Annual Excise Tax

Owners of any watercraft located in Maine, including documented watercraft, must pay their annual excise tax.

• Maine residents pay the tax to the town where they reside.
• Non-residents or corporations pay the tax to the Maine town where the watercraft is principally moored, docked, or located.

These watercraft are not required to pay the excise tax:

• A lifeboat or raft carried by another watercraft
• A watercraft that is for sale by a dealer
• A commercial watercraft that has no established base of operation in Maine
• A watercraft that is not in Maine for more than 75 days
• A manually propelled watercraft 20 feet or less in length
• A watercraft exempt from property tax