Florida Senate - 2025 SB 834
By Senator Truenow
13-01146-25 2025834__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to recreational fishing vessel
3 licenses; amending s. 379.354, F.S.; requiring
4 licensure to operate a freshwater fishing vessel under
5 certain circumstances; providing an exception;
6 providing freshwater fishing vessel licensure fees;
7 amending ss. 212.06 and 379.353, F.S.; conforming
8 provisions to changes made by the act; providing an
9 effective date.
10
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13 Section 1. Subsection (7) of section 379.354, Florida
14 Statutes, is amended to read:
15 379.354 Recreational licenses, permits, and authorization
16 numbers; fees established.—
17 (7) VESSEL LICENSES.—
18 (a) Except as provided in paragraph (f), a person may not
19 operate any vessel wherein a fee is paid, either directly or
20 indirectly, for the purpose of taking, attempting to take, or
21 possessing any saltwater or freshwater fish for noncommercial
22 purposes unless she or he has obtained a license for each vessel
23 for that purpose, and has paid the license fee pursuant to
24 paragraphs (b) and (c) for such vessel.
25 (b) A license for any person who operates any vessel
26 licensed to carry more than 10 customers, wherein a fee is paid,
27 either directly or indirectly, for the purpose of taking or
28 attempting to take saltwater or freshwater fish, is $800 per
29 year. The license must be kept aboard the vessel at all times.
30 (c)1. A license for any person who operates any vessel
31 licensed to carry no more than 10 customers, or for any person
32 licensed to operate any vessel carrying 6 or fewer customers,
33 wherein a fee is paid, either directly or indirectly, for the
34 purpose of taking or attempting to take saltwater or freshwater
35 fish, is $400 per year.
36 2. A license for any person licensed to operate any vessel
37 carrying 6 or fewer customers but who operates a vessel carrying
38 4 or fewer customers, wherein a fee is paid, either directly or
39 indirectly, for the purpose of taking or attempting to take
40 saltwater or freshwater fish, is $200 per year. The license must
41 be kept aboard the vessel at all times.
42 3. A person who operates a vessel required to be licensed
43 pursuant to paragraph (b) or this paragraph may obtain a license
44 in her or his own name, and such license shall be transferable
45 and apply to any vessel operated by the purchaser, provided that
46 the purchaser has paid the appropriate license fee.
47 (d) A license for a recreational vessel not for hire and
48 for which no fee is paid, either directly or indirectly, by
49 guests for the purpose of taking or attempting to take saltwater
50 or freshwater fish noncommercially is $2,000 per year. The
51 license may be purchased at the option of the vessel owner and
52 must be kept aboard the vessel at all times. A log of species
53 taken and the date the species were taken must shall be
54 maintained and a copy of the log filed with the commission at
55 the time of renewal of the license.
56 (e) The owner, operator, or custodian of a vessel the
57 operator of which has been licensed pursuant to paragraph (a)
58 must maintain and report such statistical data as required by,
59 and in a manner set forth in, the rules of the commission.
60 (f) If the operator of a vessel that carries scuba divers
61 for a fee, either directly or indirectly, maintains the
62 appropriate vessel license under this subsection based upon the
63 number of persons the vessel is licensed to carry and the
64 applicable permits, the individual scuba divers engaging in
65 taking or attempting to take saltwater or freshwater products
66 are not required to obtain individual fishing licenses or any
67 applicable permits. However, if the operator of such a vessel
68 does not have the appropriate license and applicable permits,
69 the individual scuba divers engaging in taking or attempting to
70 take saltwater or freshwater products must have individual
71 fishing licenses and any applicable permits.
72 Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (8) of section
73 212.06, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
74 212.06 Sales, storage, use tax; collectible from dealers;
75 “dealer” defined; dealers to collect from purchasers;
76 legislative intent as to scope of tax.—
77 (8)
78 (b) The presumption that tangible personal property used in
79 another state, territory of the United States, or the District
80 of Columbia for 6 months or longer before being imported into
81 this state was not purchased for use in this state does not
82 apply to any boat for which a saltwater or freshwater fishing
83 license fee is required to be paid pursuant to s. 379.354(7),
84 either directly or indirectly, for the purpose of taking,
85 attempting to take, or possessing any saltwater or freshwater
86 fish for noncommercial purposes. Use tax shall apply and be due
87 on such a boat as provided in this paragraph, and proof of
88 payment of such tax must be presented before prior to the first
89 such licensure of the boat, registration of the boat pursuant to
90 chapter 328, and titling of the boat pursuant to chapter 328. A
91 boat that is first licensed within 1 year after purchase is
92 shall be subject to use tax on the full amount of the purchase
93 price; a boat that is first licensed in the second year after
94 purchase is shall be subject to use tax on 90 percent of the
95 purchase price; a boat that is first licensed in the third year
96 after purchase is shall be subject to use tax on 80 percent of
97 the purchase price; a boat that is first licensed in the fourth
98 year after purchase is shall be subject to use tax on 70 percent
99 of the purchase price; a boat that is first licensed in the
100 fifth year after purchase is shall be subject to use tax on 60
101 percent of the purchase price; and a boat that is first licensed
102 in the sixth year after purchase, or later, is shall be subject
103 to use tax on 50 percent of the purchase price. If the purchaser
104 fails to provide the purchase invoice on such boat, the fair
105 market value of the boat at the time of importation into this
106 state must shall be used to compute the tax.
107 Section 3. Paragraphs (i) and (j) of subsection (2) of
108 section 379.353, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
109 379.353 Recreational licenses and permits; exemptions from
110 fees and requirements.—
111 (2) A hunting, freshwater fishing, or saltwater fishing
112 license or permit is not required for:
113 (i) Any person saltwater or freshwater fishing from a
114 vessel licensed pursuant to s. 379.354(7).
115 (j) Any person saltwater or freshwater fishing from a
116 vessel the operator of which is licensed pursuant to s.
117 379.354(7).
118 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.