Registration woes?

[Corey Dean]

Hey guys, I recently purchased a '74 Charger from another state. The person who sold me the car never registered it in his name when he bought it a couple years ago. I did not realize this until I had the car shipped to me and received the title and saw the previous owner signed the title over to my seller in 2009. I have no idea why he never did. I'd speculate, he never registered it as it needs restored and was going to be in storage. In which case, he never got around to restoring it, lost interest and eventually decided to sell it. Now I have a title that was signed over two years ago to my seller and he never registered it.

I may be off, but I'm concerned that when I go down to the courthouse next week, this could present a problem. Anyone else have this happen to them? What kind of hassle, if any can I expect when I try and register it? Looking for some advice or knowledge. Thanks guys.

p.s. I was able to google the previous previous owner and am 100% sure I found her. An older lady who passed away recently.

[68X426]

I had no problem in my case (California) with a seven year gap for registration, and previously out of state vehicle. You didn't say what states you're involved with, it all depends on your DMV and state laws.

The method in California is to have a CHP officer inspect the car, the VIN, and the title documents and then sign off with the DMV. It worked out fine.

Good luck. 

[69charger2002]

It depends on your state. Here in louisiana it would be a problem. if it's open, it doesn't matter where it came from, but once that buyer part is signed, and it's not you, then it's considered a double transfer. Here thats especially bad because louisiana would also enforce penalties based on the date on the back of the title.. You only have 30 days to register/transfer a car title. You basically have to pay THEIR taxes, and then YOURS, thus the double transfer. If you can put $100 on a bill of sale then you're ok. Here they use nada book value, which if you've ever looked, is way high in regards to actual value on a charger. Figure in our 9% tax rate and then double it, and you could see quickly why it would be a HUGE problem.It  would cost over $1000-2000 here to get a title like that straightened out. Hopefully it's easier where you are.

You can't get the original owner to get a duplicate title for you either if she is deceased. The easiest thing would be for the person you got it from to get the title transferred and then send you the title in their name. They legaly should have done this before selling it to you. Most likely they didn't not because they were planning on restoring it, but because they didn't want to have to pay the fees/taxes and now they stuck you with it. IF You decide to try to get the person you got it from to help out...
1. Make SURE you have a notorized bill of sale from that person before mailing them back the title, or you could get hosed(he could transfer the title and then come looking for HIS car...)
2. More than likely the previous seller won't help you because they don't want to deal with the hassle and expense of transferring it into their name first. It would have been better if you had realized/made the seller correct this before you took possession 2 years ago. Hopefully your state is easier than mine. Good luck

[stripedelete]

I am assuming when you say register you mean transfer the title.  And I assume you have a signed, but not registered title, from the old lady.  If this is the case and you transferred the title to your name you from the old lady you would be "jumping title" which is a no-no, but it happens all the time.

Where you may have an issue with is the the out of state part.  Your state may want to see a bill-of-sale.
If they don't need it notarized,  fake one.  If they do, you may have notary to help you out.  But it will have to be from the originating state.  I transferred one once with a notary date years later than the date the title was signed over and it went just fine.   Just tell them you had to go back and get it done later as per the states regulations.

It's also possible that the guy that jumped title could transfer the title in his state without a bill-of-sale (or at least a notarized one).  He could transfer it to his name and the you could get a legit title and bill-of-sale.  You may have to work something out on the sales tax.


Good luck.

In the end find, out what your state requires BUT don't tell them what you have.       

[model maker]

Be very careful if you involve the guy who sold it to you because once you get it restored he may see a chance to claim your now restored charger for himself IF you involve him in certain ways, be careful 

[Corey Dean]

Thanks for the responses. 

I live in Iowa and the car was from Kentucky. In Iowa there is a 30 day window where you have to register the vehicle. Otherwise there is a $5 (based on the $50 a year Iowa registration fee) penalty each month thereafter. When I say register, I mean register the car so I can get plates and registration in my name as well as transfer the title to my name.

My seller, this guy, never signed or dated the title when he bought it from this old lady in 2009.

The title has her name and signature and a 2009 date on the back. My seller never signed the title or registered the car where he lived.

I suppose when I go to register and transfer the title to my name I could lie and say I bought the car back in 2009 and put it in storage (my garage lol) while I worked on restoring it and now that it is getting close to being done, I want to finally register it. I'll claim ignorance and say I didn't realize it needed to be titled within 30 days and since I wasn't driving it, I thought I could wait. I'll pay the $150 or so in late/penalty fees and move on. Probably faster, easier and cheaper than trying to go back to the estate of this lady that passed on or get my seller to do anything.

[stripedelete]

Danger Will Robinson!  If you didn't steal it, try to make the estate the your last resort.     

[model maker]

Be very careful if you want to claim ownership back to 2009 IF the car was driving around there is a small chance it could have been involved in something that will leave you responsible, an accident lets say. It is going to be nearly impossible to get your seller to sign anything and you could chance just signing it yourself and claim he signed it IF that came up or you could do what you thought of which is saying you had it since 2009. The main thing is that you need to make sure the cops or lawyers won't come looking for the car or the owner and you also don't want to do anything that would allow the guy you bought it from ( or anyone else for that matter ) coming back at you claiming they own the car. This would of course happen after you invest a ton of money in it to get it roadworthy,  JUST USE EXTREME CAUTION and protect your interests.

[myk]

I would at least expect back-registration fees.  At least, that's what happened to me here, in California.  My mother offed herself in '98 leaving her Mustang GT without an owner.  I kept the car but didn't try to register it or transfer the ownership to me until 2003, which saw me giving a nice chunk of change to the state in penalty fees.  Good luck and keep us posted, 'OP...

[Corey Dean]

Be very careful if you want to claim ownership back to 2009 IF the car was driving around there is a small chance it could have been involved in something that will leave you responsible, an accident lets say. It is going to be nearly impossible to get your seller to sign anything and you could chance just signing it yourself and claim he signed it IF that came up or you could do what you thought of which is saying you had it since 2009. The main thing is that you need to make sure the cops or lawyers won't come looking for the car or the owner and you also don't want to do anything that would allow the guy you bought it from ( or anyone else for that matter ) coming back at you claiming they own the car. This would of course happen after you invest a ton of money in it to get it roadworthy,  JUST USE EXTREME CAUTION and protect your interests.

Thanks for the response. Never bad to have voice expressing caution. There is quite a bit of email correspondence between us regarding the purchase. Additionally I used Paypal to pay him which does provides further documentation.

If I don't lie and say I had it since 2009 or I don't forge his name, what options do I have?

I could just be honest (my preference) with my state and say hey, I bought the car from John Doe in Kentucky. He never singed the title or registerd the car while it was in his possession. I am pretty sure the old lady has passed. What are they going to tell me then? Tough luck perhaps?

Is there a chance if I go the correct route that I could never get this car registered or titled?

[HOTROD]

My grandmother was a Notary ---- just file for lost title in her name ,your address once it comes in sign her name (she already signed once ) take it to the licence office and put it in your name !! I think if you do it any other way its going to be a lot of BS paper work and money !!! 

[resq302]

If you do this route,(which I wouldn't personally due to liability and legality issues) I would have someone other than you sign her name to it as they might compare the two signatures and it is pretty obvious to someone who knows handwriting if the same person signed two different names just by the characteristics of how you make certain letters.

[HOTROD]

Lost Title  !!! 

[HOTROD]

This is what happen <- I took my title from another car to get it titled Licence Office and they could not read it so they said, they told me to file for lost/replacement ,, the guy I got the car from was not on the title it was his brother-n-law and he was in the army so It went as I said Above !!!!
The price's was blacked out !!

[Corey Dean]

Thanks for everyone's advice. Much appreciated. 

You get more with honey then you do with vinegar, and quite honestly, because I really didn't have any other play, I went in there and smiled big, told her I didn't register the car when I bought it a few years back (my heart was racing as I am not a good liar), said I was an idiot and wasn't aware I had to register the vehicle within 30 days and apologized profusely and the kind woman took pity on me. She even waived the back registration penalties! I'll have to pay that one forward.

Couldn't have gone any better. Car is now correctly registered and titled in my name. The guy who sold me the car was cool during the buying process, we talked about all kinds of BS. However he has since been an ass and still not responded to my emails.

Lesson learned.

[nvrbdn]

we got a vehicle that the person had put their name on the title and didnt register it in his name. we took the title to the driverslicense place here in illinois. told them the original owner was selling the vehicle to them and then they backed out of the deal. we did have to two parties on stand by incase it didnt work out, but they took the title and watched my dad sign the title and sent a letter explaining what had happened and that was it. he got the plates and title with no problem.

[stripedelete]

Thanks for everyone's advice. Much appreciated. 

You get more with honey then you do with vinegar, and quite honestly, because I really didn't have any other play, I went in there and smiled big, told her I didn't register the car when I bought it a few years back (my heart was racing as I am not a good liar), said I was an idiot and wasn't aware I had to register the vehicle within 30 days and apologized profusely and the kind woman took pity on me. She even waived the back registration penalties! I'll have to pay that one forward.

Couldn't have gone any better. Car is now correctly registered and titled in my name. The guy who sold me the car was cool during the buying process, we talked about all kinds of BS. However he has since been an ass and still not responded to my emails.

Lesson learned.

Good for you!

It does have a "pile" to do wth who is on the other side of counter.  I recently went into an Ohio license burea to renew the expired tags (by one week) on my Ohio truck.  Since I have GA  driver license (but a residence in Ohio)this lady went full you-know-what; ss card, birth certificate, thumb, and urin speciman from deceased grandmother (on my mother's side) etc.  I maintained my composure and went directly to the license buearu 25 minutes away.   I handed her my expired registration and driver's license and she asked me for $42.

Things that make you go hmm.

[magnum]

Thanks for the responses. 

I live in Iowa and the car was from Kentucky. In Iowa there is a 30 day window where you have to register the vehicle. Otherwise there is a $5 (based on the $50 a year Iowa registration fee) penalty each month thereafter. When I say register, I mean register the car so I can get plates and registration in my name as well as transfer the title to my name.

My seller, this guy, never signed or dated the title when he bought it from this old lady in 2009.

The title has her name and signature and a 2009 date on the back. My seller never signed the title or registered the car where he lived.

I suppose when I go to register and transfer the title to my name I could lie and say I bought the car back in 2009 and put it in storage (my garage lol) while I worked on restoring it and now that it is getting close to being done, I want to finally register it. I'll claim ignorance and say I didn't realize it needed to be titled within 30 days and since I wasn't driving it, I thought I could wait. I'll pay the $150 or so in late/penalty fees and move on. Probably faster, easier and cheaper than trying to go back to the estate of this lady that passed on or get my seller to do anything.

I to live in Iowa. I recently bought a roadrunner and it was signed by the owner before the guy I got it from  from 1986. I had no prob registering it. Jumped titles have never been a prob for me. Btw anything after three years you wont get penalized.

[kikgas01]

After 3 years, it is considered in storage in Iowa and should not be any penalty for the date on it.