No Danish VAT documentation

[Flyer295]

I am new to this minefield. I am proposing to buy a used boat at the moment in Denmark and I am a British citizen. In Denmark, boats are not registered so if I buy this boat how do I know he actually owns it. He also states the VAT has been paid but the there is no documentation to be found. The boat was built in 1989 by a Slovenian shipyard.
My question is, Where do I stand regards to Danish / EU VAT. Many countries demand these type of documents upon arrival. I have been shown a letter from the Danish Maritime Authority To whom it may concern. that a Danish citizen do not need to register ownership. So where would that leave me. I am assuming that if I visited the UK in it I would be required to pay 20% VAT as a British citizen. Is that correct ? At the moment alarm bells are ringing loudly.

 

[Graham376]

Whether you pay VAT if visiting UK depends on where you are resident, not citizenship. On an old boat which you can prove has been in use in the EU, I wouldn't worry too much about proof of VAT when visiting EU countries.

 

[Tranona]

Not unusual to have no evidence of VAT payment, particularly pre 1992 when EU VAT was introduced. Not sure that Denmark actually had VAT in 1989. States took varying approaches to evidence from pre 1992 so it could well be that there is no evidence. VAT status is not connected with the owner, but either where the boat was originally sold or post Brexit where it was located. So a boat in Denmark on 31/12/2020 is EU VAT status.

As to ownership, that is little to do with registration unless it is on a register of title like the UK Part 1. Title is passed from owner to owner and usually evidenced by some form of paperwork at each change. In the UK it is most commonly a Bill of Sale in a specific format. I expect there will be similar in Denmark.

You do not say where you reside. If in the UK owning a boat in Denmark effectively restricts use to the EU or other non UK states. If you bring it to the UK you will have to pay VAT on arrival and under the current rules certify it to the latest standards, which it won't meet.

So your alarm bells are sending the right message - if you want a boat for use in the UK buy in the UK and if you want a boat for use in the EU consider buying in an EU state.

 

[nevis768]

Not unusual to have no evidence of VAT payment, particularly pre 1992 when EU VAT was introduced. Not sure that Denmark actually had VAT in 1989. States took varying approaches to evidence from pre 1992 so it could well be that there is no evidence. VAT status is not connected with the owner, but either where the boat was originally sold or post Brexit where it was located. So a boat in Denmark on 31/12/2020 is EU VAT status.

As to ownership, that is little to do with registration unless it is on a register of title like the UK Part 1. Title is passed from owner to owner and usually evidenced by some form of paperwork at each change. In the UK it is most commonly a Bill of Sale in a specific format. I expect there will be similar in Denmark.

You do not say where you reside. If in the UK owning a boat in Denmark effectively restricts use to the EU or other non UK states. If you bring it to the UK you will have to pay VAT on arrival and under the current rules certify it to the latest standards, which it won't meet.

So your alarm bells are sending the right message - if you want a boat for use in the UK buy in the UK and if you want a boat for use in the EU consider buying in an EU state.

Usual nonsense about RCD certification which doesn't apply to private sales, and in any case for anybody there is an exemption until Dec

 

[Tranona]

Usual nonsense about RCD certification which doesn't apply to private sales, and in any case for anybody there is an exemption until Dec

Sorry but yet again it is you that is posting nonsense.

 

[nevis768]

Sorry but yet again it is you that is posting nonsense.

I posted the relevant parts of the relevant legislation to back up what I said, which you were unable to do.

 

[DanLXIX]

Boats can be registered here in Denmark, and the EU rules state that boats built after 1989 must have some documentation. This documentation can be a Danish Certificate of Nationality, issued by the Danish Maritime Authority, or an International Certificate for Pleasure Craft, issued by the Danish Sailing Union or Danske Tursejlere (text taken from here). You could ask the owner speak to either of those sailing unions to get more info, because registering on the DMA list will cost thousands of Danish Kroner. If you want to search more yourself, then Google 'dansk moms bådcertifikat'.

We never had a certificate on our Spækhugger and never had a challange when sailing to Germany, but we have one included in the paperwork in the Drabant 38 we've just bought, which I suppose will potentially make it easier for us sailing, but I don't see how this matters if you are buying in the EU because Brexit will mean you will have to pay tax and import duty when you bring it back to the UK.