There's nothing new here. AFAIK, every state has the same policy. You
buy a large ticket item out of state to avoid state sales/use tax and
you're liable for the tax when you bring it home.

It's a stretch to say that if you visit Florida you're going to get
nailed for this tax. But, given where this item showed up and the
author of it, I'm not surprised. Reading the article I'm not surprised
to find his normal Sun and Fun bashing...

John

WJRFlyBoy wrote:
http://tinyurl.com/24og9o

Read about the bewildering details of a number of long-suffering
non-resident pilots who have been caught in the FL tax trap, (otherwise
known as the "Florida Landing Fee").

It starts like this... you buy a new or used aircraft and sign the bill
of sale... which starts "the clock." It is Florida's position that for
the next six months (possibly thereafter, though the burden of proof
reportedly changes at that point), the state has the right to exact the
requisite "Use Tax" (Sales Tax) for the fact you partook of the state's
services unless you can show an equivalent Use or Sales Tax receipt from
another state...

In other words, for those of you who may have bought a $500K Cessna,
Cirrus, Columbia, etc... unless you can prove that you paid the
equivalent use tax in another state, you owe the state of Florida some
$30K if you visited the state in the first six months of your ownership.
Mind you, if your sales/use tax bill comes from a state that exacts LESS
tax than Florida, the FL Department of Revenue still expects you to pony
up the difference... and if you're from a state that exacts a minimum
fee (like the few hundred dollars for owners in South Carolina), they
will bill you for the WHOLE difference... and its up to you to fight
them on it.

No kidding.