Camper title and registration.

[specta]

I bought my used Lance camper back in July 2019.

I spent about one month fixing things that needed fixing and replacing a lot of things to just make it a lot nicer.

Aug 22nd I went to the DMV and turned in the paperwork required to apply for a title and to register the camper.

The title application was three pages long plus they wanted pictures from all four sides, two of the interior plus I needed to have a LEO verify the vin # and sign one of the forms.

I was told they had to send it to Salt Lake City to the main office and as soon as they issued me a title I could register the camper. They told me 2-3 weeks to get the title.

About forty five days later I was told that I needed to file a complaint with the DMV Enforcement division against the dealer I purchased it from for not providing me with a title. :M

So I called the DMV and asked how could the dealer have supplied me with a title when they never had one and the previous owner never had one because Lance never issued the original owner a title campers just started getting titled in 2015. There never has been a title and that's why I applied for one. :h

To shorten the story after multiple phone conversations with the DMV and the investigator, who was on my side the title finally arrived yesterday. It only took them 147 days to get me my title.

So finally, today I went to the local DMV and paid my $10 annual registration fee to register my camper and get my 2020 camper registration and sticker.

So this little 3" X 3" sticker is what goes on the back of my camper for proof of registration and not a license plate.

I am now a happy camper. :B

[TenOC]

Remember that ALL government offices are not to help you quickly solve your problem but to keep themselves employed .

[specta]

As per Utah DMV,
"Campers– Every 2015 or newer camper registered in Utah must be titled. Model years of 2014 and older may obtain a title at owner’s request."
There was no fee for getting a title for my camper and in Utah only a $10 annual registration is required.
II just don't understand why it took 4 months to get.
The investigator said it was because it went to the wrong person in the beginning and that she was the problem.

I don't mind paying the $10 every year at all.

[Grit_dog]

Specta, unfortunately it seems state DMVs often have great trouble dealing with "out of the ordinary" situations.
Have had similar issues with boats, boat trailers, orvs, snow bikes, moving from state to state.
At least your reg is only $10, ours is more (not sure how much, as I refuse to title, pay tax and register used "cargo)".

[specta]

Fisher Bill wrote:
If we buy a rig outside of Oregon they also need to be inspected, the DMV people walk out to the parking lot and double check the numbers and that's pretty much it. Never took more than a couple of weeks so 147 days is quite the wait.

I had a LEO check the numbers to verify them and he also ran the vin # to see if it had ever been reported stolen or it there were any issues related to the vin #.

[specta]

Bedlam wrote:
It is important to have MSO/MCO from the manufacturer even if you don't have to title/register it in your state. Ever since states have required titles, manufacturers were responsible in creating these documents for their products. It may be that the original dealer or buyer threw those out?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturer%27s_Certificate_of_Origin

This was never brought up in any of my conversations with the DMV or the inspector.

I did have a bill of sale from the RV dealer. They couldn't understand what the problem was either.

The other camper I bought I didn't have that paper work either and I had my new title in about 3 weeks.

I think there's a few people at the DMV in Salt Lake that really don't know what's going on.

the camper was originally sold in Texas back in 1995. I have no idea if they were titled or not.

Utah did not start requiring titles for new campers until 2015.

[Fisher_Bill]

If we buy a rig outside of Oregon they also need to be inspected, the DMV people walk out to the parking lot and double check the numbers and that's pretty much it. Never took more than a couple of weeks so 147 days is quite the wait.

[specta]

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
Does, and if so, how, does that affect your ability to sell that camper in the future?
Just curious what another owner may go through, both in Utah, and out.

I now have a title to pass on if I sell mine.

I don't understand what the issue was. I bought a used camper back in 2016 and the local DMV issued me a registration and sticker the day I turned in my title application and they filed for my title that was later mailed to me.

Having the state issue me a title should have not been a problem.

The investigator had to go way up the ladder to people at the top to explain why the dealer didn't issue me one and why they should.

I hope I was the first and this wont happen to others.

[Bedlam]

It is important to have MSO/MCO from the manufacturer even if you don't have to title/register it in your state. Ever since states have required titles, manufacturers were responsible in creating these documents for their products. It may be that the original dealer or buyer threw those out?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturer%27s_Certificate_of_Origin

It will make a sale easier to someone that does and hopefully you get better resale at that time. In my state, the camper is titled and plated. The plate pays for public dump stations that do not have additional fees, so I am willing to pay the registration on the camper. It also exempts my truck from some commercial restrictions due to it's exclusive RV use. If they offered me nothing in exchange, I would be looking at a camper as cargo and pushing this as far as it had to go make a change.

I have gone through lost title and never registered vehicles in my state also. My experience mirrored yours except for the wait. If you have documentation like a MSO/MCO, you can get a title within a month. If the paper trail cannot be linked back through previous owners to the manufacturer, you get a provisional title for three years before you can request a permanent one. The amount of time I have to spend to do this with possibility the vehicle/camper is stolen and gets confiscated makes this type of buy only attractive to me at a bargain price. If the seller wants the sale that bad, he can do the foot work and get it titled so I can pay closer to market value.

[wanderingaimles]

Does, and if so, how, does that affect your ability to sell that camper in the future?
Just curious what another owner may go through, both in Utah, and out.