Owner of trailer I want to buy doesn't have title

[getoffmyass]

The owner of a trailer (or at least the person named 'Ed' who showed it to me) that I want to buy, does not have a title.

It is in California, and I am a California resident who wishes to register it in California.

He says he has a "PTI certificate" with the VIN on it, but when I checked it with the online VIN checkers, it comes up as invalid. But so does my motorcycle VIN, I have owned and operated this motorcycle for 5 years, with title, registration, and insurance. Well, I did find ONE site that said it found records for the motorcycle VIN.

Are trailer VINs tracked by places like CARFAX and such?

Also, I couldn't find any site that discusses what to require in terms of paperwork when buying a trailer, and "by state". The owner is saying that all that is required from the seller of a used trailer in the state of California, is a title or a PTI certificate.

Thanks,

Stephanie

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Owner of trailer I want to buy doesn't have title

Stephanie, Call DMV and ask them. in Florida, trailers are not titled, they are just registered. each state is different.

 

[Seon]

Re: Owner of trailer I want to buy doesn't have title

In CA a trailer is issued a PTI and can have a title issued or not. When registrating the trailer at DMV the owner has an option to get a title or not. If no title, then a bill of sale is needed when the trailer is sold. By law, you need to re-register the trailer in your name and pay the fees. But I'm sure there are more trailer out there that has been bought and sold several times over without anyone transferring the registration in the new owner's name. I for one register a trailer without a title and when I sell it, I give a bill of sale. This way there will be no suprised on either the buyer or sellers end.

BTW if you want to check with DMV about that trailer you're interested in, take the PTI plate number and the vin number (located on the trailer's tongue) to DMV and they'll run it thru their computer. They'll tell you if the vin and PTI numbers belong to each other or not but won't tell you who the owner is...because of the privacy law. I've been thru this

 

[QC]

Re: Owner of trailer I want to buy doesn't have title

Yeah, Seon's, got it right. Should be no problem.

 

[getoffmyass]

Re: Owner of trailer I want to buy doesn't have title

Okay, so I called DMV and gave them the VIN and plate number and everything checks out. They said I need a bill of sale and current registration which the seller told me he has. Meeting him tomorrow morning to buy the trailer.

Thanks,

Stephanie

 

[getoffmyass]

Re: Owner of trailer I want to buy doesn't have title

They'll tell you if the vin and PTI numbers belong to each other or not but won't tell you who the owner is...because of the privacy law. I've been thru this

Yeah, but you're supposed to know who the seller/owner is already. Part of the purpose of calling the DMV is to determine if the seller is the rightful owner. That said, if the seller has a current registration card, their full name and VIN should be on that card, and you'll just have to check photo identification. But doing that at point of sale - sometimes at night in a deserted storage lot - with $5000 cash is a scary thing to do, especially in Los Angeles, especially if you're a woman.

Stephanie

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Owner of trailer I want to buy doesn't have title

The way it sounds to me so long as the name on the registration matches the name that the DMV has, and the seller signs the right name all is well.
I've bought a hundred or more cars, trucks, boats, and trailers over the years and never once asked the seller for ID, just so all the paper work matched and the DMV was happy, that's all that matters. I found years ago not to raise any flags at the DMV, it will only cause you grief.

 

[Seon]

Re: Owner of trailer I want to buy doesn't have title

Many variables to each transaction so I'll share what I heard from a guy.

He bought my 21' Trophy from a private party. The seller had a title for the boat but didn't have a title for the trailer. He said that he bought the boat that had a slip in the marina and then afterwards bought the trailer with a bill of sale. He never registered the trailer because he keep it at the marina and rather than pay monthly slip fees, he paid to have his boat lifted on/off the trailer every time he went fishing. He said it was cheaper to do it that way compared to the slip fees.

At any event, he lost the bill of sale so wrote one and signed it. When the new owner went to the DMV he told them the story but they said that he needed to get a bill of sale from the registered owner. He asked the name/address, DMV wouldn't give it to him citing the "Privacy Act" . So he couldn't register it.

Frustrated, he went home, ground down the vin number located on the trailer's tongue, went back to DMV and told them that it was a home made trailer. They inspected it for a VIN that wasn't there, waved their magic wand and issued him a PTI license plate with a new VIN number sticker that they affixed on the tongue.

 

[Genonbamagirl]

Re: Owner of trailer I want to buy doesn't have title

Yeah, but you're supposed to know who the seller/owner is already. Part of the purpose of calling the DMV is to determine if the seller is the rightful owner. That said, if the seller has a current registration card, their full name and VIN should be on that card, and you'll just have to check photo identification. But doing that at point of sale - sometimes at night in a deserted storage lot - with $5000 cash is a scary thing to do, especially in Los Angeles, especially if you're a woman.

Stephanie

Some second chance underwear, a decent handgun and a lot of training will make those situations much easier to deal with. A buddy to watch your six makes them downright comfortable.