BC Private Boat Sale tax question

[indyguy]

Boat buyers beware!!!
I bought a used boat from a private seller in BC 2 years ago and I live in Alberta and now I get a letter from the BC Ministry of Finance telling me that I owe $4K for the pst/harmonized tax??? WTF?? Is this just another cash grab from the BC government? If I would have known that the BC government would be taxing me later for a private purchase - I would have looked harder in Alberta or the other eastern provinces for a good used boat instead of spending time, money and other purchases while I was in BC.
Do any of you know of a way around this issue or do I bend over and pay the Ministry of Finance what they say I owe? It doesnt seem ethical that the government can tax you from buying something from a private sale?

Thanx in advance for your replies.

 

[pipes]

Boat buyers beware!!!
I bought a used boat from a private seller in BC 2 years ago and I live in Alberta and now I get a letter from the BC Ministry of Finance telling me that I owe $4K for the pst/harmonized tax??? WTF?? Is this just another cash grab from the BC government? If I would have known that the BC government would be taxing me later for a private purchase - I would have looked harder in Alberta or the other eastern provinces for a good used boat instead of spending time, money and other purchases while I was in BC.
Do any of you know of a way around this issue or do I bend over and pay the Ministry of Finance what they say I owe? It doesnt seem ethical that the government can tax you from buying something from a private sale?


Thanx in advance for your replies.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the sales tax has already been payed by the previous owner, but what do I know.


check out this site and see what it says. I read it and find it Kind of convoluted if you ask me.

 

[Bnorth]

In BC you pay tax on used motor vehicles etc. Since you took it back to AB and didn't register it in BC you should be off the hook. You did register it in AB didn't you?

 

[indyguy]

yes - registered in AB. I talked with someone from the Min of BC dept and she says I still owe them money - I quoted this piece from the the previous posts link - and she says I still owe??? I tried pleading but she seemed rather stunned - so I gave up talking to her and am going to research more.
Vehicles for Use Outside British Columbia
[FONT=Palatino Linotype,Palatino Linotype][FONT=Palatino Linotype,Palatino Linotype]You are exempt from TDP if you purchase a vehicle primarily for use outside of British Columbia provided you do not register, license or use it for business purposes in British Columbia.
If you purchase a vehicle in British Columbia for primary use outside of the province, and you require a temporary operation permit from ICBC to move the vehicle out of British Columbia, you are not required to pay TDP as the vehicle is not considered to be registered or licensed. [/FONT][/FONT]

 

[cokecrazed007]

I would give an accountant a call. It doesn't seem right, but it sounds like something they would try.

Sent from my LG-E973 using Tapatalk

 

[tater]

I bought boat in bc at end of summer. Never paid it. Haven't heard chit about it... Maybe I will.. Hope not.

 

[moyiesledhead]

Boats are federal registry. Eventually the feds let the Provincial government know about the purchase and then they send us a tax bill, but unless you registered it to a BC address I'm pretty sure you're exempt as an Alberta resident.

In any case, unless you own assets in BC I'm not sure what they can really do to you as an Alberta resident.

 

[2Quickrides]

Yeah, PST goes on all sales, even used. But judging by what you posted there, you should be exempt. Could just be the typical gov't cash grab as most people will pay rather than pay to fight it. Same reason revenue canada goes after lower income people more often as they usually don't have the means to fight it and just pay. Biggest criminal organization there is.

 

[cancritter]

lived in courteney .they tried this crap on me all be it only 19$...said had payed..had recipts..they garnishied my bank account...doug up recipt..drove to Victoria and tore them a new one...one of th reasons l left bc..their crooks

 

[Lund]

Boat buyers beware!!!
I bought a used boat from a private seller in BC 2 years ago and I live in Alberta and now I get a letter from the BC Ministry of Finance telling me that I owe $4K for the pst/harmonized tax??? WTF?? Is this just another cash grab from the BC government? If I would have known that the BC government would be taxing me later for a private purchase - I would have looked harder in Alberta or the other eastern provinces for a good used boat instead of spending time, money and other purchases while I was in BC.
Do any of you know of a way around this issue or do I bend over and pay the Ministry of Finance what they say I owe? It doesnt seem ethical that the government can tax you from buying something from a private sale?

Thanx in advance for your replies.

There is nothing odd or weird about that, quite the opposite. When you buy a boat new or used it REQUIRES you to register it. That is a CANADIAN law and not a BC law. When you do buy new the dealer's do it for you as a courtesy, if you buy used it is your responsability to do so. Yes when you do register you pay the TAX.
Just love people that can afford to play but don't want to pay there share and scheme to avoid todo so.

 

[Bogger]

I bought my boat in Penticton BC back in 2009, had never been registered in Canada registration #'s were Washington state. Took all the paperwork into Transport Canada, registered it in Alberta, paid no tax just the registration fees.

 

[ferniesnow]

There is nothing odd or weird about that, quite the opposite. When you buy a boat new or used it REQUIRES you to register it. That is a CANADIAN law and not a BC law. When you do buy new the dealer's do it for you as a courtesy, if you buy used it is your responsability to do so. Yes when you do register you pay the TAX.
Just love people that can afford to play but don't want to pay there share and scheme to avoid todo so.

This is an Alberta resident Lund. If he buys it in BC and takes it to Alberta there is no tax! Just like a sled dealer in BC selling to an Albertan, it is just the GST.

Indyguy, I would talk to a supervisor of the lady whom you talked to and if they were of the same idea, I would talk to their supervisor.

When I sell my sleds in Alberta, I will not collect the government's tax. Costco doesn't doo it and why should I. As an Albertan, you are not required to pay the PST portion of the tax. There are forms to fill out so that you can get your tax back as an out-of-province consumer. We even get similar forms when we go to the Saskatoon sled show. So some new person, just doo-ing their job is confused and you need to get a little higher up the ladder.

 

[Iron Horse Racing]

FYI The Canadian Boat Registry that is run by Transport Canada, and is a seperate issue over PST......
If the boat had a registration number which it should have, you need to transfer that to your name.
Being an Alberta Resident, you do not have to pay the PST.
If you didnt transfer the Reggistry to your name, with an Address change might be why they think the boat is still in BC.

Theres some good info on the web site re transfering ownership.

 

[indyguy]

FYI The Canadian Boat Registry that is run by Transport Canada, and is a seperate issue over PST......
If the boat had a registration number which it should have, you need to transfer that to your name.
Being an Alberta Resident, you do not have to pay the PST.
If you didnt transfer the Reggistry to your name, with an Address change might be why they think the boat is still in BC.

Theres some good info on the web site re transfering ownership.

I did what I was supposed to - I did register as an Alberta boat with my Alberta address and got the numbers transferred and the the BC guy cancelled his?

 

[moyiesledhead]

I did what I was supposed to - I did register as an Alberta boat with my Alberta address and got the numbers transferred and the the BC guy cancelled his?

You should be good to go then. Either tell them that or just ignore the thieves.

When my Dad passed away I needed to transfer his boat to me as executor before I could liquidate it as an estate asset. They sent me a bill for the tax I didn't have to pay as part of an estate transfer. I just phoned them up and explained it and it was good. The boat had already been sold by that time, and they asked me who I sold it to. I told them never mind, I'm not doing your job for you and hung up. Never heard from them again. Friggin' tax man!

 

[mick]

Quick question.... is the boat still in BC?

 

[indyguy]

nope - bought it home to Alberta when I bought it

 

[ferniesnow]

nope - bought it home to Alberta when I bought it

Here's another twist.........you paid the BC dude for the boat, why doesn't he have to pay the taxes? Just like a BC motorsports shop.......

Did you speak with a supervisor yet?

 

[moyiesledhead]

Here's another twist.........you paid the BC dude for the boat, why doesn't he have to pay the taxes? Just like a BC motorsports shop.......

Hmmmmmm......something about a can of worms comes to mind.

 

[mick]

nope - bought it home to Alberta when I bought it

The reason I asked was the BC government sent me a tax bill cause our boat was stored at our place in BC one winter.