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Glam Journal

How much is sales tax on a boat in TN?

Author

Chloe Ramirez

Updated on March 16, 2026

How much is sales tax on a boat in TN?

The person moves to Tennessee with the boat in March 2013. The boat has a fair market value of $21,000. Tax should be calculated as follows: (a) The 7% general state sales tax rate applies to the fair market value of $21,000.

Do boats have sales tax?

Generally, boaters have to pay the sales tax in the state they use the boat, not where it’s purchased. However, there’s more to the boat sales tax issue, according to Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS):

How much is tax title and license Tennessee?

Tennessee drivers pay an average of $241 for title, registration, and plate fees. Also, some dealerships charge documentation fees, known as doc fees, to cover the cost of preparing and filing sales documents. The cost of doc fees varies, as there are no set regulations in Tennessee.

What states have no sales tax on used boats?

Moving a boat out of a no-boat-sales-tax state If a boat owner decides to move his or her boat from one of the five states without a general sales tax (Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon) to any other state, when the vessel is registered in the new state, it will trigger the sales tax due.

How much does it cost to register a boat in TN?

Boat Registration Fees Have First Increase In A Decade

Size1 Year3 Years
16 feet and under$13$35
Over 16 feet to less than 26 feet$25$71
26 feet to less than 40 feet$38$107
40 feet or more$51$142

Can you register a boat without bill of sale in Tennessee?

The State of Tennessee does not title boats. When you purchase a boat from an individual you will need to bring a bill of sale signed by both the seller and the purchaser to our office. We will collect the applicable tax and certify to the T.W.R.A. that sales tax was paid.

How do you avoid sales tax on a boat?

There are really only two ways to avoid paying a sales tax on a boat purchase: Buy the boat in a state without a sales tax and keep it there, or buy the boat in a state without a sales tax and never cruise, anchor or dock it in waters controlled by states with a sales or use tax long enough to trigger the tax.

How do I not pay sales tax on a boat?

Sales Tax Versus Use Tax for Boats Sales tax is imposed at the time of purchase or transfer; use tax is imposed at the same rate as a state’s sales tax, but it is imposed on boats not taxed at the time of purchase.

What is the sales tax in Tennessee 2021?

7%
2021 List of Tennessee Local Sales Tax Rates. Tennessee has state sales tax of 7%, and allows local governments to collect a local option sales tax of up to 2.75%. There are a total of 234 local tax jurisdictions across the state, collecting an average local tax of 2.547%.

How is Tennessee sales tax calculated?

Generally, the maximum upon which the local option sales or use tax will apply is $1,600 dollars times the local tax rate.

  1. For example, if the county has a 2.25% local option tax rate, the local tax calculation would be 2.25% * $1,600 = $36.00.
  2. Some counties have different rates, and a few have lower maximum amounts.

Can you register a boat with a bill of sale in Tennessee?

Does a boat trailer need a license plate in Tennessee?

The State of Tennessee does not require boat trailers to be registered or licensed; however, other states may require boat trailer owners to do so. It is also strongly recommended that all boat trailers be titled and registered due to theft problems. A boat trailer can be traced much easier if titled and registered.

Can boaters avoid paying sales tax?

The bottom line for boaters is that they probably can’t avoid paying sales tax if they plan to purchase a boat and keep it in a state that has a sales tax. Additionally, some states have title taxes or local sales taxes tacked on depending on the municipality.

Does Tennessee have sales tax?

The state general sales tax rate of Tennessee is 7%. Cities and/or municipalities of Tennessee are allowed to collect their own rate that can get up to 0.75% in city sales tax. Every 2018 combined rates mentioned above are the results of Tennessee state rate (7%), the county rate (1.5% to 2.75%), the Tennessee cities rate (0% to 0.75%).

How do you register a boat in TN?

In general, to register a vessel bought from a private seller in Tennessee, you’ll need to submit the following: A completed boat registration application, available only at your local county clerk’s office. The bill of sale, to include: The boats’s make, model year, hull identification number, and building materials.