Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

"Chris' Craft" · Aug 9, 2011

I have a small Rolco boat trailer for my 16' Lowe. The guy I bought the trailer from bought it a couple months ago up in WI where they don't have titles for trailers this small. How do I register it here in IL? It has a vin number.

Fishing Dude too · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

Do yu have a "Bill of Sale"? That should work, along with weight slip, serial number, and year.

roscoe · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

All I can say is good luck.

saxrulez · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

roscoe said:
All I can say is good luck.

I'll second this.

I went through a huge hassle with DMV trying to register my utility trailer b/c of the exact same thing.

The end result was me really angry and walking out. "You do realize I'm TRYING to give you money right now right!? I don't have a bill of sale or title b/c it wasn't required in the state I bought it in! I have a RECEIPT from when I bought it!"

I gave up and walked out and never got pulled over for it thankfully. I sold it a few months back. My boat trailer isn't registered here either for the same reason. I will try again when I move to Kansas in a few months...

DMV is 100% oblivious to the fact that different states have different laws and they force you to forge paperwork. End of story.

MH Hawker · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

i recently went through that in west virginia, bought a boat and trailer out of kentucky, the boat was tittled but not on the trailer, but i had the owner notarize a bill of sale on the trailer, and it worked out fine

Silly Seville · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

I have learned that Indiana and Illinois are both no-mans land when it comes to titling and registering utility/boat trailers. Sounds like what you must do is get a notarized bill of sale from the previous owner along with an affidavit of transfer of title ownership. You may also have to have a cop or other administrative official run a check on the VIN to prove it's not stolen. Then apply for a title and you're on your way to becoming a proud (and legal) owner.

geneseo1911 · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

This may not be the right way, but it is the easy way. I was in the same situation as you with a little boat I bought in MI. I went to the DMV and said, "I'd like to title a homemade trailer". He filled out the paperwork and gave me a sticker with a new VIN number. He didn't even walk out to look at it. Now every year I pay the renewal for my 2008 trailer under my 1969 Larson.

"Chris' Craft" · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

geneseo1911 said:
This may not be the right way, but it is the easy way. I was in the same situation as you with a little boat I bought in MI. I went to the DMV and said, "I'd like to title a homemade trailer". He filled out the paperwork and gave me a sticker with a new VIN number. He didn't even walk out to look at it. Now every year I pay the renewal for my 2008 trailer under my 1969 Larson.

I too did that in 2008 with an old snowmobile trailer. But I guess they changed it in 2010. From what I hear you pick up a packet from the DMV then the police handle it from there. You need pictures recipts, etc as well as having someone come out and inspect it. Has anyone been able to title a manufactured trailer as a homemade trailer post 2010?

'78 Crusader · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

geneseo1911 said:
This may not be the right way, but it is the easy way. I was in the same situation as you with a little boat I bought in MI. I went to the DMV and said, "I'd like to title a homemade trailer". He filled out the paperwork and gave me a sticker with a new VIN number. He didn't even walk out to look at it. Now every year I pay the renewal for my 2008 trailer under my 1969 Larson.

Lol, I did the same thing in Texas....I now have a 2007 homemade trailer sitting under my 1966 13' Boston Whaler....lol.

rockyrude · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

The new rules in illinois make it virtually impossible to title a trailer as homemade. You said PO bought the trailer in WI, did he live in WI or IL? If he lived in IL he should have titled it before you bought it. If he lived in WI the bill of sale SHOULD do it.

freddyray21 · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

A WI bill of sale should get you an IL title. It helps to print out the WI registration requirements off the internet showing that WI does not title trailers. I live in MO and have bought a couple of boats and trailers from WI off of Ebay and have never had a problem.

"Chris' Craft" · Aug 11, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

I might be able to get a WI bill of sale from a prior owner. I had a boat that didn't have a title and it was from WI. I was able to call and get the name and address of the last registered owner. Is there a way to do that for trailers? If I know who the last registered owner was I can contact him and act like I bought the trailer from him.

rockyrude · Aug 12, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

If you know who the last registered owner was, you might be able to contact them and explain the situation and ask nicely if they would make up a bill of sale for you that you can use for illinois. I had that happen with a "free" rig I got, the person I got it from lost all the titles in a fire and never bothered to replace them. Contacted DNR and they told me who the last registered owner of the rig was. Turned out to be a buddy of the guy I got the rig from, contacted him and he cleared all of the paperwork so I could register in my name.

109jb · Aug 13, 2011

Re: Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

Most boat trailers aren't titled, OR registered in Wisconsin. Neither is required. I bought my current boat from Wisconsin, took the bill of sale along with a picture of the VIN number to the DMV and they titled it with no problem. It has to have a VIN (which yours apparently does), and the bill of sale should have the VIN on it too.

As for homemade trailers in Illinois, they require tons of paperwork and a visit from a state trooper to verify that the trailer is really homemade now. Thank the thieves that would steal a trailer, remove the VIN and manufacturer tags, title as homemade and then resell the trailer. They are the ones responsible for the difficult rules for homemade trailers in Illinois now.

Need Help Titling a trailer in IL (no title)

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