I know some states automotive shops can claim abandonment to the DMV and have it retitled.
Need help obtaining title
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- #22
In PA I would need to declare it an abandoned vehicle on my property and file suit in common pleas court and get a court order awarding ownership. With a court order I can get a new title. I would need to provide evidence that reasonable notice of the court proceeding had been provided to the vehicle owner. I don't know if that means a letter or a newspaper ad.
I'm not really familiar with the court process so I am trying to avoid it.
It looks like GetNewTitle or Broadway is the easiest way to go. I was just trying to save a few hundred bucks but it's probably not worth it.
Don’t know if your state is the same as mine, but here is my story hope it helps you and others who get into this pastime of restoring old clunkers.
I bought an ’81 FJ40 on eBay from PO # 3, who bought from PO#2 who bought it from PO#1.
PO #1 is a frequent mud member on the 70 series site, I believe #2 is also a member but cant confirm.
Anyway when PO # 1 sold vehicle to PO #2 he signed the title, but PO #2 never signed his part. PO #2 kept the truck for very short period of time before selling the vehicle to PO # 3 who never signed the title until the day I met him.
The day I met PO# 3 to buy the truck he signed the title as both Buyer and then again on next line as Seller. The minute he signed as Seller on line 2, the title became “MUTILATED.”
So now begins “the rest of the story.”
I contacted PO# 1 to request a “duplicate title” and sign over to me as buyer. I assured him “I” would pay any back taxes, etc. but he refused to help me.
He lectured me on buying a vehicle, which really pissed me off !!! Especially since he is much younger than me and if I wanted to I should have robbed a bank in “his car.”
So be it, now starts rest of adventure. I contacted Maine-ly Titles from the Internet. The owner of the company explained to me how this works and I will summarize below.
1)You pay them $350 and send a limited Power of Attorney, bill of sale and insurance papers to Maine
2)He will “register” the vehicle in Maine as no title required in Maine.
3)He will mail you registration and tags for Maine and instruct you to take these to your local DMV.
4)Your local DMV lady will look at you strangely when you explain that any vehicle over 25 years old does not require a title to apply for a new title in your state. She will leave the room for at least 10 minutes but return later to verify that “you were right!”
5)You will now need to go up the stairs across the hall to the Sheriff’s office to get vehicle inspected. This is where I flubbed up. Vehicle must be in 100% operating condition. I like a dumb a$$ had proceeded to strip truck down to the frame. Barney at the Sheriff’s office refused to inspect the vehicle so now I’m scrambling to get vehicle in 100% operating condition by December 31st or else I have to start over.
6)Once inspected, go back downstairs to lady at DMV and apply for New Title and pay property tax. From what I understand Kentucky is now using a new appraisal system to charge sales tax on “antique” vehicles as too many people took advantage of the system using “Bill of Sale” with $1 as consideration. So be prepared to get hosed!
Hope this helps. Do as I say, don’t do as I do!
I bought an ’81 FJ40 on eBay from PO # 3, who bought from PO#2 who bought it from PO#1.
PO #1 is a frequent mud member on the 70 series site, I believe #2 is also a member but cant confirm.
Anyway when PO # 1 sold vehicle to PO #2 he signed the title, but PO #2 never signed his part. PO #2 kept the truck for very short period of time before selling the vehicle to PO # 3 who never signed the title until the day I met him.
The day I met PO# 3 to buy the truck he signed the title as both Buyer and then again on next line as Seller. The minute he signed as Seller on line 2, the title became “MUTILATED.”
So now begins “the rest of the story.”
I contacted PO# 1 to request a “duplicate title” and sign over to me as buyer. I assured him “I” would pay any back taxes, etc. but he refused to help me.
He lectured me on buying a vehicle, which really pissed me off !!! Especially since he is much younger than me and if I wanted to I should have robbed a bank in “his car.”
So be it, now starts rest of adventure. I contacted Maine-ly Titles from the Internet. The owner of the company explained to me how this works and I will summarize below.
1)You pay them $350 and send a limited Power of Attorney, bill of sale and insurance papers to Maine
2)He will “register” the vehicle in Maine as no title required in Maine.
3)He will mail you registration and tags for Maine and instruct you to take these to your local DMV.
4)Your local DMV lady will look at you strangely when you explain that any vehicle over 25 years old does not require a title to apply for a new title in your state. She will leave the room for at least 10 minutes but return later to verify that “you were right!”
5)You will now need to go up the stairs across the hall to the Sheriff’s office to get vehicle inspected. This is where I flubbed up. Vehicle must be in 100% operating condition. I like a dumb a$$ had proceeded to strip truck down to the frame. Barney at the Sheriff’s office refused to inspect the vehicle so now I’m scrambling to get vehicle in 100% operating condition by December 31st or else I have to start over.
6)Once inspected, go back downstairs to lady at DMV and apply for New Title and pay property tax. From what I understand Kentucky is now using a new appraisal system to charge sales tax on “antique” vehicles as too many people took advantage of the system using “Bill of Sale” with $1 as consideration. So be prepared to get hosed!
Hope this helps. Do as I say, don’t do as I do!
I don't know how other states handle it, but in SC they inspect the VIN # to make sure it matches the title. And yes they know to look at the front frame. If you do any kind of monkeying around you will be in deep trouble. I went the Broadway Title route and support them 100%. Unless you know for a fact that your state doesn't want to see the vehicle, I wouldn't do it. SC inspects all vehicles that are 15 years or older to ensure there is not any fraud going on.
Jeremy
Jeremy
- Thread starter
- #25
PA doesn't look at the vehicle during titling or registration, it could be on the other side of the world and they'd give you plates for it, as long as you have the correct papers. They do annual safety inspections at which time the mechanic is supposed to match the VIN on the car to the one on the registration papers, but they don't go searching for trouble and it's probably rarely checked. Anything registered as an antique does not require annual inspections.
