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| New Washington State Permit
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April 17, 2007
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Washington State Visitor Permit Clarification This anxious e-mail asks a question many out-of-state visitors might be interested in. Fortunately, the answer is positive.
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Bob:
What do you guys know about the new law in Washington state requiring a $500 permit if you have your boat in the state for longer than 14 days?
Does it apply to transient cruisers? I come up from Coos Bay, Oregon every year and stay in the San Juans and B.C. area for two to three months.
The way I read the new law I can no longer do that without paying use tax or getting the permit after two weeks. That would seriously curtail my cruising plans.
Thanks for any info you might have.
Mike
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Response
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Mike,
The quick answer is, it doesn't apply to you. To read the entire Act, go to www.leg.wa.gov, and bring up Bill 1002. The bill's purpose, as I understand it, is to encourage boats purchased in Washington to remain in the state for repairs, refits and modifications, thus helping the local marine industry. I must say they have a convoluted way of going about it, but that's another matter.
Your visitor status is spelled out at the very end, under Sec. 3, paragraph 11. Sec. 3 states:
"Vessel registration is required under this chapter except for the following (emphasis added):
(11) Vessels owned by a nonresident individual brought into the state for his or her use or enjoyment while temporarily within the state for not more than six months in any continuous twelve-month period, unless the vessel is used in conducting a nontransitory business activity within the state. However, the vessel must have been issued a valid number under federal law or by an approved issuing authority of the state of principal operation. On or before the sixty-first day of use in the state, any vessel temporarily in the state under this subsection shall obtain an identification document from the department of licensing, its agents, or subagents indicating when the vessel first came into the state. An identification document shall be valid for a period of two months. At the time of any issuance of an identification document, a twenty-five dollar identification document fee shall be paid by the vessel owner to the department of licensing for the cost of providing the identification document," etc.
So. You can come visit as before, for as much as six months in a 12-month period. If the boat is here for 60 days or less, no permitting is required. If the boat here for more than 60 days you're supposed to pay $25 for a two-month identification document. This document would need to be renewed for a final two-month period if the boat is in the state for the full six months. Note that the boat must be either a documented vessel of the United States or be registered in its home state.
It is not spelled out how the state intends to keep track of every visiting recreational vessel.
Welcome back this summer.
—Bob Hale
Our thanks to Michael Campbell, president of Northwest Marine Trade Association, for leading us to the correct Washington State Web site and explaining the intent of the bill.
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