Title or no title ? Safe..

[Buffres]

I’ve lived in title states, no title states, and states where the county judge has the power to issue a (lost or vin error) title. But I would never buy without a valid title for the following:

1) you don’t know the prior history of the trailer

2) you may, at some point, end up in a “title state “

3) if you decide to sell or trade at some point without a title it may be a hard sell to other buyers

Just tell the current owner to obtain a title before you’ll buy. If it’s a good deal sweeten the pot if they will. If they refuse that’s a red flag to me

Good luck

[computerspook]

This is very dependent on the state. So I would try and ask local friends about this.



The first question is if the trailer was bought with a title and the guy lost it. IN almost all cases a lost title is not hard to deal with. Just a simple fee. If it never had a title you may be OK. But your local authorities can tell you that. If it has been bought and sold without a title, probably need to find a different unit.


People in your state and the police in your state are the best source of information.

[Roamer]

Trailer titles are $10-$20 where I live. If the seller can not manage to get a title, or is too lazy then it maybe will not be able to be titled, and the owner is also too lazy to have done the most basic of maintenance ever.
Call your DMV or tag office (where you pay for your car tags) and they will tell you how to title a no-title trailer, or if they can.
I had a friend give me an old vehicle, no title, no receipt, from other side of the country, and I went to tag it and all they needed was a receipt. I went out, scribbled something on paper, and told her I found it. She laughed, knowing what I just did, but she asked for a receipt and I gave her one. Sometimes it is just that easy on old stuff.

[WDavidG]

Originally Posted by Roamer

If the seller can not manage to get a title, or is too lazy then it maybe will not be able to be titled, and the owner is also too lazy to have done the most basic of maintenance ever.
.

The Vermont DMV statement on titles includes the following:


The State of Vermont does NOT issue titles for the following:

• Motorcycles with engine size smaller than 300 cc’s
• Tractors with a loaded weight of 6,099 lbs. or less
• Trailers with an empty weight of 1,500 lbs. or less

The all-caps emphasis in "NOT" is theirs, not mine. And, for a trailer above 1500 lbs, the Vermont DMV spells out a straight-forward procedure for obtaining a Vermont title if it is brought into the state without a previous title.



There may some lazy elements in my life, but no level of ambition or energetic persistence will gain me a title... though I suppose some would argue that living in no-title Vermont is in itself a sign of laziness. Regardless, I can assure you that lack of a title has in no way inhibited the level of maintenance my scamp receives. Moot points since she isn't for sale.

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by Roamer

Trailer titles are $10-$20 where I live. If the seller can not manage to get a title, or is too lazy then it maybe will not be able to be titled, and the owner is also too lazy to have done the most basic of maintenance ever.
Call your DMV or tag office (where you pay for your car tags) and they will tell you how to title a no-title trailer, or if they can.
I had a friend give me an old vehicle, no title, no receipt, from other side of the country, and I went to tag it and all they needed was a receipt. I went out, scribbled something on paper, and told her I found it. She laughed, knowing what I just did, but she asked for a receipt and I gave her one. Sometimes it is just that easy on old stuff.

There are a number of tricks like this. ;-)


As long as the VIN is not in some database like stolen you are good. BUT!!!! Most people don't know this. I have pointed out to a number of friends that if they lost their title in indiana all they have to do is go to the BMV do some paperwork (some of which is sworn under penalty of perjury) and pay a small fee.

I would find out the procedure in your state. Usually your BMV (or what every the name is) will actually have a piece of paper with this listed on it. Give that to the guy and tell him you are interested in it if he can get a title, and then hand it to him and tell him here is information on how to do that.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by WDavidG

T...
The State of Vermont does NOT issue titles for the following:
...Trailers with an empty weight of 1,500 lbs. or less
...

So if the buyer wants a VT title to make sure he can get it titled in NC with no issues (as I would do), then, as a condition of sale, ask the seller to obtain a VT title claiming a weight of 1501 lbs.

Then if the seller refuses, its might be time to find another camper. Or I suggested before, take a copy of the paperwork to a NC DMV office an make sure they will issue a NC title for the untitled trailer before buying the camper.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by gordon2

So if the buyer wants a VT title to make sure he can get it titled in NC with no issues (as I would do), then, as a condition of sale, ask the seller to obtain a VT title claiming a weight of 1501 lbs.

Then if the seller refuses, its might be time to find another camper. Or I suggested before, take a copy of the paperwork to a NC DMV office an make sure they will issue a NC title for the untitled trailer before buying the camper.

If I were the seller, I'd just sell it to one of the 20 other folks that have called since I posted it yesterday.

[Steve Carlson]

Originally Posted by sharon_b

I ran across the same thing when I was shopping. A VA state trooper I talked to said no title usually means it’s hot. If you were to buy it & park it permanently like at a trailer park, you might be ok. But if you got pulled over at any time moving it, they would see that it was stolen & take your trailer. your money and trailer are both gone.
He suggested offering to pay the seller the DMV fees to get it retitled. If they truly lost the title, they’ll do it, knowing they got a buyer waiting. Even if you don’t buy it, they’ll be ready for the next buyer. If they balk, RUN!

True, but Virginia does title trailers (mine came from Virginia with a title), many states do not. My previous camper came from Wisconsin which does not title trailers under 3000 pounds. Whereas Minnesota does only IF they are a trailer that people sleep in. So I had to get a new title made in Minnesota, which they readily did after looking up the Wisconsin rules and verifying it wasn't required to be titled in Wisconsin.

Bottom line, you'll have to check the state regs for your state and the state you are buying in.