Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

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Bubba1235

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May 25, 2008
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588
I can't talk about other states but you NEVER want to buy a boat without a title in Missouri.

I bought one last fall with no title, just a bill of sale. At the time I was going to part it out (needed the outdrive for another boat). After looking it over some more I *thought* about saving it and went to the state to see what I had to do to get it titled.

Man what an eye opener! After a full month of phone calls, emails, and letters I found it is all but impossible to get a title (or get it registered) issued for it in Missouri. To make it worse you MUST deal with differing state agencies. Motor Vehicle Registration(Taxes an Titles) , Department of Natural Resources(Registration Numbers), and the Department of Conservation(Inspection and approval of construction). None of which will talk to each other for any reason. You take a form from one to the other, to the other and back and start again with more forms.

In my case the boat I bought had been owned by an older gentalman that passed away and the son had no idea if there ever was a title in his fathers name. (A search at his county court house turned up nothing and he lived in that county all his life.) The state simply didn't care and said without the title there was nothing they could do with one exception. I could apply for for a "rebuilt" title but I had to have the boat inspected by the Conservation folks. Ok, I can do that thinks I. Opps, big road block, as there are so few boats needing this they only do the inspections in the month of June, 250 miles away from me. (And no, I can't use the untitled trailer to transport it there.) sigh...

Bottom line, this boat has a destiny with the crusher...
 
K

kg5388

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Apr 29, 2007
Messages
76
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

buy a hot rod magazine in the back are ads for companies that will get a title for you. I live in Tennessee I bought an old 1937 truck from North Carolina that the tag read 1952 and no one knew who had owned the truck last and the state's records don't go back that far. I called and 2 months and $140 later I had an Alabama title for the truck.

I know they do trucks,cars and motorcycles it wouldn't hurt to call and ask about boats
 
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beerfilter

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Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
305
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

If you have no luck with the title , you can always sell it in Tennessee .
TN does not title boats , only thing required is a bill of sale .

Registration is also not required for non-commercial trailers under 20' long ( excluding tongue length ) , and 8' wide .
Exceptions are for permamnent top campers , and rental trailers .

I would be glad to take that boat and trailer off your hands , to keep it from a grisly fate .

What do Miseries laws say about buying a boat from a state that does not title them ?
 
mphy98

mphy98

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Oct 20, 2008
Messages
1,422
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

Wisconsin will issue a title for a boat now with a bill of sale. The DNR does it. For years we had no tiels for boats, just registration cards from the DNR.
 
R

reelfishin

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Mar 19, 2007
Messages
3,043
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

beerfilter said:
If you have no luck with the title , you can always sell it in Tennessee .
TN does not title boats , only thing required is a bill of sale .

Registration is also not required for non-commercial trailers under 20' long ( excluding tongue length ) , and 8' wide .
Exceptions are for permamnent top campers , and rental trailers .

I would be glad to take that boat and trailer off your hands , to keep it from a grisly fate .

What do Miseries laws say about buying a boat from a state that does not title them ?
Click to expand...

What do you do if you buy a boat in TN from out of state? There has to be a way to get a title for it elsewhere? NJ has become all but impossible to deal with when it comes to out of state transfers. They want three forms filled out, a notarized bill of sale from the last owner, and proof of ownership, which they say can be the old registration card. But that don't help if the boat was never registered where it came from.
 
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beerfilter

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
305
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

reelfishin said:
What do you do if you buy a boat in TN from out of state? There has to be a way to get a title for it elsewhere? NJ has become all but impossible to deal with when it comes to out of state transfers. They want three forms filled out, a notarized bill of sale from the last owner, and proof of ownership, which they say can be the old registration card. But that don't help if the boat was never registered where it came from.
Click to expand...

Bill of sale is all you need . If the boat has a current registartion card , they do not even require notorization on the BOS , but may ask for it if there is no current registration .

Show the BOS to your county clerks office , fill out the form for sale and sale taxes , fill out the form for registration that is then sent to TWRA , pay the taxes and registration fee , and you are on your merry way .

No extra BS about the motor or trailer .

If the boat DOES come with a title from another state , prudence should demand that you have the seller sign it over to you , and that you keep it for your records . You may later move to another state that requires a title , or , sell to someone that does .

Yes , there is a lot of potential for shady dealing , but the TWRA runs the HIN when they recieve the registration form .
If you have a reported stolen boat , you WILL be recieving a visit from them , so make sure you have a bill of sale that shows a chain of custody , just in case .

Our sales tax is pretty steep , but this state doesn't tax every dog you have and every flea on each dog , like many others do .
 
F

freddyray21

Commander
Joined
Jun 10, 2006
Messages
2,460
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

don't know who directed you to the DNR as they are not the one's in Missouri who do the inspections. The MO Water Patrol does them and they do inspections year round. All you have to do is call them and set up an appointment. They have officers all over the state. Most I ever had to travel was about 10 miles to meet them in a parking lot. This time of year they are slow and glad to help. It is a *****, but it can be done.
 
S

salvagesolution

Cadet
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Messages
26
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

well you could redjster it as a "home made" boat or buy a real heap with a title and just "transfer" it all and all the dem/harbor patroll/coast guard really dont care about the letters on your boat even if some pxxxk busts your balls you just play the "oh just put the new boat in was gona put them on tomorro"
 
mthieme

mthieme

Captain
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
3,270
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

Bubba1235 said:
I can't talk about other states but you NEVER want to buy a boat without a title in Missouri.

I bought one last fall with no title, just a bill of sale. At the time I was going to part it out (needed the outdrive for another boat). After looking it over some more I *thought* about saving it and went to the state to see what I had to do to get it titled.

Man what an eye opener! After a full month of phone calls, emails, and letters I found it is all but impossible to get a title (or get it registered) issued for it in Missouri. To make it worse you MUST deal with differing state agencies. Motor Vehicle Registration(Taxes an Titles) , Department of Natural Resources(Registration Numbers), and the Department of Conservation(Inspection and approval of construction). None of which will talk to each other for any reason. You take a form from one to the other, to the other and back and start again with more forms.

In my case the boat I bought had been owned by an older gentalman that passed away and the son had no idea if there ever was a title in his fathers name. (A search at his county court house turned up nothing and he lived in that county all his life.) The state simply didn't care and said without the title there was nothing they could do with one exception. I could apply for for a "rebuilt" title but I had to have the boat inspected by the Conservation folks. Ok, I can do that thinks I. Opps, big road block, as there are so few boats needing this they only do the inspections in the month of June, 250 miles away from me. (And no, I can't use the untitled trailer to transport it there.) sigh...

Bottom line, this boat has a destiny with the crusher...
Click to expand...

MD is a title state.
This is why I collect titles, HINs and emblems.
 
F

freddyray21

Commander
Joined
Jun 10, 2006
Messages
2,460
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

salvagesolution said:
well you could redjster it as a "home made" boat or buy a real heap with a title and just "transfer" it all and all the dem/harbor patroll/coast guard really dont care about the letters on your boat even if some pxxxk busts your balls you just play the "oh just put the new boat in was gona put them on tomorro"
Click to expand...

why do people always suggest registering as a home made? In Missouri to get a registration for a homemade boat the boat has to be inspected by the water patrol. They are not stupid so you cannot do that. Other states I don't know. I do know that the water patrol will check the vin number on the boat to see if it is stolen. If not they will give you the paperwork to use to get a title. It is not easy, but it can be done. In the present case they should be able to give you the name of the last registered owner. In this case the guy that is deceased if he ever had it titled in his name. If so then you deal with the son. In Missouri the title offices are contract offices and typically don't know how to go about the complicated deals like this. The water patrol will as well as the state DMV in Jeff City.
 
R

Rowroy

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Sep 4, 2008
Messages
158
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

This begs the questions . . .

How would you register a boat if you moved from Tennessee (a non-title state) to Missouri (a title state)?
 
F

freddyray21

Commander
Joined
Jun 10, 2006
Messages
2,460
Re: Boats without titles. (Bill of sale)

Rowroy said:
This begs the questions . . .

How would you register a boat if you moved from Tennessee (a non-title state) to Missouri (a title state)?
Click to expand...

Missouri recognies that TN is not a title state. They will issue you a title based on a bill of sale. I have bought a few boats this way and it's not a problem getting a title from a bill of sale if the boat came from a state that doesn't require titles.
 
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