How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

  • Yes I did...

    Votes: 155 57.8%
  • No I would never make that mistake.

    Votes: 95 35.4%
  • I bought it but got the title finally

    Votes: 18 6.7%

  • Total voters
    268
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twincam1971

Cadet
Joined
Jun 13, 2009
Messages
14
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

From Ct. Just bought my boat. No title, just a bill of sale. Went right through reg. with no problems
 

25thmustang

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
1,849
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

From Ct. Just bought my boat. No title, just a bill of sale. Went right through reg. with no problems

Good to hear. This was what I heard as well and I recently gave a boat away for free with no title. I never got one when I purchased it, but my intentions were to use the motors and scrap the rest. We had a bill of sale when I gave the boat away, but no title.

Do you know if there is a size limit with this, or if it holds true for any boat?
 

supertic2004

Cadet
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
11
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

I just went through this here in Las Vegas, NV. My situation was the guy I ended up buying the boat from said he was the owner, then when I made the offer to him, he said he intitially was partial owners with a buddy of his, then a few years back, he bought his buddy out. However, the title was never put in the guys name. What I ended up having to do was, through the NV Department of Wildlife, they required the current owner to either (A) come down and sign all of there paperwork, complete a Certificate of duplicate title and a Bill of Sale or (B) as long as they could physically look at the boat and all the required paperwork was in order, the owner did not have to be present.

Then I had to go to our DMV to register the trailer. Being that the trailer was more than 10 years old, the owner did not need to be present there as well, as long as all the appropriate paperwork was completed correctly.

I made the guy, who had possession of the boat, go with me to both the Department of Wildlife and the DMV, in case I ran into any problems. I also did not exchange any money until I was done with both and I knew they were in my name.

I guess it just depends on how bad you want something, determines what a person is willing to go through!
 

IronOutlaw

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Messages
44
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

Ok, glad I found this thread. I just bought a boat last weekend and got a detailed bill of sale. It has all info of the boat on it.

I go to register it today and the website says I need to mail in the bill of sale and the registration card, which I believe to be like a title. The boat was registered on the website in the prior owners name I bought the boat from so Im sure the boat isnt stolen. Its an 82 model and I was hoping it was like a car in GA and anything under 87 just needs a bill of sale. Does anyone here know? Im gonna call monday I guess but was wondering if anyone here knew anything.

I emailed the prior owner asking for a registration card but he hasnt replied.:(
 

Tubingluvr

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 23, 2007
Messages
426
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

I am in Michigan and have gotten boats (Free not paid for) without titles.
All I had to do is show the bill of sale which had the registration numbers on it for a new title and registration.

I do also regularly sell boats that I never transfered the title and never had a problem.
Fixing up and selling old boats is a hobby of mine and when I aquire a boat I just have the seller sign off and the buyer info is left blank.
 

lovemywife

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
39
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

Here in Missouri If your boat is over 16' you can get a VIN verification done by state water patrol, less than 16' any law enforcement officer can do it. We get titles for boat, motor and trailer. Once this is done you can now go to DOR and get registered and titled.
 

Stachi

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
1,671
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

I live in Pa , and was recently gifted my present boat...with no title ( titles were not required here until 1997, boat is a 1990) all thatwas required for me to register it, or title it here in Pa was the HIN on a signed bill of sale,...even if it says it was a gift , still must be written on it...the trailor however,...whole 'nother story here in Pa...
 

reelfishin

Captain
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
3,050
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

I live in Pa , and was recently gifted my present boat...with no title ( titles were not required here until 1997, boat is a 1990) all thatwas required for me to register it, or title it here in Pa was the HIN on a signed bill of sale,...even if it says it was a gift , still must be written on it...the trailor however,...whole 'nother story here in Pa...

That pre 1997 thing is the problem here in NJ when trying to transfer a boat you bought in PA to NJ. Especially if the registration card the PA owner signed over isn't current. I bought one that was 20 years out of date on it's PA registration card, NJ refused to recognize it as a valid registration. The old owner all but gave me the boat just to get rid of it, and I certainly didn't expect her to go through all the steps to get it registered. NJ then wanted me to get a 'third party' notarized bill of sale, a NJ Hull inspection done by the marine police, then treat it as a boat with no title. It took 3 months but I finally got a title on the original HIN number. The new title lists me as the original owner as well on a 1988 boat. Since the old registration was older than 7 years, and the since PA registers boats with Fish and Game not the DMV, there was no DMV records of it ever being registered so I got an initial title as if I had bought brand new.

I later found out that I could have registered it in PA with no problem, then transferred it the following year to my name in NJ. But other than all the legwork, it did end up cheaper to go through NJ to get the title.

If your in PA, with a trailer with no title, your better off just coming to NJ and registering it homemade rather than going through all the headaches over there. It can be done but it's rarely worth it. Of course, once you have a PA title with a homemade designation, I guess the sky is the limit as to what you hang it on.
 

Silver Sliper

Recruit
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
3
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

Anybody have tips to register an untitled boat in IL?
 

vincechig1975

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 28, 2011
Messages
213
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

I live in PA, and my problem is that we bought ours and I have the bill of sale, problem being when I get it titled what and whom do I contact, and approximatley how much fee wise am I looking at here? The o/s has the title (here in PA) but getting in touch with him isn't always possible. Ours is a 20' cuddy, seats eight, 4cyl i/o . I guess I have to contact a notary and submit the bill of sale with photos as well, or should I contact DCNR ? Vince
 

vincechig1975

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 28, 2011
Messages
213
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

Ok inform me about the trailer issues....:facepalm:
 

Silver Sliper

Recruit
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
3
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

Mine is a 68, or so, 14' alumacraft beater. I got it cheap and had the title years ago, but between moves I was misplaced. The title was not in the name of the person I bought it from. He never used it and never bothered. I spoke to Il DNR and they said I need to do a title search to contact that owner. It was my understanding that they were elderly and that was six years ago. I don't know if I will be able to contact them or not. If not then what?
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: How many of you have bought a used boat with no title ?

Hijacked old thread, guys. Closed
 
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