How to title a boat that has never been titled...

[BlindHog]

Apparently it CANT BE DONE! I have talked twice to the Leon Co tax collector's office personnel about boats that the owner never has had the title to, and that I want to buy, and basically that is what I am told - cant be done without God intervening.

In one case, a fellow's uncle left him a jon boat from a state where titles arent required. The woman was fairly hopeless that this boat could be bought and titled in Fla.

In another case a landowner bought a parcel with pond that had another jon boat on it (no title ever mentioned or cared about in the sale.) Of course its just sitting on a private pond and noone ever needed to register it, and so on.

Surely some of you old salts (JumperofTrout, Old Man of the Sea) who have dozens of craft or trade in them frequently have dealt with these rules and regs and can advise me how to get this done. We are talking $400 items tops here, and it seems silly to me. I sort of suspect the tag office people are mixed up themselves.

Any thoughts?

[FlatCrazy]

I just helped a client get a boat titled that had never been titled. His boat was an older home made boat that he wanted to sell. A call to the tag office here in Panama City resulted in a guy coming out to my client's house to inspect the boat to ensure that it was in fact a home made boat, and not some factory boat with the serial numbers removed. Upon inspection the guy gave my client a piece of paper confirming that it was home made. My client then took that piece of paper back to the tag office and a title was then issued to him. End of story.

If the boat was manufactured maybe you can contact the manufacturer to get a certificate of origin to take to the tag office???

Maybe this story will help you?

[SHOWBOAT]

dealing with it now....the tax collecter can be beat.

I am establishing clean title by providing the registration from the previous owner as well as documentation showing that that the seller I purchased from had clean title. Think slowly as you talk with them, and you can explain why their requests are not logical or actual requirements.

I was not initially receptive to providing the documention above. When I explained that the seller likely wouldn't provide me with documentation showing the seller's margin there was hesitation. When I told them I didn't have any direct relationship with the the original owner and that requesting registration wasn't possible, they agreed to call the dealer on my behalf to see what alternatives may still give their requests credence, but were also obtainable. Since my seller provided the info I will comply, but these cannot be requirements.

Alternatively, there is another option that I believe is called a "Certificate of Orgin" which shows the boat was initally registered in a state that doesn't require title, but I didn't have to go there.

Good luck

[GatorBaiter]

Get a friend in GA to get it titled in GA for you. All you need is a notorized statement on the year, make, model, etc.. and state how and from where it was obtained and a bill of sale (they have one to print of on the web site) and then you can have your friend "sell" it back to you in FL. Viola! You now have a GA title that FL will accept!

[Jumptrout51]

Get a friend in GA to get it titled in GA for you. All you need is a notorized statement on the year, make, model, etc.. and state how and from where it was obtained and a bill of sale (they have one to print of on the web site) and then you can have your friend "sell" it back to you in FL. Viola! You now have a GA title that FL will accept!

This was going to be my suggestion as well.
Aw heck, it is my suggestion, I will take credit for it.

[BlindHog]

Thanks guys, sounds like I am only short 1 willing Georgian. Any volunteers?

[birddog]

Thanks guys, sounds like I am only short 1 willing Georgian. Any volunteers?

I'm gonna need to see a pic of the boat 1st.

[Reel Cowboy]

Thanks guys, sounds like I am only short 1 willing Georgian. Any volunteers?

What's it pay?

[Barhopr]

Title in Georgia
Register in Fla.
EZPZ

[Jumptrout51]

Thanks guys, sounds like I am only short 1 willing Georgian. Any volunteers?

I'm gonna need to see a pic of the boat 1st.

And a free fishing trip BEER included.

[lunkerbrother]

I just did this with an old canoe where you could not read the numbers. You have to get Game and Fish from Panama City to actually visit and look at the boat(call them and submit a ticket), they have a form that has to get filled out, then signed by the officers supervisor. It is a homemade boat form..once it all gets signed, then you take it to the tax office...the woman at the tax office had never seen this one ahd had to get a supervisor to help..good luck..lots of red tape but it can be done!

[FUTCHCAIRO]

YOU CAN GO BY THE TAG OFFICE HERE IN GA. AND GET A LOST TITLE FORM, FILL IT OUT GET ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER COME BY YOUR HOUSE AND VERIFY THE BOAT IS WHAT YOU SAY IT IS, SEND THIS IN TO THE DEPT. OF REVENUE, THEY WILL SEND IT BACK AND ASK THAT YOU GET LOCAL GAME WARDEN VERIFY THE BOAT AND SIGN THE APPLICATION, THE GAME WARDEN THEN WILL SEND APPLICATION TO THE DEPT OF REVENUE AND THEY WILL THEN SEND YOU A NEW TITLE AND REGISTRATION. THE COST VARIES AS TO HOW LONG THE BOAT IS AND HOW BIG THE ENGINE, THE APPLICATION HAS THE COST ON IT, YOU JUST HAVE TO FILL IN THE LENGTH AND HORSEPOWER PF THE ENGINE, SEND IN A CHECK TO COVER THE COST DETERMED BY THE LENGTH. THIS TAKES ABOUT 3 MONTHS TO COMPLETE. I JUST FINISHED REBUILDING A BOAT THAT I SALVAGED AND HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, STILL HAVE NOT COMPLETED . I HAVE HAD TO GET TITLES ON 9 DIFERENT BOATS IN THE PAST THAT I HAD NO TITLE AND NO REGISTRATION NUMBERS STAMPED IN THE HULL, JUST TAKE A LITTLE PAITIENCE AND IT WILL GET DONE .
PA THE OLDMAN OFTHE SEA

[Dubble Trubble]

Georgia no longer issues boat titles...or boat trailer titles for that matter...

http://motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/motor/titles/required.asp

Dubble

[BlindHog]

Thanks for the ideas and help.

Here is an update -- I called Leon Co tag office and fought my way thru to a supervisor. Finally, this 4th person I talked to had some info. Said there is a thing called a hull number which was required of all boats beginning in 1987 but some manufacturers were doing even earlier. I guess its usually on the plate that has HP rating, manufacturer name, etc.

This hull number can be input into their computer and if anyone has ever titled that hull #, it will identify that. If so, this owner whenever it was(even two owners ago) must get in on the title chain of transfer owner by owner. If it was not ever titled, you are free to use a Bill of Sale with statement included by the current owner/seller that he never titled the boat since it was exempt as being on private pond, and that the prior owners didnt title it either to his knowledge.

Now all I need is title situation to be the latter case --- and for the person at tag office who serves me to be able to understand all this when I explain it, even though they work there and I do.

All this for a jon boat costing less than $200 and no motor or trailer involved. Good grief!

[BlindHog]

JUST NOW heard back from current owner -- there is no hull # he could find but the boat did have 2006 registration expired so must have been titled at some point by the prior owner. I give up. Dont have energy for this on just a jon.

OK, who's got a 14 jon WITH TITLE with no leaks that they will sell me cheap? Dont need trailer or motor. Prefer 36 wide floor or better.