Form Gt-800005 - Sales And Use Tax On Boats Information For Owners And Purchasers printable pdf download

Sales and Use Tax on Boats

GT-800005

R. 12/17

Information for Owners and Purchasers

If you are planning to buy a boat in Florida or have plans to bring one into Florida, the Florida

Department of Revenue reminds you that tax compliance is an important aspect of boat ownership.

What is Taxable?

Sales and Use Tax

All boats sold, delivered, used, or stored in Florida are subject to Florida’s sales and use tax, plus any

applicable discretionary sales surtax, unless exempt. Florida boat dealers and brokers are required to

collect tax from the purchaser at the time of sale or delivery.

When a boat is sold by someone other than a registered boat dealer or a boat is brought into Florida

for use in Florida, Florida use tax is due. The “use” part of Florida’s sales and use tax provides

uniform taxation of items. Florida’s six percent (6%) use tax, plus any applicable discretionary sales

surtax, is due on a boat used or stored in Florida when:

•

The boat is purchased from a person who is not a registered boat dealer and the sale

or delivery of the boat occurs in Florida;

•

The boat is purchased in another state, territory of the United States, or District of

Columbia and is brought into Florida within six (6) months of the purchase date; or

•

The boat is purchased in a foreign country and is brought into Florida at any time.

When the purchaser does not pay Florida sales and use tax to the seller for a boat purchase, any

sales and use tax, plus any applicable discretionary sales surtax, is paid to the county tax collector,

licensed private tag agency, or the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles when

registering the boat in Florida.

Discretionary Sales Surtax

Most counties impose a local option discretionary sales surtax. The surtax is due when the boat is

delivered by the dealer or broker to a county that imposes a surtax. The surtax is also due when the

boat is purchased from an individual and the boat is used in a county imposing a surtax.

Discretionary sales surtax applies to the first $5,000 of the purchase price. Current discretionary

sales surtax rates for all counties are listed on Form DR-15DSS, Discretionary Sales Surtax

Information, posted on our website at

Maximum Tax

The maximum tax on the sale of a boat or vessel is $18,000. This includes both sales and use tax

and discretionary sales surtax. For more information and detailed instructions on this maximum tax,

see Tax Information Publication (TIP) 10A01-07 issued on June 22, 2010.

The maximum tax on the repair of a boat or vessel is $60,000. This cap is to be applied to each

boat repair occurring in Florida. Subsequent and separate repairs are each subject to their own

$60,000 cap. For more information and detailed instructions on this maximum tax, see

TIP 15A01-07 issued on June 26, 2015.

Trade-In Allowance

Registered boat dealers and brokers may deduct a trade-in allowance from the purchase price of the

boat when, in a single transaction, tangible personal property (not real property) is traded as part of

the purchase of a boat. If the sale is between individuals, the purchaser must, in a single

transaction, trade a boat, motor vehicle, mobile home, or an aircraft for the boat being purchased.

Florida Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax on Boats

Information for Owners and Purchasers, Page 1

Form Gt-800005 - Sales And Use Tax On Boats Information For Owners And Purchasers

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