As a native North Carolinian, and normally proud of it, I never thought I would see the day when the Old North State would follow the example of Florida, and require state registration of Federally Documented vessels, after being in NC waters for 90 days or more. Just how that one slipped through the legislature in Raleigh, I have no idea. The very first we heard about this was when the note below from Captain Kamp was received.
And, if that’s not cause enough to raise your blood pressure, NC vessel registration fees TRIPLE in price after 10/1/13! The boys and girls in Raleigh must really feel the need for more revenue. Too bad it’s coming at the expense of North Carolina boat owners, and cruisers who wish to visit our state’s waters for more than 90 days.
Do note that this is NOT a tax issue. It is a registration fee issue. It has ALWAYS been the case, at least since the 1970’s, that Federally Documented vessels which reside in NC waters for longer than 90 days ARE subject to Ad valorem (property) taxes. Some tried to avoid this tax by moving their boats out of state for a time, or just hoping the state department of revenue would not realize they had a Federally Documented boat in NC waters, but over the past decade or so, North Carolina has gotten quite adept at seeking out such would-be tax dodgers.
No, this is a case of some vessel owners having to pay a registration fee, and a triple fee at that, which was not heretofore necessary. Ugggghhhh!
Our sincere thanks to Captain Kamp for bringing this information to the SSECN’s collective attention, and a special nod to Senior Editor, Captain Larry Dorminy, for exhaustively researching this issue. The remainder of these introductory remarks are authored by Larry!
Captain Kamp’s information is correct: NC state registration IS required after 90 days, effective October 1, 2013. Since Federal regulations typically supersede state regulations, we will have to wait to see if this will be challenged in the courts. In the meantime, the fees more than triple on October 1!

I received a post card from the above agency advising that vessels that are USCG documented and occupying NC waters for over 90 days are required to be registered with that agency, effective October 1 this year, due to a new law enacted by the NC Legislature. This will effectively be a new tax disguised as a fee. Previously USCG documented vessels were not required to be registered in NC , but if they were in state waters they were placed on the tax rolls of whichever county they were slipped in if there over 180 days. I am not sure if this has changed or if the registration requirement is an attempt to identify vessels not on a county tax roll.
Steve Kamp

From the NC DNR website: http://www.ncwildlife.org/Boating/RegistrationTitling/RegisteringyourUSCoastGuarddocumentedvessel.aspx

Registering Your U.S. Coast Guard Documented Vessel in North Carolina
Effective October 1, 2013, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) documented vessels that have been in North Carolina for more than 90 consecutive days, must be registered in the state. However, federal law restricts states from issuing titles for documented vessels since the USCG issues a Certificate of Documentation (COD) to owners of documented vessels which supersede a state title. To register a documented vessel you will need to submit a copy of your COD as proof of ownership, a completed and signed VL-1 Form and the appropriate fees for registration only.

Got the postcard; registered my documented sailboat yesterday. It’s $40 for three years before 10/1; apparently $150 per year after 10/1. The NC sticker needs to be displayed on your starboard bow, but your registration number does not need to be displayed if you’re documented, according to NC Wildlife, who administers the registrations.
Jim Starr

Capt. Starr is correct that the fees are going up October 1st. The fees for vessels less than 26ft are $30 a year or $90 for 3; over 26ft, $50 for a year and $150 for 3. Certainly an incentive to register before October 1!

I am a resident of NC and the above information sounds like all I have heard lately EXCEPT effective October 1 the $40 fee for three years jumps to $150 for three years. I think there is also a $50.00 per year registration. Needless to say I am taking my documentation to a registration office today or Monday and getting a three year $40.00 permit rather than wait until after October 1 and pay $150.00.
John Y. Jackson

On the documented vessels, between now and Oct 1, you can register your boat at the old rate of $40 for 3 years instead of $50 for one year! I and others have done it. Act fast.
Sam Curry
New Bern, NC

Consider the similarities of this situation and the Florida requirement.
To register while in State over 90 days and or obtain a $135.00 cruising permit good for 11 months.
Steve Kamp

According to the NC website (above), their state registration fee (before October 1) for documented vessels is $15 for 1 year or $40 for 3 years. There is no mention on the website about the new fees effective October 1! There is also nothing mentioned on their website about a cruising permit similar to Florida’s Sojourner permit.

I called the NC Wildlife Resources Commission and asked for a citation to the NC Genreal Statutes. All they had was a Senate Bill number and not even a Session Law number. I looked up the Senate Bill number and found that it was the budget bill! They just slipped it in without any debate that I heard.
Norwood Bryan

This type of thing just makes it more and more difficult for snow-birding cruisers why might be very interested in settling down at a nice dock in NC for a stretch of time. Who wants to go through the hassle of registering and unregistering your boat every 90 days? Say you spend summers in New England, the fall in North Carolina, the winter in Florida, and the spring in the Chesapeake’“you might have to re-register your boat four times in a year!
John Kettelwell

As a resident of Maryland I have been looking for a place to escape to. This is compounding my delima.
Jim Davis

For a lengthy discussion on vessel registration, see /?p=106014