No Title

[Pear1973]

A friend gave me a 1965 Starcraft on a trailor. She gave me the title for the trailor but couldn't find the boat title. All she has for the boat is the registration from the last time they registered it. How can I obtain a new title?

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: No Title

She is a friend so this is easy, she needs to go apply for a lost/duplicate title, then sign that one over to you and there you go.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: No Title

It is going to depend on your state that you live or want to register in. Sometimes the registration for a non-titled boat is adequate, sometimes not.

check your state web sites for the requirements for registering a non-titled boat, etc.

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: No Title

It won't matter what state it is, the boat was registered and titled legally to her or her husband so it's as cut and dry as getting a duplicate. The other option is to attempt to obtain a declaratory judgement (or similar) and in 9/10 states that will end up involving the PO and take much longer then five minutes at the DMV*

Even if a title is not required everyone should get one if it applies, period. A buddy about 8 years ago had a boat he owned for 15 years. He never titled it, never had one or had the need to as he was able to register it. The man who had it before him decided too look the boat up one day and found he was still the last TITLED owner. He applied for a title, it was granted, and he had the boat repossessed. Court said he should have got a title, and they were right.

* I'm a NJ native so not all of us have a 5min DMV. If yours is 6 hours and a dna test i feel for you

 

[colbyt]

Re: No Title

It won't matter what state it is, the boat was registered and titled legally to her or her husband so it's as cut and dry as getting a duplicate.

You are right since there was a title, but wrong as some states don't title boats they only register them. One should be careful about making blanket statements.

 

[matt167]

Re: No Title

Here in NY, boats older than 1984 are not titled, just have registrations. If the registration is lost, Forms 51A and 51B can be obtained from any NY DMV and filled out by the current owner as to when they got it and why things got lost, then you need a tracing of the HIN and any documentation they have for the boat ( bill of sale, old registration renewal ect... ), and a non transferrable registration can be obtained from the DMV pending inspection and possible revocation ( if stolen ) at the Albany office. Only the HIN tracing is needed but extra documentation speeds up the process.. After the inspection, you get a transferrable reg

I don't know about the other 49 states. Some require LEO inspection ect...

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: No Title

You are right since there was a title, but wrong as some states don't title boats they only register them. One should be careful about making blanket statements.

Not a blanket statement, as you said there was a title so he should get one. And I addressed your exact point, if you will note the bold....

It won't matter what state it is, the boat was registered and titled legally to her or her husband so it's as cut and dry as getting a duplicate. The other option is to attempt to obtain a declaratory judgement (or similar) and in 9/10 states that will end up involving the PO and take much longer then five minutes at the DMV*

Even if a title is not required everyone should get one if it applies, period. A buddy about 8 years ago had a boat he owned for 15 years. He never titled it, never had one or had the need to as he was able to register it. The man who had it before him decided too look the boat up one day and found he was still the last TITLED owner. He applied for a title, it was granted, and he had the boat repossessed. Court said he should have got a title, and they were right.

* I'm a NJ native so not all of us have a 5min DMV. If yours is 6 hours and a dna test i feel for you

Example if someone buys a boat that previously had a title and their home state does not require one, they should still obtain one from the previous state for their records. Had my friend done this he would still have his boat. If you buy a boat in a state that has no title requirement and it wasn't titled then common sense dictates this does not apply. I realize some lack the sense of a common man but I think I explained it well enough to even help those of limited understanding.

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: No Title

Here in NY, boats older than 1984 are not titled, just have registrations. If the registration is lost, Forms 51A and 51B can be obtained from any NY DMV and filled out by the current owner as to when they got it and why things got lost, then you need a tracing of the HIN and any documentation they have for the boat ( bill of sale, old registration renewal ect... ), and a non transferrable registration can be obtained from the DMV pending inspection and possible revocation ( if stolen ) at the Albany office. Only the HIN tracing is needed but extra documentation speeds up the process.. After the inspection, you get a transferrable reg

I don't know about the other 49 states. Some require LEO inspection ect...

You don't even know how big of a nightmare some states can be. Having done repossessions in about 43 states I can tell you some will make you just want to burn the property and roast a marshmallow.

 

[grzzzz]

Re: No Title

Colbyt
When I transferred the AZ Fish and Game REGISTRATION to my name a few years ago on my newly purchased 67 Holiday I never went to the AZ DMV, there was no title to transfer. Only a State F&G registration. Have they changed? When I brought back the AZ Fish and Game registration with my new boat to NM the NM DMV gave me a title because NM requires one. Yes, never, always, all, is pretty inclusive to ALWAYS be a correct blanket statement.

Throttleback,
Don't know what state you are in but I can tell you not only it CAN be different from state to state but there can also be slight differences from office to office. Here we found if you go to an private office for profit it can also be easier to transfer titles. I suggest before you put a dime into the boat find out EXACTLY in writing what you will need to get a clean title on BOTH boat and trailer. Go to the DMV and have the clerk give you the exact paper work you need, have them fill it out and highlight and/or "X" what you need to fill out to get the title. AND, get there name.

It took me 4 months to get the title on my boat and 2 plane tickets to AZ. The guy I bought it from got it from an inheritance from his now dead grandfather. I had to prove Will transfer, get letters from next of kin, dead certificates from the grandfather etc. I almost took it to the scrap yard. Just always plan for the worst and be happy when it gos smoothly

Grzzzz

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: No Title

I think you meant to address the OP, I'm not the one buying the boat just offering experience in titling vehicles in the majority of the states involving both willing and uncooperative parties. Also a caution on private companies the majority of them are not doing anything you can't do easily yourself and many of them will rip you off. Title services are the worst. Theres some agencies that say they are 99.9% effective, take your money and then drop you like a rock protected by their contract.

 

[colbyt]

Re: No Title

Colbyt
When I transferred the AZ Fish and Game REGISTRATION to my name a few years ago on my newly purchased 67 Holiday I never went to the AZ DMV, there was no title to transfer. Only a State F&G registration. Have they changed? When I brought back the AZ Fish and Game registration with my new boat to NM the NM DMV gave me a title because NM requires one. Yes, never, always, all, is pretty inclusive to ALWAYS be a correct blanket statement.
Grzzzz

I'm in Kentucky so I don't have a clue what AZ or NM do. Here for boats purchased out of state or brought into the state they accept whatever the originating state does. If it is a TN boat (no title state) all you need is the old registration and a bill of sale. If it is an OH boat you need the OH title signed over to you and the registration. The forms may or may not need to be notarized depending on what the other state does.

It was a heck of a lot easier to get a title on the out of state boat than it was on the in state boat; mainly because the seller had not signed the line under the odometer reading portion. Now you figure that one out because I could not. I did keep my mouth shut and returned for the signature.

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: No Title

LOL thats a good one

 

[matt167]

Re: No Title

Yea, I had to check the odo reading not tampered box for the title to my trailer. Kinda crazy but NY uses the same format/ blank title for everything, even manufactured homes ( single wides, dbl wides ect... ). Of course, going to the DMV to transfer ownership of a house is kind of out there, the DMV is where those titles are issued.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: No Title

Let's throw a wrench in this for someone that might buy a boat/engine/trailer from a non-title state like Tennessee or Alabama.

Be careful buying any boat in non-title states. If you purchase a boat with an executed UCC-1 Financing Statement filed at the Secretary of State, you may have to run a UCC-11 Request for Information to verify that the original lienholder has been paid in full. You must be assured the original finance company or bank doesn't still have a first priority security interest on the boat.

If you are not assured of purchasing a free and clear boat, you don't want a 6' 5" 300 pound tattoo'd repossession man driving into your driveway in the middle of the night and hauling "your" boat away.

Be careful!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: No Title

Let's throw a wrench in this for someone that might buy a boat/engine/trailer from a non-title state like Tennessee or Alabama.

Add New Hampshire to that list of states that do not title boats. . .

The key is to understand what the regulations for the state/states that you are doing the transaction within and make sure the documentation is in place.

 

[lncoop]

Re: No Title

Pear, is she positive there ever was a title? Do you know for sure your state titles boats? As has been said, some do and some don't. Arkansas doesn't. When I went to the revenue orifice to title the last barge I bought, which came from Missouri, the lady behind the counter gave me a blank stare when I presented her with three titles. If your state titles boats, again as has been said, your friend need only request a replacement title. If it doesn't all you need is what you have plus a bill of sale for the boat and/or maybe the registration ticket signed over to you. If you're unsure about any of this contact your local revenue office.

 

[shrew]

Re: No Title

Rather than arguing over the variations from state to state, why not let the OP clarify which state they are attempting to register the boat in and then look at the laws for that state? This is too common a thread on this site, and too frequently people assume that how it works in their state is how it works in all states.

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: No Title

Let's throw a wrench in this for someone that might buy a boat/engine/trailer from a non-title state like Tennessee or Alabama.

Be careful buying any boat in non-title states. If you purchase a boat with an executed UCC-1 Financing Statement filed at the Secretary of State, you may have to run a UCC-11 Request for Information to verify that the original lienholder has been paid in full. You must be assured the original finance company or bank doesn't still have a first priority security interest on the boat.

If you are not assured of purchasing a free and clear boat, you don't want a 6' 5" 300 pound tattoo'd repossession man driving into your driveway in the middle of the night and hauling "your" boat away.

Be careful!

Isn't checking things like this something everyone does? I always call the cops and check for theft, call the dmv and check for liens, etc etc. People that don't amaze me.

Rather than arguing over the variations from state to state, why not let the OP clarify which state they are attempting to register the boat in and then look at the laws for that state? This is too common a thread on this site, and too frequently people assume that how it works in their state is how it works in all states.

I don't think anyone is arguing, and I'm certainly not assuming. I can count the states I haven't done this in on one hand. The laws vary from state to state, but not much. The only REAL difference in any of the states in regards to a boat is that some require a title and some do not. Beyond that the process of acquiring a title may be different here and there but the general requirements to become an owner are the same.

 

[southkogs]

Re: No Title

Be careful buying any boat in non-title states.

... As a note: at least here in TN, you can have a "title" issued if you're selling the boat out of state. You essentially buy a document from the State of TN that will stand in lieu of a title for other states to work with. Here within the state, a bill of sale is sufficient to register your boat (we don't even bother with the trailers).

Pear, is she positive there ever was a title?

That's what I'm wonderin'. Would like to hear back from the OP that there was a title for sure. Perhaps a notarized bill of sale would do the trick in your state.

 

[ThrottleBack]

Re: No Title

Always possible that state did not keep titles yet in '65 in which case you just need the reg. All speculation but lets face it most of us are killing time anyway