Title registration rant

[ryhed]

I know this is my fault. I am trying to get a title for my fifth that I lost. I can't get ahold of the seller, I bought it out of state, asked the dmv what I should do, this was their response: Subject: RE: Out of state 5th wheel purchase
Thank you for your e-mail inquiry to the Missouri Department of Revenue.
Since Illinois titles trailers and you cannot contact the seller to get a duplicate title you may wish to seek the advice of a legal professional.
WTH, Don't they deal with this all day everyday? As useless as a square tire!
The local dmv just gets pissed off when I go there to ask for help. I guess i'll just keep dmv shopping till someone says something that makes sense. End rant. Any Ideas? I have a bill of sale but it's from out of state which is where MO bounces me to IL and IL bounces me to MO.

[rockportrocket]

Just tell them u want to apply for a bonded title.

[wbwood]

msmith1199 wrote:

wbwood wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
Second paragraph of the above link:

If you are planning either to buy or sell a vehicle and the vehicle’s title is missing, the owner of the vehicle must apply for a duplicate title. The sale is not valid without a properly assigned title. If the title has been mutilated or otherwise ruined, the owner of the vehicle must apply for a duplicate title in order for the sale to proceed.

Isn't that what his reply back from the DMV was? He can't get ahold of the person who sold him the 5th wheel so that they can apply for the duplicate title.

Yes, that's his problem. But the main issue is that is not DMV's problem, it's his problem. He has to find the previous owner.

I know, but you posted the link to that and told him that is what he needed. He already knew that information as that is what they told him as he referenced.

[msmith1199]

wbwood wrote:

msmith1199 wrote:
Second paragraph of the above link:

If you are planning either to buy or sell a vehicle and the vehicle’s title is missing, the owner of the vehicle must apply for a duplicate title. The sale is not valid without a properly assigned title. If the title has been mutilated or otherwise ruined, the owner of the vehicle must apply for a duplicate title in order for the sale to proceed.

Isn't that what his reply back from the DMV was? He can't get ahold of the person who sold him the 5th wheel so that they can apply for the duplicate title.

Yes, that's his problem. But the main issue is that is not DMV's problem, it's his problem. He has to find the previous owner.

[wbwood]

ryhed wrote:
I have a bill of sale that complies and I just cant seem to catch a break. Dmv has all the info, they just put up a brick wall.

They are protecting the person to whom it's titled. You would appreciate it if someone walked in with a "Bill of Sale" and tried to get a title for your camper or vehicle.

[wbwood]

msmith1199 wrote:
Second paragraph of the above link:

If you are planning either to buy or sell a vehicle and the vehicle’s title is missing, the owner of the vehicle must apply for a duplicate title. The sale is not valid without a properly assigned title. If the title has been mutilated or otherwise ruined, the owner of the vehicle must apply for a duplicate title in order for the sale to proceed.

Isn't that what his reply back from the DMV was? He can't get ahold of the person who sold him the 5th wheel so that they can apply for the duplicate title.

[JJBIRISH]

msmith1199 wrote:

doxiemom11 wrote:
We sold a car once, signed over the title to the purchaser. Two years later, we were approached by a gentleman we had never met that was now the 3rd or 4th purchaser since we had signed over the title. No one had ever transferred it to their own name. We, the original owners had to file for a duplicate title ( we needed the VIN # to do that, luckily we still had some paperwork) and then after we received the duplicate title, we had to sign it over to the current owner. That time we met at the DMV and made sure it was put into his name and not left in our name.

Doesn't your state have a release of liability form? In California if you sell a vehicle you fill out a release of liability form and you file it with DMV. That way if the new owner fails to complete the registration process it doesn't matter to you as the vehicle is out of your name.

I think the release of liability is a part of the title transfer in PA and also why both parties must have their signatures notarized… there are two sections on the back of the title 1 assigned to (the buyer) or 2 a section for reassignment by a dealer…

I haven’t looked for a while and don’t have a PA title in front of me right now, but every state would have their own processes…

Personally I wouldn’t hand a title over to the buyer until I was sure his liability was a matter of record…
For the same reason when I buy a vehicle from a dealer I mail the required paperwork to the state myself… I know dealers and notaries that have lose or not filed them… one auto dealer didn’t file a lot of them disappeared and went under… many people were still obligated to both loans because of it with no recourse for a long time…

I bought a motor scooter that had been sold three times and the title never transferred… the person that had it before me only knew the person he bought it from died…

It was a hassle trying to find out the chain of ownership, but the funny thing was when I did track down the original owner it was someone I knew, and how I found out is while talking to him he said he had two of them just like it… it was a 1984 Honda the he sold 20 years before this…

[rondeb]

When did you buy this unit. How long has it been in your possession.

[Water-Bug]

ryhed wrote:

WTH, Don't they deal with this all day everyday?

I'm sure that they do, in exactly the same manner that they dealt with you. They probably have a procedures manual that instructs them to refer you to legal counsil. It wasn't a smart aleck remark.

[wny_pat1]

ryhed wrote:
WTH, Don't they deal with this all day everyday? As useless as a square tire!

You have a legal problem and you need a title from another state. They don't deal with someone losing a out of state title every day! They can only deal with matters controlled by the state they are located in. They are not allowed to give you legal advise. Only attorneys can give legal advice. Go see a attorney or find the person you purchased the 5th wheel from!

And remember the next time you go into a DMV office, who controls the results. You will get much further with honey than you will with vinegar.

[msmith1199]

doxiemom11 wrote:
We sold a car once, signed over the title to the purchaser. Two years later, we were approached by a gentleman we had never met that was now the 3rd or 4th purchaser since we had signed over the title. No one had ever transferred it to their own name. We, the original owners had to file for a duplicate title ( we needed the VIN # to do that, luckily we still had some paperwork) and then after we received the duplicate title, we had to sign it over to the current owner. That time we met at the DMV and made sure it was put into his name and not left in our name.

Doesn't your state have a release of liability form? In California if you sell a vehicle you fill out a release of liability form and you file it with DMV. That way if the new owner fails to complete the registration process it doesn't matter to you as the vehicle is out of your name.

[Popsie]

ryhed wrote:
I had the title, I am pretty sure it went through the wash machine. It is titled in IL. Its a 10 hr drive from where I am now. I have emailed and called owner til i'm blue in the face, he doesn't respond back. That link does not apply to me being that it has Il title and I need it transferred. It's parked in storage so i can't say its been abandoned on my property. I'll try to find someone at the dmv who can help me but I already know how they act, like C/O. I know this isn't the first time this has happened, just to me. At this point, I'll just pull it without a plate and pay the fines if I get caught, it's actually cheaper. I pulled my flatbed without a title or a plate for 3 years across many state lines and never once got pulled over.

Perhaps you could offer him money to help you out. That can work wonders.

[B_O__Plenty]

You buy a trailer, you get a title. You take the title to the DMV and have it transferred, right away. You lost it..don't blame the DMV it's not their fault. You need to work with the DMV in the State it's licensed in. If you can't find the seller there isn't much anyone can do for you. If it is a titled vehicle a Bill of Sale isn't usually recognized. Go see a lawyer...Good luck.

B.O.

[doxiemom11]

We sold a car once, signed over the title to the purchaser. Two years later, we were approached by a gentleman we had never met that was now the 3rd or 4th purchaser since we had signed over the title. No one had ever transferred it to their own name. We, the original owners had to file for a duplicate title ( we needed the VIN # to do that, luckily we still had some paperwork) and then after we received the duplicate title, we had to sign it over to the current owner. That time we met at the DMV and made sure it was put into his name and not left in our name.

[Roman_Duck]

In NY if you need a duplicate title, and if it hasn't been title in you name already, then all you need to do is go online to the dmv and apply for a replacement title in the previous owners name and pay the fee for new title. The only hitch is that the dmv can and only will mail it to the last registerd address that was on the title