This all is based on a seller selling a boat that they own, and have no paperwork. If you are in a state that makes it difficult (Texas & Ohio come to mind, but that may or may not be true, I don't currently nor ever lived in either) to reg &/or title a boat or trailer this may not work for you. But I have done this for multiple boats & trailers in WV. The trailers were somewhat more difficult, but just more paperwork & more time. End results the same, titled & registered to me.
None of them had titles or reg, but based on multiple conversations & meeting the seller in person at a house not some random business parking lot, I felt confident that they were in fact the owner & had legal right to sell me the boats & trailers.
I used a metal punch set to give 2 of the boats HIN (loosely based on what I think Starcraft would have used, & a mix of #'s & letters) since they had none, the other 2 had HIN on the transom, and I used those #'s for those 2. I registered all 4 thru the DNR website for Wisconsin. Anything 16ft & over is not eligible to register online, they need to be inspected by a Wisconsin DNR officer (other law enforcement officers may also do the visual inspection), so that was not an option for 1 of the 4 as I live in WV, & it's 16' 3". We'll come back to that 1....
It cost @$27 to register each 1 online, but might have been slightly cheaper if I'd done them all at once instead of individually.
Once I had the registration in my name, it was very easy to fill out the WV VIN/HIN form:
View attachment 172311
I called the local sheriff's office & requested a VIN verification check, it usually took less then 15min for an officer to show up & examine my Wisconsin reg, verify that the boat had the matching HIN, and sign off on the form. With that info & my WV title application, I got a WV title & reg issued.
The trailers were more trouble but came w/ the boat, and didn't have reg, title or plates. I looked for & was unable to find VIN on 3 of them. While 1 had a VIN it was just a sticker, and that was no longer on the trailer when it was examined an officer. The same VIN form was used for the trailers. With that form, I had to provide pix of the trailer from the front & 1 side, and provide a materials list & receipts from where I bought the materials used. However, I was told to list scrap, excess materials on hand by the DMV clerk.
Because they didn't have #'s, WV issued VIN's and then issued registration, titles & plates.
No problems.....
The 16' 3" boat was done the same as the rest, 'apparently' there was a typo when I registered it online in Wisconsin
NY title & reg doc:
View attachment 172305
View attachment 172312
http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/boating/resources.aspx <<-- this direct link may not work...
Got to: http://www.nysparks.com
Click the recreation tab, then the boats link....
You'll find info on applying for a HIN, and the process, which sounds complicated, and if the boat does not have a HIN, the state will review submitted paperwork, and schedule a visual inspection of the newly issued HIN's installation.
