ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

cturboaddict

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Hey guys, I know its the end of the season, but ive finally gotten some cash together to get a boat for the family. I was wanting something of a small sport boat for the four of us. Anyhow, i was really looking into something that i could work on over the winter, due to the fact im kind of one of those "tinkering" type of people. And i havent had a project in a while.
Anyhow~ IVE got a small dilemma....
First and foremost, im located in Ofallon Illinois, just a spit from the ARCH.
Ive got my eyes on TWO different boats. Tell me where im going to end up in a problem and how it could be resolved!
1-A boat thats located in illinois, that the owner HAS the title for the boat, but not for the trailer or motor. How hard is it to get a trailer title?
2-A guy that lives in Michigan has a boat, but he just went to the DMV and got the registration for the boat... Has NO title for trailer or motor also.. Again, how hard is it to get a trailer title, and is registration in michigan the same as a title? And if it isnt, how hard is it going to be for me to get the Illinois title with the michigan registration? He said hell include a bill of sale! I know thats all that is basically needed to sell a boat in Michigan, but i dont think that pertains to Illinois.

Anyhow, your help is much appreciated guys. Let me know your input!
 

RotaryRacer

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

In MI there are many boats that don't require a title. If it is less than 20 ft long with an outboard it doesn't need a title. The actual law states that all boats with a permanently attached/installed motor require a title and if over 20ft all require a title.

All boats with a motor of any type require a registration (MC numbers)

No outboards require a title.

Trailers less than 2500lbs don't require a title in MI....just a registation/plate.

I have no idea what it would take to register a boat, trailer or outboard in IL.
 

flamingo1227

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

We bought our boat (through a dealer) from WI, and we are in IL. Wisconsin does not title trailers, so the dealer had a new title for the trailer and it is listed as a homemade trailer. I think it is quite common as other states do not title trailers for some reason.

We just put our boat up for sale with another broker and told him about the "homemade" on the title and he said it was normal and would not cause any sale problems.

Kim
 

roscoe

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

IL makes this difficult. More difficult than about 40 other states.
 

jayhanig

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

How do you get a registration without titling the boat or trailer in your name? Is that even possible?

In NC, you're basically screwed if you don't have the title for both the boat and trailer (if a stern drive) and boat, motor, and trailer (if an outboard). No title/no registration. No registration/no plate or sticker. And tio make things more fun, you go to the Wildlife Commission for your boat title and registration but the DMV for the trailer's. They're not in the same town.

Lots of guys advertise boats without trailer titles. "It's easy to get", they say. If that were actually true, they'd have done it already.

I think I'd run from both of these "deals".
 

cturboaddict

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

Well, i just shot the guy with the illinois boat an offer. That one has an illinois title. Hopefully he will take the offer.... Then ill just be stuck with a trailer title.. So from what your saying, i basically have to go ahead and call dmv for a title so that i can get tags for the trailer...

I checked that link that was posted above, but couldnt find anything on a "homemade trailer" application...
Ill see if i can do some more online searching to see what comes up for a "homemade trailer"...
Let me know if anyone has obtained one or not.
 

109jb

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

I live in Illinois and have titled many boats and trailers. In Illinois BOTH the boat and the trailer require titles and registration. It doesn't matter what other states require, Illinois DOES require titling both the boat and trailer.

Boat - Basically, don't buy a boat without a title. PERIOD. The IL DNR is a pain to deal with when everything is right. You can't get anyone to answer the phone 99.99% of the time, so save yourself some headache and get a boat that has a title.

Trailer. - I've posted on here several times about this. The IL DMV titles and registers ALL trailers. If it doesn't have a title it is going to be a pain in the azz. It used to be easy to title and register as homemade, but a year or two ago they made it impossible for anything but a truly homemade trailer. Thieves were stealing trailers and just re-titling them as homemade, so now in order to title as homemade, a State Trooper has to come look at the trailer. They are instructed to verify that the trailer is homemade and if not, then deny the application. If the tailer came from a state that doesn't require titling, then you need a bill of sale with the VIN on it and the VIN has to be readable on the trailer. If the trailer VIN isn't readable you are screwed. Your only hope is if the trailer LOOKS homemade, but you are supposed to show receipts for the construction, so that might not even do it. Bottom line, If the trailer is in Illinois and the trailer doesn't have a title, then I'd pass unless you are willing to buy a new trailer.
 

TerryMSU

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

In Michigan, if the boat is titled, you will need the title to register it. If not then you do not need the title. The only reason for a small boat to be titled is if there is a loan on it. Then it gets a title. I have never had a title on a trailer, so I can't say for sure how that works here in Michigan. By the way, to the best of my knowledge, outboards are never titled here in Michigan. When I buy a boat, I almost always pay cash, so I have the Secretary of State's office remove the title on the boat. Makes it easier for me to deal with later.

TerryMSU
 

TilliamWe

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

Just for clarification, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is the agency that titles/registers boats boats. The Illinois Secretary of State is the department that titles/registers trailers. No such thing as the DMV in Illinois. That's part of the problem.

One other thing you could try is what I did for 8 years on my boat. I left the trailer registered in my father's name (which is the same as mine) in the State of Florida. However, I only trailered my boat 3.5 miles about 6 times a season. Didn't have many opportunities to be checked/caught.
 

cturboaddict

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

Gotcha~ that might work....
But ive got another problem... I BOUGHT A BOAT TONIGHT. No title for the trailer but ill figure that out~probably just get a new one. But for the boat, it does have a title for illinois. But the title was jumped from the owner.
Let me explain~
One person had the title~sold to another person (they filled out their information on the title), they then never retitled it and sold it to another person who sold it to ME! So now, im kinda screwed. Gonna go down to the title agency to see what they can do. The guy that sold the boat to me lives nearby and is real cool. He said hell go down this week with me to the title place to see what we can do.
BTW it hasnt been retitled since 2000! I wonder how much trouble this is going to cause me!
 

109jb

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

Gotcha~ that might work....
But ive got another problem... I BOUGHT A BOAT TONIGHT. No title for the trailer but ill figure that out~probably just get a new one. But for the boat, it does have a title for illinois. But the title was jumped from the owner.
Let me explain~
One person had the title~sold to another person (they filled out their information on the title), they then never retitled it and sold it to another person who sold it to ME! So now, im kinda screwed. Gonna go down to the title agency to see what they can do. The guy that sold the boat to me lives nearby and is real cool. He said hell go down this week with me to the title place to see what we can do.
BTW it hasnt been retitled since 2000! I wonder how much trouble this is going to cause me!

That won't do you any good. The only place that issues boat titles in Illinois is the DNR, and they only do it from Springfield.
 

cturboaddict

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

Guess im going to have fun trying to get in touch with the DNR then....
 

cturboaddict

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

Just an update on my title fiasco.
I got in touch with DNR in alton, IL. They told me that the title that i had in hand was still titled in that persons name... The person that the title was signed to NEVER titled the boat in their name.

I was told by the guy at DNR if there was anyway possible, get in touch with the name on the title of the first owner. If he was able to be reached, then have him fill out their simple power of attorney form. And WaLa- send it in, and ill have a new title in my name no problem. If not, then i would have to have the DNR's law department come and get involved with contacting the person after an interview with me, and some people could end up getting in a bit of trouble.

Luckily~ the guy had an odd first name, and still lived at the address listed from 10 years ago on the title. I did a search on whitepages.com and got his number. Called and talked to his elderly wife and she said NO PROBLEM, send the paperwork in the mail and shell be sure to have him sign it! So all should be well with that.

Now onto the trailer that has no title??? Havent talked to DMV about that yet~ possibly could end up buying a new one if thats in the budget but im thinking not as i right now im into a full resto...
 

jayhanig

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

Just an update on my title fiasco.
I got in touch with DNR in alton, IL. They told me that the title that i had in hand was still titled in that persons name... The person that the title was signed to NEVER titled the boat in their name.



These people who buy boats or motorcycles just to flip them really crank my gears when they're too cheap to do what's right and title them in their own name. It always ends up a huge PITA for the person on down the line. I've gotten zinged twice now on deals like that: both were bought on Craigslist and both had the original seller's name on the title but not the guy I was buying from.

The first deal was a motorcycle. There was a problem with the notarized title and I had to find the original seller (an on-road trucker) and convince him to meet me and my notary so I could get a title and tag.

The second deal was the boat and trailer I just bought right before Labor Day. The original seller signed AND DATED the two titles so it looked like I'd been sitting on both of them for a year and a half. Well, I hadn't; the guy I bought them from had. But he wasn't the one who had the huge PITA; I was. The woman whose name was on the title is nowhere to be found. Luckily I was able to get them titled but I had to pay late fees.

So I have decided on certain rules for when I buy vehicles from Craigslist in the future:

1) They must have a clear title. That's a car, truck, boat, trailer, motorcycle, whatever. If the state titles them, they've got to have one.

2) That title needs to be in the name of the person selling me the vehicle. No longer am I willing to pay for somebody else's wrongdoing.
 

gonefishie

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

OR, you could check with Kentucky. You don't have to be a KY resident but if that's where "your primary use" you're eligible. They only titled and registered boat, no motor, no trailer.
 

lckstckn2smknbrls

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

I've heard of people with multiple trailers moving the trailer plate from trailer to trailer.
 

HollaGeo

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

I just bought a boat with no title. I finally tracked down the person who I am supposed to talk to, who will guide me in the right direction. The problem is we have been playing phone tag for the past few weeks (The cluster f&$( has already begun). I just don't understand how somebody who is at work doesn't answer the phone at least 3 times a day???
 

cturboaddict

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Re: ILLINOIS boat title???? Trailer Title???? IL/Michigan Help me

You have to think of it from the person who is being contacted side...
Think about it, you sell a boat/motorcycle/car whatever 10 years ago because you either didnt want it anymore or were forced to... For it only to come and haunt you down the road. I know of some things ive sold just because i didnt want to deal with them anymore- now imagine me getting that phone call down the road....

I say, as long as you can make it easy for them, it shouldnt be a problem. IE i sent the letter to the person i needed to contact along with a filled out form only requiring a signature. Along with that i included a nice thank you letter explaining what was going on, and a self addressed stamped envelope. All he has to do it sign it, seal it, and stick it in the box. EASY DOES IT

Now if i was like the above mentioned situation where i was an "on-road" trucker that needed to meet somewhere along the road to meet someone along with a notary. Well, i see how that could become a hassle. I would do my best to simpathize as i know ive been there too.

Havent had much time to do anymore with the title situation as im just waiting on the paperwork back to send it off along with my proper tax forms and payment so that I dont have to deal with any of these shaningans anymore.
 
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