Boat registratin/licensing

[Duckie]

If I physically buy a boat in Oregon but I'm a resident of Washington State, how does the registration/licensing process work?

It seems obvious to me that I will have to register the boat and the trailer first before I take delivery of the boat.

Anyone had this experience?

[Lured In]

FYI...if you are a WA resident and buy a boat in OR...

You will pay sales tax. If the dealer registers it for you, you will pay then(required in order to register). If they do not, you will pay when you register it in WA yourself.

As far as process goes, when you take delivery, you will likely recieve a temporary registration (assuming the dealer is handling that) if you have paid. So you will not be able to register the boat until it is delivered/picked up.

[Silver Hilton]

You bring it to the local Dept of Licensing office, with bill of sale, and a weight certificate for the trailer. You pay a use tax of about 8.5% on the value of the boat and trailer. You also pay the annual license fee and some other costs.

If you don't get a weight certificate with the trailer, you need to have the trailer weighed on a certified scale. You want to do this with the boat off of it, because the license cost is related to the weight.

Hint: have any other gear, like life jackets, rod holders, and depth finders on a separate sales receipt, or you'll have to pay use tax on those items as well. In theory, if you buy groceries in Oregon and carry them across the border, you owe use tax.

[riverraider]

Non-motorized boats (drift boats) don't have to be registered. If its not registered, taxes don't get collected. The trailer still does, but thats less money.

[CohoKen]

When I bought mine, I just took the Purchase Order and weight certificate to the licensing agent before taking delivery. When I picked up the boat and trailer the dealer put the plate on that I got before taking delivery. You will pay taxes so be prepared.

[Dr Strangelove]

You may register the boat in Oregon if its primary place of use is in Oregon even if you a a WA resident, according to one of my sources. This may save you taxes, but walks a fine line. Good Luck. I paid my taxes and it hurt. Doc

[Lured In]

Doc...while that may be possible, unless you have a valid OR address I don't believe you can register it in OR. This was one of the big issues with WA vehicles before the license tab reform for us. People were spoofing addresses or using a 'friends' address in order to avoid paying WA registration. Additionally, the Columbia does not exclusively count as OR waters and only makes the situation more cloudy.

My advice is to stay away from the gray areas and bite the bullet on the sales tax issue.