ago, Misty IV said:

Moonfish,

 

First off, let me thank you for your reply and input.

 

Now, a little about me. I have been fishing Lake Ontario for the better part of 40 years, ever since I was a kid. My family has had property along Mexico Bay since the early 1900's and I currently have property along the lake shoreline. I pay property taxes, school taxes and flood insurance, all for a property I use 6 months out of the year. I'm not some out-of-stater that randomly drives up to the lake.

 

My original post was merely a question as to what other out of staters do and if anyone knows of any truth to what I was told by the DEC officer. That's all. I'm not "whining" or feeling priviledged for utilizing Lake Ontario for my recreational purposes. I purchase an out-of-state NY fishing license every year and it is the ONLY fishing license I have. I do not have a PA fishing license and haven't in over 20 years. 

I'm not questioning your fishing license. You know what makes this even worse ? You have family and family property here and you run the boat here, but you register in Pennsylvania. Why don't you register the boat to the Mexico Bay address ?  You said yourse!f in original post YOU ARE AWARE that where you use your boat primarily is where you need to register. And yet for 40 yrs you register out of state. Well right there is where you contradict yourself. Now your only concerned because an officer called you out. I can't believe it. 40 yrs of Reggy went to another state you don't even operate in and you own property and pay taxes here. Wow. You put up this post and asked for peoples opinions. Now I'm giving you mine. PAY UP

[Xxx]

For 35+ years my boats have been registered in Pa. Because they use the address that's on your drivers license. If you have a camper in a campground that you bought elsewhere you need to register to your home address, right, then you tow it to a campground in NY State, how do you register something in a state you don't reside in? Ok here's another story. My cheap ass uncle who lives in his camper in the BRCG, wanted to get a local fishing license because it's cheaper,wtf we laughed at him, calling him a cheapF. He couldn't get a resident license, because he didn't have a physical residents mailing address. He was told he needed to get a PO box in the town of Dexter and it needs to be active for 90 days before he was considered a NY resident and be able to get a resident licence. This gets more interesting, I guess he had to fill out a form and it asked what all he owned, boat, car ect, well NY state wanted him to register his boat in NY his car what ever the dumb ass said he owned, and all this shyt came to his new PO box. Moral of the story to save $30 it ended up costing him hundreds of $$ LOL because he had to transfer registrations on his boat, car, camper, plus licenses on the car, which didn't pass NY state smog bullshyt. Bottom line to save a dollar it cost litterly cost hundreds!!  I don't slip my boat but for the time I'll be there. I keep it all in Pa. Like I've been doing for years, like said above, I'm just visiting. LOL

[moonfish]

1 minute ago, pap said:

For 35+ years my boats have been registered in Pa. Because they use the address that's on your drivers license. If you have a camper in a campground that you bought elsewhere you need to register to your home address, right, then you tow it to a campground in NY State, how do you register something in a state you don't reside in? Ok here's another story. My cheap ass uncle who lives in his camper in the BRCG, wanted to get a local fishing license because it's cheaper,wtf we laughed at him, calling him a cheapF. He couldn't get a resident license, because he didn't have a physical residents mailing address. He was told he needed to get a PO box in the town of Dexter and it needs to be active for 90 days before he was considered a NY resident and be able to get a resident licence. This gets more interesting, I guess he had to fill out a form and it asked what all he owned, boat, car ect, well NY state wanted him to register his boat in NY his car what ever the dumb ass said he owned, and all this shyt came to his new PO box. Moral of the story to save $30 it ended up costing him hundreds of $$ LOL because he had to transfer registrations on his boat, car, camper, plus licenses on the car, which didn't pass NY state smog bullshyt. Bottom line to save a dollar it cost litterly cost hundreds!!  I don't slip my boat but for the time I'll be there. I keep it all in Pa. Like I've been doing for years, like said above, I'm just visiting. LOL

He does own property here and pays taxes on it. He said so himself. There is no problem with getting a Reggy here. Let me cut through the BS. The man pays enough taxes here already. He's trying to cut his Reggy costs by registering in pa. The man owns property on Mexico Bay ! Why pay in a state you don't operate in ? If I went to Florida to fish 6 months a year, that's where I would register the boat. He asked for opinion. People disagree with my opinion that's OK too. 

[moonfish]

Ya know what the funny thing is ? If we were talking about keeping the nviroment clean, safe practices, and making repairs or new construction just about everyone is all for it. But then you have someone that owns property here and doesn't pay boater registration, which helps pay for things here. We all want good things, and do enjoy good things here. But who's going to pay for it ? "Oh not me" Funny how that works

[Misty IV]

All the paperwork and documents for the Mexico Bay come to my PA address. I cannot get a residency status in NY because I do not live there. I am merely there on weekends. All my registrations go by my driver's license, it's how the process works here. I printed out the paperwork to do a NY registration and they ask for your mailing address and your driver's license number and state of issue. I cannot provide them a NY residency status because I don't live there more than 90 days out of the year. This is a dilemma I'm trying to figure out to register the boat in NY.

Look, I never was looking to start a debate, just a friendly question of what everyone does and gather opinions. Thanks for everyone's input and opinions.

Sent from my XT1060 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[moonfish]

Well I hope it works out. I probably look like a jerk for my replies, but in today's society everyone's trying to cut corners and for those of us trying to do the right thing we usually pay for it in one way or another. Even NY 'rs skirt the systems. Well, wish you luck. Tight lines

[moonfish]

In new York if you move to another county or from out of state and reside their 6 months, you can claim residency in that county