Trailer, but no title.

[grahamsy2k]

Trailer, but no title/ Let's talk Personal Water Craft

I recently bought a jet ski and it came with a trailer that the guy never titled in his name and didn't have the title.

What is the easiest way to get a title in Indiana.

 

[femurphy77]

Not to be snarky but you'd be money and time ahead to just buy a trailer with a title. I looked into titling a car that I've owned for over 20 years but purchased sans title (racecar project) and the hoops they make you jump thru are ridiculous to the point of intentionally discouraging these activities. YMMV.

 

[eldirector]

Get the inspection form:
https://forms.in.gov/Download.aspx?id=4998

Call your local LEO and ask them to come out and inspect the trailer and complete the form.

Take form to BMV to get title and registration. Can't remember the costs, but should be well under $100 total for everything.

 

[1mil-high]

You will need to go to the BMV and get a packet of papers that will require an inspection of the trailer as well as forms to possibly assign an "MVIN" if the current VIN doesn't meet their requirements

 

[femurphy77]

Get the inspection form:
https://forms.in.gov/Download.aspx?id=4998

Call your local LEO and ask them to come out and inspect the trailer and complete the form.

Take form to BMV to get title and registration. Can't remember the costs, but should be well under $100 total for everything.

You will need to go to the BMV and get a packet of papers that will require an inspection of the trailer as well as forms to possibly assign an "MVIN" if the current VIN doesn't meet their requirements

Does this work for a trailer that has been registered and titled in the past as well? I'm guessing if it has been titled and registered you'll have to track down the last titled owner and build the paper trail back to the current "owner" of the trailer.

 

[Mgderf]

Weld a few extra tie-downs and brackets here and there covering the old VIN. Paint.
Then contact local LEO as described above.
Tell them you need inspection and VIN for a home-made trailer.

I did this for an actual home-made trailer some 10 years ago.
Inspection is a piece of cake.
BMV will issue a new VIN that you will be required to permanently affix to the trailer.
I stamped my number on a copper plate and riveted it to the frame.

I think the entire process was less than $50.

 

[Leadeye]

Can't add anything to the advice already given.

 

[CampingJosh]

Weld a few extra tie-downs and brackets here and there covering the old VIN. Paint.
Then contact local LEO as described above.
Tell them you need inspection and VIN for a home-made trailer.

I did this for an actual home-made trailer some 10 years ago.
Inspection is a piece of cake.
BMV will issue a new VIN that you will be required to permanently affix to the trailer.
I stamped my number on a copper plate and riveted it to the frame.

I think the entire process was less than $50.

This advice points you to committing a felony.
https://www.justice.gov/usam/crimin...removing-motor-vehicle-identification-numbers

You're better off just buying a different trailer. Trailers without a title in Indiana are basically only usable around the farm, as it's nearly impossible to get a new title if the previous title was not issued to you.

 

[Alamo]

Do you actually need a title? In some states if the gross weight of the trailer and its cargo are under a certain weight (around 4000-5000 lbs for the ones I know about) they are not required to have a title, so many don't. They can still be registered and plated, but no title is needed.

 

[CampingJosh]

Do you actually need a title? In some states if the gross weight of the trailer and its cargo are under a certain weight (around 4000-5000 lbs for the ones I know about) they are not required to have a title, so many don't. They can still be registered and plated, but no title is needed.

Looking at this user's location, I have a feeling we're going to hear from Kirk.

 

[amboy49]

I would like to hear what the OP experiences when he tries to title and register the trailer. Unless a couple of friends of mine experienced something out of the ordinary, they each spent almost a12 months trying to get a boat and trailer titled. The BMV will give you the paperwork, but as with most of my experiences with the BMV, they overly complicate things as much as possible thereafter. I can’t give a specific chronology, but from the anecdotes my friends related, they’d have been better off buying something new that came with a COO.

 

[grahamsy2k]

Update...
Thanks for all the replies.
To no ones surprise, I've been to the BMV twice about this issue and have gotten two different answers.

First is Apply for VIN, have LEO check, get court order, send to Indy, etc. (The long way)

The second way, which I got from a supervisor, was simply submit an official bill of sale and have LEO check VIN. (I'm really hoping it is this way)

Will update as soon as I find out more.

 

[femurphy77]

Update...
Thanks for all the replies.
To no ones surprise, I've been to the BMV twice about this issue and have gotten two different answers.

First is Apply for VIN, have LEO check, get court order, send to Indy, etc. (The long way)

The second way, which I got from a supervisor, was simply submit an official bill of sale and have LEO check VIN. (I'm really hoping it is this way)

Will update as soon as I find out more.

Hopefully this works for you but as you noted it depends on who you talk to at the BMV. My daughter bought a car from an owner who had lost the title, she was told the same thing, bill of sale, vin check, Voila! Title.


No.

Seller had to apply for lost title then sign it over to her. Last I heard she was still waiting on the title for over a year but had managed to sucker some trailer trash into buying it from her. Pity whoever last titled and registered it if it's involved in any illegal activities!

 

[Kernal1984]

I recently went through this with a trailer purchased as part of lot of equipment at an auction in Georgia. I had a good paper trail, clean Indiana and Georgia vin check and had to have a court order to be issued a title. Took about 3 months and actually had to go to court and present my paper trail to a judge.

Not worth the hassle for for me to ever buy a trailer without a title again, and I think the cost was around $150 by the time I paid the bmv and the court fees then add the day I had to take off work for court.

You used to be able to do the homemade route but now the bmv requires receipts for materials, you can’t just say uncle joe had these trailer parts on the farm anymore at the branches I’ve dealt with.

 

[indiucky]

Never seems to bother these guys....

 

[femurphy77]

Never seems to bother these guys....

Need anybody say any more?



Well except that right about now a HOT redhead would sure perk up the thread!

 

[Bigtanker]

Need anybody say any more?



Well except that right about now a HOT redhead would sure perk up the thread!

Ask and you shall receive.

 

[grahamsy2k]

Update...

The long and hard route is the only way to please the Crown.

Luckily for me, the guy who I got it off of has another trailer he is willing to swap with me. Not as nice, but it will do.

Can we turn this into a PWC thread now?

 

[femurphy77]

Ask and you shall receive.

I'm not judging!!

 

[femurphy77]

Update...

The long and hard route is the only way to please the Crown.

Luckily for me, the guy who I got it off of has another trailer he is willing to swap with me. Not as nice, but it will do.

Can we turn this into a PWC thread now?

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