Registering boats in Louisiana

[madman2021]

I have recently purchased 2 jet skis with a double trailer and a jet boat with trailer from an estate sale by a woman selling her husbands stuff. I have all titles and registrations. All of the paperwork is in the husbands name who supposedly ran off 6 years ago and she hasn't seen or heard from him since. They are technically still married. She wrote bill of sales for me but with her name on them. How can I go about registering everything in the state of Louisiana? I could register in Mississippi if it is easier to accomplish.

 

[jbcurt00]

She didnt 'own' them if her name isnt on the titles, and didnt have right to sell them.

Lousy husband or not.

She should have applied for abandoned property titles, gotten them in her name, and then she'd own them, amd could sell them.

 

[Bayou Dave]

Agree with JB. Also, in La. be prepared to pay sales tax. Maybe Mississippi is your better choice and then change to La after they are in your name. I hope the long gone husband doesn't come back to get them!

 

[madman2021]

Doubt the husband would want them. He was in the oil industry and made millions. He bought everything brand new and used them for a couple of seasons. They have sat in a boat lift since 2007. Both skis and the boat filled with rain water. All 3 crafts need engines and lots of other work.

 

[jbcurt00]

Its not about him wanting them, if they are in his name, and not hers, HE owns them and she had no standing to sell them.

If she applied for abandoned property titles, if its as she represented to you, LA should have no problem issuing her titles in HER name. Then she could sell them.

 

[madman2021]

Louisaiana doesn't allow you to claim abandoned boats.

 

[jbcurt00]

What ever was necessary, was up to the wife to do,

Abandoned boat can be 'possessed' by court action.

Abandoned Boat: Louisiana does not have provisions for registering found or abandoned boats. Under these circumstances, ownership would need to be established through an award from a court of proper jurisdiction