Boat purchasing and registration at WA state

[cheers731]

Hi All,

I am a new member to this board and need some help to get my boating started. I am in the process of purchasing a used boat at Seattle, WA. The seller said he can write me a bill of sale to complete the trasaction without going to the office for my new title application. Does this satisfy the leagle requirement and I can use this document to get my new title? Also, the boat and trailer are registered under the owner's name till 2010, can I continue to use the boat without re-registering till next year.

Your help are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Frank

 

[clarkbre]

Re: Boat purchasing and registration at WA state

I live in Everett, WA so I know a little bit about licensing a boat and trailer in the state.

First, when buying a boat/trailer combo in this state there should be 3 things you receive before you take possession of the boat and trailer: 1. A bill of sale stating the sale price of the boat and a seperate sale price of the trailer. 2. A signed title for the boat. 3. A signed title for the trailer.

If the seller can't produce all 3 items, then that's signs of something being up. If he doesn't have them, I would put it on him to get the proper titles. A bill of sale is just a sales receipt here in WA that shows money has been exchanged. If you dont' get signed titles to both the boat and trailer, the seller is still the legal owner and has legal rights to them.

In all, I wouldn't buy anything in WA without a signed title. The hassle at the licensing office just isn't worth it.

 

[cheers731]

Re: Boat purchasing and registration at WA state

Thank you so much... That was very helpful.

Regarding the registration, can I continuous to use the registration from the seller till 2010?

Thanks in advance.

Frank

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Boat purchasing and registration at WA state

I live in marysville wa, and i have done a LOT of title stuff. No a bill of sale will not get you a title for a lost one. I bought a 1973 bayliner with no title and it has been a huge pain trying to get one. You have to go into a licensing office, pick up a lost title form, fill it out, fax or mail it into the state, wait like 6 weeks for a response, they will send you the current owners info, then you send them a release of interest form via certified mail, the owners either get it, sign it and send it back or it gets returned to sender in the sealed envelope. then you take that back into the licesning office and you can get it registered but you wont recieve a title for 3 years after that. I just finished this whole proccess with my bayliner and it took almost 3 months to complete, i ended up buying a whole different trailer with a title cause i did not want to repeat the process for the trailer i had. I will never again buy a boat or anything else without title.

hope this helps.

 

[Begester]

Re: Boat purchasing and registration at WA state

Make sure the title has the sellers name on it...mine didnt and I had to chase down the guy that HE bought it from ~2 years before. And yes, he has to sign the title.

As for the registration, you should be okay...or at least I was for the first few months that I had my boat!

Best of luck

 

[superpop]

Re: Boat purchasing and registration at WA state

You can do whatever you want but I would not buy the boat without three things, a title for the boat and trailer, and a bill of sale. On both titles there is a signature line that you can sign and the seller can sign that transfers ownership once these documents are submitted to the Dept of Lic. DO NOT try and use the old registration when you buy the boat. The State of Washington considers this to be Tax Evasion since they collect the sales tax for the purchase when you pick up the new tabs. They will fine you big time for not registering the boat under your name within 30 days of purchase. As a seller I would also not be comfortable with you using my registration as it implies responsibility for the boat and trailer. So you are out in your new boat and you plow into a new Cobalt. Guess who could be dragged into the liability claim, the registered owner. Any seller with half a brain will insist that the registration is transferred and verify this before canceling their own insurance. If you live in Washington you already know that we get nickeled and dimed to death by the state tax man and they do not like to be fooled with.

 

[cheers731]

Re: Boat purchasing and registration at WA state

Thank you all again, really appreciated all your advice and input. The seller has titles for boat and trailer; and is going to give me a sale of bill. I guess I am good to close the deal and will get new registration in 30 days.

Frank