Colorado boat registration question

[BajaRon]

Hi everyone, I am looking to buy a boat from Colorado and trailer it back to California. The owner has no paperwork for the boat...only the trailer. He has told me Colorado does not have registration for boats...only the trailer.
Is this accurate? Any Colorado boat owners out there? Thanks in advance, Ron

 

[GA_Boater]

Not from Colorado, but checking the state website disagrees. http://cpw.state.co.us/buyapply/Pages/BoatingRegistrations.aspx

The seller should give you registration papers and you should get a bill of sale.

I would check with California to see what you need from a Colorado seller. CO is a non-title state for boats, but they do require registration.

 

[southkogs]

Tennessee is a non-title state as well. If your state won't title on a bill of sale, here we can get a substitute title from the county clerk. Colorado may be able to provide something similar.

 

[Scott Danforth]

generally speaking a boat without paperwork that should have paperwork is usually a yard planter. have them get a replacement registration cert (here in FL its only a few $)

 

[NYBo]

Sounds like the guy never bothered to follow the law and register it in his name, and he's being dishonest, to boot. I would look elsewhere.

 

[ajgraz]

When my Dad gifted me my current boat, I had it towed from DE (non-title state) to CA, so I do have some tips:

When you bring to CA from out-of-state, make sure the trailer has a VIN# on it, DMV will "safety inspect" (really, "is it stolen inspect") the trailer and will look for it. My trailer did not have one (or more accurately, it had a partial VIN stamped on and a faded, illegible sticker), so I stamped a thin aluminum bar with the full VIN and riveted it to the trailer, CA DMV was OK with that.

Even in a non-title state, there WILL be some kind of paperwork / registration on the hull. If seller says "there is no paperwork in my state" he's lying. My boat had nothing but a small registration card from DE Fish & Game the size of a credit card, that and bill-of-sale was all CA DMV needed.

CA DMV does not care a whit about whatever motor is on it, no separate registration / title for motor in CA (I understand some states do that).

 

[Leardriver]

When you pick up the boat, go directly to any state park or the registration office at Sante Fe and C470, if you in Denver, and register the boat in your name in Colorado. It is $30 for up to 20 feet in length, $45 is over. Now you have a registered boat in your name to transfer over in Cali.