I bought a boat and trailer a few weeks ago and want to sell the trailer. The seller says he never had a title for the trailer and registered it off of the registration. It has a current registration and tag. The registration has a title # so one would think that I need a title to sell it. Looking to save 3-4 trips to the DMV to get this worked out so what do I need to do to sell this?

1. Can I sell it off of the registration?
2. Is this going to be more trouble than its worth?

10/8/2007 8:09:25 PM

whose name is the registration in? i've never heard of anyone doing that, but it may be possible. boats/trailers are different and easier to deal with than autos.

unlike cars, trailers are relatively easy to get new titles for. it is also perfectly acceptable to sell them without titles, and bills of sale are considered legal proof of ownership (also unlike cars).

if you really want a title for it, the easiest thing to do is going to be have it titled as a homebuilt. remove any of the manufacturers stamps, numbers, etc. if there are any. call the dmv, tell them what you want to do, and they'll give you a number. you stamp, mig weld, rivet on a tag, or whatever with the number. take it to the dmv, and an inspector will check it out then you get a new title.

personally, i wouldn't worry about it. iirc, it's a pretty small boat/trailer, right? most people don't bother with titles for smaller trailers in my experience. i've got two utility trailers and one waverunner trailer that i've never bothered to title or register and never had any issue. i do have my car hauler titled, registered, and a lifetime tag though.

[Edited on October 8, 2007 at 8:23 PM. Reason : .]

10/8/2007 8:18:54 PM

Go to DMv, say you built it, they issue you a #. Then you place # on the trailer and have it inspected, either by a DMV person or any SHP officer. Then you get the registerable title.

10/8/2007 8:30:05 PM

The registration is in the previous owners name,I dont have a bill of sale but could get one, I dont want to get a title for it as I allready have it sold and dont want to spend any more money on it than I have to. The buyer is really up on having a title for it or I wouldnt bother.
So I can sell it on a bill of sale and not have to ever have my name on it? That would be the answer I am looking for.

10/8/2007 8:34:38 PM

You dont even need that. Just tell him what I told you.

It is what I am doing with my boat trailer, I have the #s on it, I am just waiting to get pulled by a trooper

10/8/2007 8:37:17 PM

^^yeah, a bill of sale is legal for trailers, boats, atv's, etc. useless for autos though. i think the dmv website even has a bill of sale form you can use. if he's that hard up about it, get the bill of sale notarized too. it's more than legal then. if he wants a title after that, then he can go through the process we outlined above.

the previous owner must be lieing about never having a title. there's no way that i'm aware of to get something registered/tagged without one. i'm not 100% since trailers are different than cars, but i'd be really surprised if that was the case. sounds like he probably just lost it.

10/8/2007 9:05:34 PM

Thanks homies

10/8/2007 9:51:07 PM

the registered owner can also fill out a statement of lost title and get it notarized and its just as good as a title, thats what i did on the last one

10/8/2007 9:56:43 PM

Thats what I have done in the past....never messed with a trailer before. Thanks for all the help fellas

10/8/2007 9:59:54 PM