Title

[OLD HOUSEBOATER]

I sold a boat to a man in Illnois. We live in Alabama a non Title state. We only have registrations. Illnois is asking for a copy of the title.

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[In the know]

I blame the buyer. Rhode Island is a title state. When I look at a boat, the first thing I ask is "Do you have a title?". If they say no, I move on.

Will Alabama issue a title upon request?

 

[Gregory S]

If they don't title boats in Alabama, doesn't sound like they would "issue a title on Request". Alabama isn't the only state that doesn't title boats. I have sold boats from West Virginia ( no title state) to Pennsylvania ( a title state) without a problem. Titles were issued by Pennsylvania upon proof of sale and ownership--once all applicable taxes were paid.
Agree, the buyer should know this ahead of time and exactly what he/she has to do to get the paperwork done in the new state.

 

[OLD HOUSEBOATER]

Found out Alabama DMV will provide a letter to cover the situation. Picking one up tomorrow.

 

[Gregory S]

There had to be a way to do this. A letter is not a title, but sounds like Illinois has to be educated on the way it's done in Alabama.

 

[Flutterby]

The buyer should get a "Bill of Sale" signed and dated and notarized whenever one buys a boat in any state! CA DMV provides a form online; other states may do the same......

 

[Woodsong]

I've never had an issue with a title state accepting a bill of sale that has been properly signed and notarized in a non-title state. GA and TN are also non-title states and we ship boats all over the place without ever being a problem.

 

[littlebookworm]

In NY, older cars and boats do not have titles; they have 'transferrable registrations.' A simple Bill of Sale, signed by the seller and the buyer, along with the registration, signed by the seller on the back, are enough to register an older boat or a boat from a non-title state. The person who bought a boat from me five years ago never bothered to register it in his own name. That way he saved the sales tax and the registration fee. When he tried to sell it by signing his name below mine on the back of the registration, the DMV wouldn't accept it from the second buyer. The original buyer wanted me to register it in my name, at his expense, and then sign it over to the second buyer! I refused, of course. Who knows what mischief the boat had been involved in within the last five years. Moral: When you sell a boat, remove the registration stickers from the hull. Hy