Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

[nuttyboater]

Can anyone help me out on some questions here?

I got a boat and trailer from a relative and they don't have any paperwork for either.

Does the boat and trailer both need a title? I don't know anything about boat registration.

I know for my utility trailer i had to apply for a title and they needed the sales receipt and the trailer weight. So does this mean i need to go drop the boat in the lake and weigh the trailer alone for the trailer registration/title application? Or can someone give a friggin clue as to the weight of this trailer? I can't find the manufacturer anywhere so i guess they died, its a Dilly Trailers model S-16.

What about the boat, does that get a title or just the DNR stickers or what?

Any ideas what this will all cost me here in MN? I called the DMV office and they were vague at best.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

Don't know about trailers in MN, but the boat will have to have a registration for it.
The previous owners should be able to get that from their local DMV.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

depends on the size of the boat. check on the MN DNR website and or go visit the DMV. I didnt need a title for my 14' alumacraft. I just needed a bill fo sale and the old registration.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

Yup. It's all size related. Under 16' in MN and the boat is just registered, normally, with no title. Actually if you go to your local city hall you can probably do it there. Just bring the registration number. They'll look it up on their computer, and if it isn't reported stolen, you pays your money and puts a sticker on the boat. If you have the registration card, that's nice, but you can do it without it.

The trailer's another matter. If it has a license plate on it, then it's titled. If the trailer and its load are under 2500 lb., you can get a permanent registration for it. I think it's about $12. Look on the frame near the hitch. If it already has permanent registration, you can basically just skip it. You're not supposed to, but just about everyone does. I have absolutely no idea whose name is on my trailer's permanent registration. That was three owners ago. If it has the license plate, though, you'll have to go through the replacement title thing and have the registered owner sign off on it, if that's possible. If not, you can probably get away with calling it a homemade and getting a new registration.

A lot depends on the nice person at the city hall who handles this stuff. If you smile and act nice, she/he can fix you up quickly. If you show attitude, he/she can make it a miserable and time-consuming process, involving many forms. Under no circumstances go to the state offices. They have no sense of humor at all.

None of my boats have had registration cards, and all had expired registrations. None caused a problem. Same with the trailers.

Now, if you're over 16' and over 2500 lb, then everything changes. Titles all around, and paperwork galore.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

Do not to confuse titles with registrations.

In most states too, if either has a title, the person named on the title can request a duplicate title.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

I can't say for MN, but in some states, older boats weren't titled either. PA is one of them. Some states also title the outboard separate.
Many states don't title trailers. The last registration acts as your proof of owner ship along with a hand written bill of sale that sometimes needs to be notarized.
Going from a non title state to a title required state can be a hassle but it can be done.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

In Ky, a canoe has to be registered if it has a trolling motor on it.

 

[nuttyboater]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

Ok guys, thanks for all the replies!

I made another phone call and asked some more questions, this is going to be sticky unless i get the right person working the counter...

The original owner is deceased, the boat was given to my stepmom's sister upon the owners death, she in turn gave it to my stepmom since she had no use for a boat, my stepmom left it sit for about 3 years before giving it to me.

So i wouldn't be able to get anything from the previous owner, but i could get my stepmom to sign a bill of sale since i got it from her, not sure if that would help though but its something.

The trailer has a license plate from 2003, however, MN no longer issues license plates for trailers. I went through this with my utility trailer, it came with a license plate mount brand new and they gave me a sticker for the tongue and said thats all they do on trailers now. So it sounds like i will need to take a signed bill of sale and the info from the data plate, make/model/serial, and apply for a title and pay for registration on it. The weight has to be under 2500lbs, it only has a single axle with load range C trailer tires on it. I would guess a 2000lb axle rating at best??

The boat is a 16ft boat, so it sounds like that will keep things easier there, should just need my bill of sale and some green backs to get it registered. From what i gathered from the phone call MN doesn't have boat titles?? Can anyone confirm that?

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

I just got back from the DMV. I changed the registration on my boat trailer. all I needed was the "application for title" form and had the P.O. sign and date it. I also had a bill of sale (not sure if I needed that or not) it has a permanent sticker and is tagged as a homemade unit. $18 BTW

 

[nuttyboater]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

I made another phone call to the DNR office to confirm, 16ft and under no title, above 16ft is titled in MN. So since its 16ft i don't need a title and can transfer the ownership/registration with just a bill of sale, or so i am told.

The trailer will involve some more paperwork i guess..

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

was the relative who gave you the boat the last legal owner of the boat and trailer? the boat and trailer took near the same amount of paper work. the guy I bought them from was the last registered owner, so we wrote out a bill of sale that included "trailer, $100" on it and he handed me his old boat registration. that got everything put in my name. easy peazy.

 

[nuttyboater]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

Thats the sticky bit, the last registered owner is deceased and two other people have had the boat since then. The boat was last registered in 2003, he passed away that year i believe, and in the last five years its been changing hands but not registered.

I was planning on having my stepmom sign a bill of sale and the application for title/registration. I'm hoping with those papers on hand i can get it done when i get down to the DMV.

One more stupid question.. lol

The boat sticker and the large stick on black numbers are the same number, so i assume when i get it registered i will get a new sticker and have to put new numbers on the boat also then right?

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

might be best NOT to use the word deceased when you are at the DMV. best of luck to you on that. I rebuilt an old Canoe last year and I was able to get it registered in my name. there was no record of it on the DMV's system since it was last registered in the late 70's.

I didnt get a new Number for my boat when I registered it, so Im not sure what may happen for you

 

[nuttyboater]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

Why is it such a big problem if the last owner is deceased?

If they give me too much grief about it i will just use the darn thing as is until i get caught, which around here could be years!

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

I would think that in the case of the last owner being deceased, the next of kin legally would be the rightful owner in the laws eyes. Here, we have 30 days to transfer a vehicle from the name of the deceased to who ever inherits it.
I've had to jump through hoops to get vehicles transfered from a deceased owner. I've had a few boats that were from similar situations, it takes a marine police report and investigation to clear it for a new title or registration. If the boats next of kin can be found, by law, they must get a duplicate title and then sign over the boat. If such a person cannot be found, then you can get a new title on a re assigned Hull Id Number.
If a person is found, there's always the chance that they will want to keep the boat, especially if it's worth something. I've done a few dozen like this, everyone so far ended up in the boat getting assigned new numbers and a new title. It's not a lot of money to do, just a lot of legwork.

I would think that so long as its been in your family, I can't see it being much of a problem to register. It's not like your a total stranger and your trying to register a boat that is already registered to someone else.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

If the person had a will, maybe the person in charge of taking care of that could help you. Or if the deceased had a POA, maybe they could help.

 

[nuttyboater]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

I will have to check and see if we can track down who the executor of the will was, we are going back five years and nobody remembers or has any of the paperwork. I have been trying to contact the family member who first received it to at least find out the name of the original owner, as it was someone i didn't know since it was on my stepmoms side of the family before she married my dad. I asked her and she wasn't sure who's name it was registered in but knows who had it at his passing, so this might even go back one more person yet.. Ughhhh

I will let you guys know what happens, at this point i'm going to try and get to my stepmom's this weekend and we will sit down and sign a bill of sale on the boat/trailer, the application for title/registration, and this other form the DNR gave me, its called Watercraft Transfer of Ownership, anyone had to do that form before?

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

all I had was the old registration slip and a bill of sale, but the registration was current.

 

[nuttyboater]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

I wish i had a registration slip for it, then it would be probably be as easy as yours was!

 

[nuttyboater]

Re: Trailer/Boat Registration Questions

Breaking News...

Ok, thanks to the very helpful folks at the DNR they looked up the boats registration number and it was indeed registered to my stepmom, thats a huge break as it will only cost me $36 to register and transfer the boat now.

The trailer is still a waiting game. I sent all the info through the DMV, the existing plate number and trailer serial number, waiting for them to tell me if the trailer is registered in her name or not. I hope so, she didnt even remember doing the boat but thankfully did!