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.

[Peg_Leg]

Woe is you. Dealing with DMV people that just don't care is a pain in, well you already know what I mean.

My Dad moved from IN to KY and lost his drivers license. KY wouldn't issue his a license with out his IN license. IN wouldn't issue him a duplicate license since he didn't live in IN anymore.

So he just drove for 15 yrs without a license. Then they started having road blocks and such around the county. He got a KY beginners permit and then had to take a driving exam. I did offer to ride to town with him one day so he would be legally driving with a licensed adult in the front seat, least I could do since he did it for me. All of this started in 1967. So it seems the DMV hasn't improved in over 45 yrs no matter what state you in.

[Quick_trip]

If it has a license plate on it from the state that you bought it from, can't you use the plate in that state to help you find the original owner?
DMV in that state should be able to trace it!
Good Luck & Drive Safe!

[tbred]

Campfire Time wrote:
You're just going to keep going round and round until you get that title. Keep in mind that the seller is under no obligation to provide a duplicate title. And neither is the state of IL.

Send a certified letter with a return receipt to the seller so you know they actually received your request. Kindly explain the situation. Make sure to offer to pay them both for the copy of the title (in WI there is a fee for a duplicate title), and their time. And don't be chintzy about your offer. $50-$100 may motivate them to help you out.

And be prepared to take some time off and make the 10 hour drive to get that title. I wish you the best on this and hope it all works out.

This is correct, no sense in going to Illinois- they won't do anything for you either. Without a title for all they know it could be stolen. Keep trying to contact previous owner, by mail, phone, whatever means. Without title (at least in Il.) your new 5th is no better than a paperweight (sorry to say) And I agree with Campfire Time, make it well worth their time to apply for the duplicate title!

[msmith1199]

ryhed wrote:
Thats what I thought. I'm on the opposite side of the state right now so I can't do anything right now. I just thought that the answer given was unacceptable from a professional standpoint. they put the website there with the specific email address for asking questions in that field. I paint for a living, if you ask me about paint and I am the paint rep, I don't send you to a blacksmith for answers. Thanks all for your wisdom. I get much more solid answers here than the dmv.

They answered your question. There is nothing they can do so they advised you to seek legal help. I can't understand why you think your mistake is their fault?

[Campfire_Time]

You're just going to keep going round and round until you get that title. Keep in mind that the seller is under no obligation to provide a duplicate title. And neither is the state of IL.

Send a certified letter with a return receipt to the seller so you know they actually received your request. Kindly explain the situation. Make sure to offer to pay them both for the copy of the title (in WI there is a fee for a duplicate title), and their time. And don't be chintzy about your offer. $50-$100 may motivate them to help you out.

And be prepared to take some time off and make the 10 hour drive to get that title. I wish you the best on this and hope it all works out.

[ryhed]

Thats what I thought. I'm on the opposite side of the state right now so I can't do anything right now. I just thought that the answer given was unacceptable from a professional standpoint. they put the website there with the specific email address for asking questions in that field. I paint for a living, if you ask me about paint and I am the paint rep, I don't send you to a blacksmith for answers. Thanks all for your wisdom. I get much more solid answers here than the dmv.

[lbrjet]

As the last 2 posters said IL is your only hope. MO can't help you.

[mich800]

I think you are dealing with the wrong DMV. You should be calling IL for help. I don't know what MO could do to help.

Just re-read your OP. So the IL DMV also told you to pound sand. I guess your option is to apply some pressure to the seller. Maybe inform them it is still in their name and potentially a liability if someone gets hurt from this uninsured vehicle.

[Francesca_Knowl]

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.

I don't think you understand what you're asking them to do. If States routinely transferred Title based only on a "Bill of Sale", nobody would ever get a stolen car back!

You have a vehicle that's titled in another State. Lacking the proper paperwork, your State can't do ANYTHING with such a vehicle.

Your best bet is probably to contact the State of Illinois, since they're the Title-holder-of record for the rig. Ask THEM how to replace the lost Title.

I don't know about Illinois, but here in Washington there's a form on the back of Titles that's to be filled out by the seller and sent to the State when a vehicle is sold. This serves to release the seller from any liability for the vehicle and also notifies the State as to who the vehicle went to. I for one waste no time sending that paper in when I sell something- I want to be out of that legal picture ASAP. With any luck, Illinois may have some similar provision, which may track back to the seller/transaction.

Good luck!

[Broken_Oak]

I'm not familiar with Il. laws or MO. laws.
Here all we need in a VIN# and our Insurance people can tell us everything about the vehicle, except what we paid for it.

Also, a "Bill of Sale" helps us get the wheels moving (should be the same with you). We just sold a TT and that's all the other Mrs. needed to get insurance.

There's something not right at the DMV. Get on line and do some investigating of your own. Usually a squeaking wheel gets oiled just to get rid of the noise. Good Luck!

[nevadanick]

In a few states you have to send a registered letter to the last known adress requesting that they get a duplicate for you. When its retuned you take the unopened letter to dmv and they open it and start the process from there. Ask about this in your state.

[ryhed]

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.

[ryhed]

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.

[msmith1199]

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.

[goducks10]

Have you tried this route?
http://dor.mo.gov/motorv/titlerep.php