Read and Learn: No title? No sale!

jayhanig

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
836
I was wandering through the local craigslist and came across this listing just now. It is a perfect example of a deal you should run from!

"***** SOLD ***** ALUMINUM ***** SOLD ***** TANDEM/DUAL AXEL BOAT TRAILER THAT NEEDS SOME WORK, BUT IS IN GOOD CONDITION OVERALL! NO PAPERWORK ON THE TRAILER, BUT YOU CAN REGISTER IT AS "HOME-MADE" FOR SURE, WITH NO TROUBLE!! AS THE PICS SHOW, THE BUNK COVERING (CARPETING) NEEDS REPAIR! ONE FENDER IS MISSING. BOTH AXEL'S ARE GOOD, WHEELS/GALVANIZED RIMS ARE GOOD, HUBS AND BEARINGS ARE GOOD! NEEDS TIRES THOUGH. THEY'RE ALL HOLDING AIR THOUGH! TRAILER CAN BE TOWED AS IT IS NOW! I HAVE 2 OTHER TIRES AND RIMS THAT GO WITH TRAILER AND I WILL MOUNT THEM! WINCH IS GOOD, BUT TRAILER JACK NEEDS A REPLACEMENT PLASTIC WHEEL, WHICH IS NOTHING TO REPLACE! NO LOW BALLERS!! I'M A "SKOSHE" NEGOTIABLE THOUGH!!! ** "

If the seller claims you can register it "for sure, with no trouble!!!", you can't. If you could have, he would have. There are too many disadvantages to trying to use a tagless trailer on public highways not to address it, particularly if it were easy.

I know how to get around this but I don't know how to get around this legally in North Carolina, where I live. I'll leave it at that. Better you not put yourself in the situation.

I will say this: I have twice entered into deals where the last owner bought the item with the intention of just flipping it and so he tried to go cheap by not registering it in their own name. This created a monumental headache for me when there were mistakes on the original title and I needed *that* owner to issue new paperwork. of course, the original owner has no motivation to do that; he's already got his money. It's a bad deal. I have ultimately prevailed in both of my situations but only because I have skip tracing skills and was obnoxiously persistent. You don't want to go through what I went through. Trust me on this.
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
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Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,582
Guess that's may be why KY is called a dumping ground. First boat trailers don't need titles, and if you want one, just remove the VIN off the trailer and license as home made. KY will give you a new VIN number and a title. Would love to find a 15 or 20K aluminum trailer real cheep. Would really like it to be a hydraulic trailer :rolleyes:
 

batman99

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 13, 2012
Messages
393
Guess that's may be why KY is called a dumping ground. First boat trailers don't need titles, and if you want one, just remove the VIN off the trailer and license as home made. KY will give you a new VIN number and a title. Would love to find a 15 or 20K aluminum trailer real cheep. Would really like it to be a hydraulic trailer :rolleyes:

Stating a trailer is "home made" in my region works as well.
 

JASinIL2006

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
5,525
It is nice if a trailer like jayhanig describes can be registered as home built, but in many places that won't work. In those states, you are in for a bad surprise if you buy one of these untitled trailers. I almost did so, and I luckily learned about the problems before I bought.

Good alert, Jay.
 

bigdee

Commander
Joined
Jul 27, 2006
Messages
2,665
Guess that's may be why KY is called a dumping ground. First boat trailers don't need titles, and if you want one, just remove the VIN off the trailer and license as home made. KY will give you a new VIN number and a title. :

Same with South Carolina. No title or registration required if under 3500#
 

lckstckn2smknbrls

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
1,114
In Illinois the state has made it impossible to get a home built title for a factory built trailer.
 

Volphin

Lieutenant
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Messages
1,405
I have an old Escort trailer that you can't even read the VIN or mfg date. Luckily TN does not care. We are not required to title trailers.
 

jayhanig

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
836
I have an old Escort trailer that you can't even read the VIN or mfg date. Luckily TN does not care. We are not required to title trailers.

Sadly, we are. North Carolina never makes it easy for you. Right now I'm waiting for a renewal sticker from the DMV for my motorcycle. I wrote the check on July 9th, it was cashed by the state on August 4th, and now after two phone calls and a promise to mail it on September 2nd, here it is the 8th and still no sticker. I guess the mailman is walking from Raleigh.
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
I did rebuild my trailer and then a state patrol officer had to come out to my house and see the trailer before they would issue a tag. But he really didn't even want to look the trailer over. So yea, home built works well in Georgia as well... He signed the form and drove off and the tag office now list my refurbished trailer as home built with a new trailer number attached.
 

SilverSS07

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 13, 2012
Messages
266
Homebuilt works in Florida but we only have to register trailers- no titles. Just have the trailer weighed then take it to the DMV and they issue a registration as homebuilt and a VIN. No inspection.
 

eavega

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 29, 2008
Messages
1,377
I just recently did a trailer that I purchased in GA. Required Sheriff Deputy to come out once to verify that there was not a VIN plate anywhere on the trailer, then tag office issues the new VIN which must be indelibly attached to the frame of the trailer (read "riveted on so it cant be removed), then the Sheriff must come back to verify that the VIN tag has been attached, and then they will issue you a registration and tag (no title needed in GA). It takes a half day of running back and forth between the local Sheriff's office and the county tag office. This is actually for a friend of mine that lives in NC that needed the trailer. To have him purchase it here in GA would require that the previous owner show at least two years of ownership (via registration cards) before NC would issue a title for a trailer that came from a non-title state. Easier to register it here in GA in my name, and after a couple of years transfer it to him.

-E
 

nemisis83

Recruit
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1
I just wanted to share a little personal knowledge about trailers with no title. There is a lot of talk about registering it in another state first or just need a bill of sale or the most common apply for a homemade trailer. First of all starting with the first option, pain in the butt and sometimes a waste of time, second option might work in some states and still a pain in the butt, third option as you guessed it a pain in the butt and also sometimes a waste of time as its not possible in all states. Bottom line I would agree with jayhanig if the trailer does not have a title and you plan to use on the streets dont buy it. However sometimes the deal is just too sweet to let go. For those situations and as a person that has been buying and restoring old boats for a couple years now I will share my trick around a no title trailer. Most states will offer a temporary 15 day transport tag that will allow you to transport the trailer. Find someone at a marina that needs to get a trailer to keep their bot stored at the marina. Many people would be willing to sell or trade a trailer that has a title for one that does not have a title for the cheaper price. So for example if you buy a 2005 25' ezloader without a title someone that has a 2000 trailer with title may be willing to trade. In my experience if it doesnt have a title doesnt mean that someone couldt use it. The barter system works great.
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,582
That is a twist if it works, wonder who all these one hit wonders (or one and done) really are?
 

Randy Bell

Cadet
Joined
Sep 15, 2015
Messages
24
Here in Ohio I bought a boat in Kentucky and there they don't tag boat trailers. To get the trailer tags for mine I have a weigh slip to have the trailer weighed to get the tags, so the title isn't all that important.
 
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