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. :MSo 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. :hTo 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Camper title and registration. | Good Sam Community

sonuvabug
Explorer
Jan 23, 2020
This has to be a first for Ontario Canada. Although my TC has a 17 digit V.I.N., when I went to our Registration Office, they told me it was not necessary to register a TC in Ontario, therefore no fees and no taxes payable on the transaction. Now for us ... that is a first!
stumper92
Explorer
Jan 23, 2020
In my state they wouldn't even know where to begin with titling a truck camper. All I received from the dealer was a bill of sale. We pay no registration fees or property taxes on a truck camper. It is simply considered to be cargo.
specta
Explorer
Jan 19, 2020
Just a sticker for mine and the plate stays on the truck.
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Jan 19, 2020
I bought my camper in Montana where know title is required...All I had was the bill of sale to take to the Idaho dmv...They did a Vin check right outside the building and issued a title for the first time for this truck camper..

In Idaho truck campers never had to have a title prior to 2009 then after everything had to be titled..The prior to 2009 truck campers were grandfathered in not needing a title until you sell it then the new owner has to title it..They just want there sales tax which Montana doesn't do...

No plates,just an RV sticker..Truck plates go on the rear of the truck camper if the camper hangs over covering the plates..
specta
Explorer
Jan 19, 2020
ryoung wrote:

Had I not had the original certificate I would have had to go through the same fiasco that you did.

ryoung

We need a like button.

I live in Utah and the camper was originally sold in Texas.

When the ran the serial number nothing came up so it never had been titled or licensed.

I got my title so now I'm happy. :B

I just feel sorry for the next guy.
ryoung
Explorer
Jan 19, 2020
As I understand it, a manufacturers Certificate of Origin is a document used to obtain the first title for a TC. Manufacturers of TC's do not assign a VIN. Instead they assign a unique serial number and attach it to the unit. This number is included on the certificate of origin that is given to the selling dealer.

If the dealer sells it to someone who lives in a state that requires a title, (there are only 8 states), the dealer will use the certificate of origin to apply for the title.

If a buyer lives in a state that does not require a title, the dealer will (should) pass the certificate of origin on to the buyer, reminding him that is should be kept as proof of purchase. This can then be substituted as a title if later sold.

As an example in 2004 I bought, a TC when I lived in Indiana, which does not require titling or registration. Ten years later I took the camper to Oregon and put it on consignment with a dealer.
Luckily I had kept the original Certificate of Origin as it was accepted by the dealer as proof of ownership just like a title.

Had I not had the original certificate I would have had to go through the same fiasco that you did.

ryoung
specta
Explorer
Jan 18, 2020
ryoung wrote:
Did you buy the camper from a private seller? I'm curious as to why the seller could not supply you with a title or a Certificate of Origin?

ryoung

I bought it from a dealer. I have no idea how many times its changed hands.

The selling dealer nor the DMV ever mentioned a certificate or origin.

This thread is the first time I have ever heard of one.
ryoung
Explorer
Jan 18, 2020
Did you buy the camper from a private seller? I'm curious as to why the seller could not supply you with a title or a Certificate of Origin?

ryoung
specta
Explorer
Jan 18, 2020
srschang wrote:
What's the advantage of having your truck camper titled? Or is it just another revenue stream for the state? If that's it, I'm amazed New York hasn't required it yet.

I like having proof of ownership. Its not required and there was no cost involved in getting one.
specta
Explorer
Jan 18, 2020
S Davis wrote:
Washington will not do anything without a MSO, I just bought a new truck in Idaho and waited for my paperwork to arrive. After three weeks I went down to DMV to get the registration done and they said no paperand had arrived, I called the dealer and was informed that UPS had a delivery exception.
The UPS truck had crashed the trailer burned and the paperwork had been destroyed, it took them two months to figure out how to get a replacement MSO from the manufacturer. I had a temporary in the window for three months before I got my plates.

That sounds like a nightmare.

What are the odds of that UPS truck crashing and burning up?

Forum Discussion

Camper title and registration.

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Truck Camper Registration

REGISTRATION FEE'S

Lost Title

Rebuild Title?

Title