Florida state legislators are currently considering Senate Bill 580, which would reduce the sales-and-use tax rate on aircraft from 6% to 4%.
Aviation advocates, including the Florida Aviation Business Association (FABA), the Florida Airports Council, the South Florida Business Aviation Association, the Tampa Bay Aviation Association and the National Business Aviation Association, have encouraged state lawmakers to decrease or eliminate the aircraft sales-and-use tax rate to be more competitive with surrounding states.
“This legislation is very important to the Florida Aviation Business Association and its members,” said Rich Richards, of Richards Legal Group and FABA president. “Through seeing what has occurred in other states that have decreased or eliminated their sales-and-use taxes for aircraft, we believe this legislation will attract more aviation business to Florida.”
For example, general aviation in New York state has seen increased sales activity since the state passed a bill in 2015 exempting all general aviation aircraft transactions from the state’s sales-and-use tax. The exemption also applies to machinery or equipment installed on those aircraft.
“With major aircraft manufactures including Embraer and Piper located in Florida, passage of Senate Bill 580 will lead to additional aircraft transactions occurring in the state and ultimately more operators will elect to make Florida their home base, creating new jobs and additional economic activity,” said Scott O’Brien, NBAA senior director of government affairs.
General aviation in Florida is already a key economic driver, supporting more than 65,000 jobs and contributing $7.7 billion annually to the state’s economy, according to NBAA officials.
I wish Illinois would follow the rest of the country on this issue. Crooked Democrats using any excuse to steal money from people. Sales tax on a plane purchased in another state or use tax imposed on bringing a plane into Illinois is not a tax. It’s theft. I’m attempting to buy and bring a plane home to Illinois now. The taxes will be appx $12,000 on a purchase in another state. I contacted an aviation CPA/Atty firm and they told me that if I hangared and resisted in WI it would cost me NOTHING. And that the majority of Chicago GA aircraft keep their planes in Gary, IN. Illinois is run by morons and crooks. If I didn’t own businesses here I would flee like so many others are doing. When Trump is done serving his 2nd term I hope he comes here to run for Governor. We need help….