BoatSurveyReader

Buying a used boat in Florida

More boats change hands in Florida than almost anywhere, and a few Florida rules shape the deal. Here's what to know between the survey and the closing.

Updated October 26, 2026

Sales tax: 6%, capped at $18,000

Florida charges its 6% sales tax on boat purchases, plus any county discretionary surtax, which applies only to the first $5,000 of the price. The total tax on a boat is capped at $18,000.[1][2]

The Department of Revenue's own example: a $55,000 boat in a county with a 1.5% surtax owes $3,375 in total tax.[1] The cap means tax stops growing once a boat costs roughly $300,000.

Read more in our guide to Florida boat sales tax and title.

Title and registration: 30 days

A buyer of a new or used boat has 30 days to title and register it, and must keep proof of the purchase date aboard in the meantime. Applications go through your county tax collector or license plate agent, and the seller must properly complete the existing title for transfer.[3]

Hurricane season and your survey

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.[4] If you're buying during those months, ask the seller and your surveyor about the boat's storm history, look for signs of past repairs in the survey, and plan where the boat will be kept and how it will be secured.

See hurricane season and your survey.

What Florida yard rates mean for your repair list

Two Florida repair shops' published guides put typical shop labor around $110 to $165 an hour, with mobile and specialist work higher.[5][6] That's the rate our cost estimates use. Labor is usually most of the bill on survey items, so access and hours matter more than parts prices.

Browse common survey findings and what they cost.

Finding a surveyor in Florida

Hire your own surveyor, not one the seller or broker picks. SAMS[7] and NAMS[8] both list accredited members by location. See how to choose a marine surveyor.

Have your survey already?

Upload it and get every finding sorted into fix, negotiate, watch or ignore, with the surveyor's page and words beside each one.

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Sources

  1. Tax Information Publication 24A01-11: Sales tax on boats, Florida Department of Revenue. Regulator. Accessed 2026-10-26.
  2. Tax Information Publication 10A01-07: $18,000 maximum tax on boats, Florida Department of Revenue. Regulator. Accessed 2026-10-26.
  3. Vessel Titling and Registrations, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Regulator. Accessed 2026-10-26.
  4. Tropical Cyclone Climatology, NOAA National Hurricane Center. Regulator. Accessed 2026-10-26.
  5. Marine Mechanic Rates: What You'll Pay Locally, Marco Boatworks (Southwest Florida). Repair shop's price guide. Accessed 2026-10-26.
  6. Mobile Marine Mechanic vs Boat Yard: Real Tradeoffs, Boat Repair Miami FL. Repair shop's price guide. Accessed 2026-10-26.
  7. Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors, SAMS. Industry group. Accessed 2026-10-26.
  8. National Association of Marine Surveyors, NAMS. Industry group. Accessed 2026-10-26.

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