A recent purchase by my son in law, the 66 98 project car did not come with a title. Seller promised a transferrable registration however seems we wont be getting that. Are title companies that advertise a title for most anything for real or a waste of time and money? The car has not been registered in at least 20 years...

 

I have done a few titles my self but never a classic.

both I went to the dmv and asked what was needed most wanted pictures of the car and vin. Also needed a state certified safety inspector or officer for a vin inspection. Filled out the paper work and a short story how I got the car. 90 days later the dmv sent me a letter to go pay my fees and collect my title. This all depends on state to state requirements

I am currently getting ready to do a car that’s been off the road probably since the late 80’s

 

I have used them in the past but it is getting crazy expensive now. Vermont you can register get plates and everything yourself, you do not need to live there to do it. Then transfer over to your state. Check with your state first to see if they will recognize Vermont documents. I heard some states are on to Vermonts gig and are not allowing transactions. Not sure how a state can legally deny a transfer that has all the proper documents??? I argued this to my Massachusetts registry person. And they had nothing but a hassle to back themselves up before giving me plates/reg.
Good luck

 

Greetings - check the DMV website for the state in which you plan to title the vehicle. They likely have step-by-step procedures to follow.

I needed to get a Wisconsin title for a parts car I decided was too good to part-out. Their process was online, and very detailed (four pages!), but easy to follow.

Lastly, Wisconsin requires a 'Title Bond' or surety bond. If your state has a similar requirement, don't bother with on-line bonding companies . I wasted a lot of time googling this and that, and subsequent research.

In the end I called my independent insurance agent (who has all my policies) and she knew exactly what to do and how to do it!
A $5,000.00 bond was 100.00, and she provided all the paperwork I needed to satisfy the DMV.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.

 

I know you are in NJ. Where is he? NJ, NY, and MD are much easier to do than PA. My brothers have both done cars in PA but it took months for one and years for the other before they found a way that worked. Getting info from the state DMV is the best way to start. If you can't get any other info, I can ask my brother how he got a title for his corvair van. As for Vermont, it is not surprising when you go to transfer a Vermont title already in your name and current address to the same current address in the state you live in that the DMV will raise a few eyebrows. Most states shut the Vermont title co down years ago.

 

Every car site I’m on says: don’t buy a car without the title, unless it’s a parts car. And never put money into a car without the title in hand.
Good Luck

 

Yes that is good advice, but I like to put trust in people and like to take words as truth. Car was not expensive, a project for sure. I thought at the time there was a good chance no registration would be coming but this was a car guy, lots of cars, lots of conversation, an in person deal. We shook hands, promise made, deal was done. I stressed how important it was to have the document...no problem he said. And now seems like contact is done, not stressing it just a let down.

 

NJ absolutely sucks, the sticky point is they need to know the person you got the car from actually owned it. The guy we got the car from never really owned the car as he never registered it and he sat on it for at least 20 years letting it rot outside till now. So I can't prove I got the car from someone who had documents to prove he was the owner. So thats a dead end...

 

I think it’s just a lot of hoops to jump through is the main issue so that if it’s stolen lol he owner has a chance to get the car back. At the end of the day people buy cars and have hey sit and paper work is lost.
I also believe depending on state it can be more of a hassle compared to other states.

currently the car I am working on was purchased out of a junk yard 10 years ago sheriff of a small town did the Vin inspection and the dash plate around the vin was slid over covering the first two digits. Now the title he gave me from out of state is useless to me when I had my vin inspection here in Utah and the guy said hey the dash is missing two but the door isn’t it’s basically the same number. I looked and slid the plate over. Now I have to explain that to a non car person that hates their job lol

 

In Texas you can arrange a bonded title. Means you put up a security bond, car gets temporary registered in your name. After a certain length of time, if no one claims the auto it becomes yours. I don't know if you get the bond money back or not or what amount the bond is based on.

 

Generally, you are not putting up a cash bond. You are paying a fee for a third party company to issue the bond. The fee is based upon a percentage of the bond. That fee is earned by third party in return for taking the risk. That fee is not returned to you.

 

That's a bummer that the guy your son bought the car through never came up with the title.

Good luck.

 

Did he get a Bill of Sale?

 

The guy said he had a Bill of Sale but not given to us, he also said he had a registration but got lost or stolen. He said he could get a transferrable registration with the Bill of Sale and vin., now Crickets from him. I did not press the issue of the Bill of Sale as prior experience from NJ says it proves nothing as far as ownership or getting a title.

 

FYI: It's not a Vermont Title company, it's actually the State of Vermont DMV, who will issue a transferrable registration card (they don't title any car over I think it's 10 or 15 yrs old) and licence plates upon receipt by mail of a Bill of Sale, the vehicle value fee determined by them via a NADA-type book, and their downloadable form. This can be taken to most state DMVs and using the back of the reg. card can be used to apply for a title or reg in that state. I have houses in both Vermont and NY, have done this many times. The same procedure also applies to motorcycles.

 

Thanks all for the info.... as of now the line of communication with the seller is still open...he is in NY.... not to busy to take my cash, sell the car, or make empty promises, but too busy to go to the DMV so I will let this stew a while and see..

 

Sounds like time to buy a parts car with a title, and make your own luck.

 

If it comes to that....

 

I have titled a few trailers without companies, but no title company.

 

The situation you describe will work fine as you have addresses in both states. It is no different than if you have a home in a northern state and a vacation home in a southern state. You can transfer the vehicle with no issues as you have valid addresses in both states. I know I said Vermont title co in my post. I was referencing Broadway title co as well as others who do this or at least used to for people with no Vermont address. I believe Maine and a few other states with loose registration laws may have been used by these companies as well. These companies get you a title in your name from a state where you do not live, have never lived, and have no residence or address in. As 68442 said, most states with more stringent registration laws have caught on to these companies and will no longer accept them as a pathway to a valid title.

to Oldsmaniac, this would be an option if you know someone who lives in Maine, Vermont, etc. If they get a title from their state in their name under their address, then it could be transferred into NJ with no issues.

 

No, wrong, you do NOT need addresses in both states. I use my NY address exclusively, mail everything from here, receive a VT registration with my NY address on it, and the new plate as well at my NY address though return US mail. I know people in PA and NJ who've done the same thing. I currently run VT plates on my '69 Cutlass, and recently sold a '76 XS650 Yama that I bought out of PA with no title, just Bill of Sale, got a VT reg for it with my NY address, then sold it to a guy who subsequently registered it in NY. I can scan my '68 Chevy Impala or '69 Olds's VT reg card to show my NY address on them if you want proof.

Go online to the VT DMV and look up their protocol. There are no private title companies involved and VT DMV doesn't care where you live, they just want the fees. I've even seen wrrite-ups on this procedure in vintage car magazines. As for states not accepting it, you will receive a legitimate VT transferrable registration that's just as usable as if you'd moved to that state, there's no reason it wouldn't be accepted, otherwise please provide proof of your statement, not hearsay anecdotes.

 

Not looking to get in a war. Registering a car in NY or VT is not like registering a car IN PA. DMV regulations are crazy here, you cannot even get a title for a car that currently has a PA title but was signed off by a previous owner to the current owner (must go into Harrisburg with notarized signatures and copies of each persons license each time). As far as out of state transfers, PA has different rules for different states. Some like OH require a notarized signature and ID from the seller, other in coming titles from states like MD only require the title and a bill of sale from the seller. Reading your post, it sounds like you are describing people who live in PA or NJ and drive their cars on VT tags. Not the same thing as getting a VT registration in order to get a title in their actual state. BTW the people running around with VT plates on their cars who do not live in VT are almost certainly not following the DMV guidelines from their state as almost every state has rules for the amount of time you may drive a vehicle before it must be registered to its primary address (this is like having a daily driver with antique plates, it is unlikely to get noticed, but if a cop sees it and decides to make an issue it will become a problem). Again, selling the car to someone else is no problem as you are not transferring a VT registration currently in your name to your name in another state. The VT process may still work in NJ (not sure) but in many states it does not as they begin to realize what is going on. My local notary has told me the VT process along with NH and others. will no longer work to get a PA title. This process did still work as recently as a few years ago and if you find the right notary they might still be able to (or try to) slip it through but it is a gamble as once you try, you will most likely be out of luck permanently if it does not go through (VIN will be on record in PA at that point). Broadway title co and others did this: They got you a title in your name from another state. True notary transfer states like PA, OH, and IN are the hardest to get a clear title if the car does not have one (missing or even just signed off). I thought NJ was a little easier, but according to the OP it does not sound that way. As an example:

This does bring up an interesting point though. Because the OP is trying to help his son-in-law get a title, he could use the VT process to get a registration in his name and then sell the car to his son-in-law. This might be the best option.

 

I know what you're saying about PA, they have ridiculous requirements, the notary thing for one. We lived in Abbottsown outside of York/Hanover for a while and was glad to move to NY, here they will honor a VT reg, we just did it last Spring and in general NY's DMV is better than PA's. It's entirely possible PA wouldn't honor the VT process knowing that state. They have stupid liquor laws too. I know MD will do the VT thing as we're originally from there and have friends who've done it. I'd be nice if there were universal standards to avoid all this hassle but at least for now most? states will honor a VT transferrable reg card. For vintage cars regulations should be loosened as many have lost titles and it can become a real PITA. However for a good deal it's one way to pick up a car for less if you can figure out a way to negotiate all the title crap.

 

Just an update, the seller was just stringing me along, there will be no transferable registration coming for the 98. The guy is a dirtbag. got that feeling from the start from him. So now I need to find a direction. If someone can assist from an "easy Title state" please PM me. Willing to compensate. Thanks

 

in a word Alabama
Roll Tide

 

Go to the VT DMV website then proceed.

 

NO WAY!

Sorry to hear that the guy was a dirt bag. I think what Fleming said earlier might be your easiest course of action.

Good luck, keep us updated.

 

Do it your self, a buddy did his own on a vehicle from Nevada.

 

Thanks but seems this popped up when I went to the website. Must be a Vermont resident. A Vermont resident may apply at any time to the Commissioner to obtain an “exempt vehicle title” for a vehicle that is more than 15 years old.

Issuance of Exempt Vehicle Title upon Request

DMV will issue an exempt vehicle title if the following criteria are met:

• The applicant pays the applicable fee
• The applicant is the owner of the vehicle
• The applicant is a Vermont resident
• The vehicle is not subject to any liens or encumbrances

 

You don't need an exempt title, just a transferrable registration. I just did it last summer with my NY address.

 

There are several title companies that advertise in Auto Round Up a small digest that comes out of West Virginia. Believe it’s still around.
Anyway called Broadway on a ‘53 Pontiac that I could have gotten cheap. They didn’t give too many details about their “process” but said it would be $500.

 

I assume he never owned the car in his name in NY, thought he had a copy of the transferable registration in the previous owner's name, but now he can't find it?

It's difficult but not impossible here in NY for him to get a new transferable registration. I've done it on a couple non title required jet skis that had no paperwork and they work the same way.
The directions are here:
https://dmv.ny.gov/registration/proo...-not-available

I also did it on a car I purchased that was previously titled in NJ, signed by some previous owner, and then passed through a few hands before it arrived with the person I bought it from.

NYSDMV is difficult but not impossible. Different branches also deliver vastly different results.

I know none of this matters if the seller won't cooperate......

 

Yes exactly, so he got picts of the vin and said I have done this before, should not be an issue to get a registration... now he says don't bother him anymore he is not going to get us a registration. Quite the change of tune when I said look, offering you your full price but I NEED paperwork and don't need a parts car. He agreed and we shook on it. And yeah the registration he had was "stolen" and not in his name.... and maybe 20 years have passed... But we will get something... possibilities exist for us.

 

Unless you have a bill of sale that says “for parts”, in NY the seller is legally required to give you clear title. If you sue him he will lose. If he could produce the transferable registration, even if it wasn’t in his name, it would make the process much easier.

 

Unless you have already done so, get a law enforcement officer to run the VIN on the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). If it is a stolen vehicle, you will need verification of transfer of ownership from the current owner wherever he or it may be. (That search may also reveal the identity of the current owner of record.)

The reason for doing for this now is to mitigate your damages. If the vehicle is stolen, you cannot magically obtain ownership by going through a title company or the title process in any state--- even if they issue a title document. As soon as it is discovered that vehicle is stolen, you will lose the vehicle and run the risk of being charged with possession of stolen property. Stated differently, if the vehicle is stolen, you cannot elevate your status to a BFP by going through any of the title maneuvers discussed in this thread.

Just to give you an illustration. Suppose you get a title because the vehicle's status as a stolen vehicle is not picked up during the process. Thereafter, a number of years pass during which time you have invested a lot of money and time in the vehicle. Then, comes a routine traffic stop and the officer runs your VIN, which many can do from their cruiser. No, it is not a car that you own. You are still in possession of a stolen vehicle, even though it is under color of title.

 

Joe, I used Bryan Shook at https://vintagecarlaw.com/index.html to get a title for the black 442.
He was honest and straightforward and got the job done.
You might want to email or call him.

 

Thanks for the info, any updates on your project?

 

Slow and steady on the black 442. Had some other issues pop up on my Red Convertible - needed a new top, transmission rebuild, plus my son’s cars having issues: GMC Sierra needed new fuel lines, his VW Jetta needed a new clutch. We have been busy this Fall.

 

My dad had a similar situation with a 1950 Plymouth he bought online from someone in California. When the car arrived in North Carolina, there was a California "pink slip" showing the engine number instead of the chassis number, which is what it was supposed to have. Unfortunately, there had been an engine swap along the way so the engine physically in the car had a different number than what was showing on the pink slip, so NCDMV refused to issue a title or registration. At their suggestion, Dad had a state trooper come out to examine the car and paperwork and assign the car a replacement VIN number as though it was a custom or kit built car. For whatever reason, this still wouldn't satisfy NCDMV but Dad was able to register the car in South Carolina, using his brother's Charleston address, and then use the South Carolina title to register it in North Carolina.

 

It took 3 weeks and $329.
The paper work is a little complicated but I did it so it can't be that hard.
-peter