Anyone heard bout this ?

SC boat registrations changing to yearly process

Brian CopeFishing, Uncategorized

https://www.carolinasportsman.com/wp...at-678x381.jpgAct 223 will be implemented in January

We’ve written recently about a few notable changes in the upcoming hunting seasons for deer and waterfowl. But another change listed in the SCDNR 2019-2020 Rules and Regulations booklet impacts all boat owners in the state.



If you’ve had a boat registered in South Carolina for any length of time, you’re used to getting a new decal every three years after renewing your registration. Act 223 of 2018 will change that. Beginning in January 2020, boat owners will complete this process yearly.
The Act closes a loophole

Lawmakers designed the Act to strengthen the process between county treasurers and the SCDNR. Currently a boat owner can pay taxes on their watercraft, receive registration decals from SCDNR, then lapse on their taxes for the next two years without the boat registration expiring. The new law will solve this dilemma.
The Act’s sponsors first introduced it in the SC House in January 2018. House members passed it unanimously in April. The Senate viewed the bill later that month. They passed it, also unanimously, in May 2018. The governor signed it into law on May 18, 2018, with an effective date of January 2020.
The state will phase in Act 223 over a three-year period. So if you’ve recently renewed, your current registration will be valid through the expiration date it shows. As of that date, you will renew every 12 months. No fees will be raised with the Act. What has always been a $30 registration fee every three years will change to a $10 yearly fee.

:yikes I just got the pontoon register a few weeks back. I hate having a yearly thing to do extra! Money. money, money! :dono

Several years ago in NC you could buy a year registration for $25, 3 years for $40. That was a no brainier. The state raised the price in order to dredge the Oregon Inlet so now a year is $33, 3 years is $96 I think. Sounds like SC is doing the same thing

Yep. When your current one runs out you start the yearly routine. The stated reason is because some folks didn't pay their annual property tax on their boat/motor because the registration sticker was good for 3 years and they could dodge their tax liability.
So, instead of punishing the guilty, we all get whipped. Politicians are good at that.

I don't know how they got around paying their taxes--I haven't. But I will do what I have to do. Yearly is just a lot of hassle and at my age I don't need a lot of hassle!

I was curious so I went to DNR website. Nothing there so I emailed them. If I hear anything about this I will post it.

Just got this from SC DNR: "Yes that is correct, providedeverything stays on track, January 1, 2020. Watercraft"


So it is true.

Jerry there was an article in the paper regarding this and the reason for it. Once you paid your initial property tax and your registration fee your sticker was good for 3 years. According to the article a number of people simply ignored the subsequent yearly tax and continued using the boat until the sticker ran out. Some sold their boat with taxes due which caused a nightmare for the new owner.
As I stated we all getting punished instead of just the guilty. I'm not sure how factual their stated reasons are but there had to be a better way to resolve this.