after raising fees on all North Carolina boaters just last year, our legislature now has this up for a vote.

June 17, 2015

Dear North Carolina BoatU.S. Member:

Click HERE to take action.

As part of the current state budget debate, the North Carolina General Assembly is considering legislation that would impose a significant new user fee on all boats 24 feet and longer that are operated in coastal waters. Starting at $72 and ranging up to $1,300 annually (depending on boat length.) For example, boat the fee for a 40 foot boat would be $200 annually. This would be in addition to state registration fees, which were raised in 2013 to fund dredging and lake weed control. This new fee, combined with registration fees, would be the highest state imposed charges on recreational boats nationwide. Click here to see the charges for your boat operated in coastal waters.

We urge you to contact your State Senator and Representative today and respectfully urge them to vote "No" on the “Coastal Waterways User Identification Number” and associated user fee contained in the Senate version of House Bill 97. While the intended use of this fee is to increase funding for dredging of waterways and inlets, this budget proposal places too great a financial burden on recreational boaters.

Please take 2 minutes right now and click HERE to easily send a message to your elected officials. Ask them to consider other means to pay for dredging North Carolina’s coastal inlets and essential waterways. The budget bill is now before the North Carolina Senate and will be voted on in the next few days.

We also encourage you to FORWARD TO A FRIEND, your fishing or boat club, and neighbors.

Thank you for being a BoatU.S. Member and for taking action to protect North Carolina boating.

Sincerely Yours,

Margaret Podlich
President, BoatU.S.
703-461-2878 x8363