I am looking to sell my boat. Problem is, I have no paperwork. The guy I bought it from a couple years ago said that in Wisconsin there is no title for it because it is under 16′. It’s a 14′ boat. It’s licensed in WI through 2021. I never licensed it because I fish the Mississippi with it so the WI license was always good. I live in Iowa.
Can I sell it with no registration or anything? I literally have no paperwork. I’m hoping I can just write a bill of sale and call it good.
At a minimum I think you’ll need a bill of sale from the owner you bought it from.
To do it right, you’ll need to register it in your name first.
To cheat, and if he and your new buyer are okay with it, leave your name completely out of it and have him sign it over directly to the new buyer (some guys will probably shy away from the idea, others might be okay with it).
Call your DNR/DMV and anonymously ask to see what they’re expecting.
Write a bill of sale. Check the transom for a stamping or engraving of Hull ID# that you can write on the bill of sale. All that you should need is a bill of sale with that registration number from your WI tags honestly, but more info can’t hurt.
If you’re selling to someone in MN they might require your first born, a limb, or a blood sacrifice to prove it was yours. WI has been a lot kinder to me and my friends when it comes to vehicle registration.
Thanks guys! The guy I bought it from never even transferred to his name. So I never transferred to my name. The bill of sale he gave me was literally a bar napkin if I recall correctly.
I’m just going to write a bill of sale and call it good. Hopefully it goes to someone in WI or IA I guess.
Generally they will need you to apply for a title. It is fairly straight forward, as they want you to fill out a form and have the VIN# verified by the DNR. They will run the VIN# against theft/etc. and I believe there is a 3-6 month wait period. Once that period has passed, they allow you to title the vessel in your name.
We just went through this selling an ATV without a title. I was told the process is similar for a boat or any other recreational toy. Ours took right around 90 days.
Generally they will need you to apply for a title. It is fairly straight forward, as they want you to fill out a form and have the VIN# verified by the DNR. They will run the VIN# against theft/etc. and I believe there is a 3-6 month wait period. Once that period has passed, they allow you to title the vessel in your name.
We just went through this selling an ATV without a title. I was told the process is similar for a boat or any other recreational toy. Ours took right around 90 days.
No title is needed. It doesn’t need a title to be registered (because it is 14.5′). Sounds like a lot of extra pointless work to me. Not even trying to sound snarky just speaking from what I have been told. ATV’s might be a completely different story.
In Iowa, the boat must be in your name to sell it, otherwise the new owner has to go through a bunch of hoops to get it into their name. If that boat has ever been reported stolen, or in an accident and deemed totaled, somebody is going to take a bath on the deal. Not sure what the value is of the boat, but I personally, would at least go through the process of getting it into your name. The boat will sell much faster if you have a registration in your name, and bring more money as well.
You are correct that in iowa, the boat does not need a title. However the registration is the proof of ownership. It should be in your name. Like it or not, this is how things are done. Technically, not putting the boat in your name within 30 days of purchase, was against the law. You are to register the boat in your name upon purchase. You get a 30 day grace period, then you are not to operate the boat on public waterways untill boat is registered. In Iowa, registration is non-transferrable.
Do not think anyone would buy it with out paper work, if they know any better lol
I just sold my duck boat. No paper work bill of sale and sticker on side of the boat. Did that also for the trailer. Mn dmv transfered it right away no issues. The guy called and told me.
Just like selling a atv in mn. Bill of sale is all that’s needed.
Literally went through both those scenarios in the last 2 weeks
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Browndog wrote:</div>
Generally they will need you to apply for a title. It is fairly straight forward, as they want you to fill out a form and have the VIN# verified by the DNR. They will run the VIN# against theft/etc. and I believe there is a 3-6 month wait period. Once that period has passed, they allow you to title the vessel in your name.We just went through this selling an ATV without a title. I was told the process is similar for a boat or any other recreational toy. Ours took right around 90 days.
No title is needed. It doesn’t need a title to be registered (because it is 14.5′). Sounds like a lot of extra pointless work to me. Not even trying to sound snarky just speaking from what I have been told. ATV’s might be a completely different story.
Not a title, but the same process for the registration of a boat in Iowa. Looks like a 4-8 week lead time for it.
Glad it worked fine for you in Minnesota… in Iowa, a boat last registered in Wisconsin, sold by a private individual that lives in Iowa, with no paperwork, will not go as smooth. It is possible, but there alot of hoops to jump through.
In Wisconsin you have to have it registered in your name. Sign the registration card when you sell it and the buyer has to have it registered in his name. You would have a real hard time registering it in Wisconsin at this point, good luck with an out of state sale. No title the boat is under !6′. You cut corners by not transfering it to your name, it will bite you in the butt.
Update: I decided to do it the right way and bring it up to my name first before I sell it.
Problem is, previous owner only gave me a bill of sale with the hull number on it and such. I never got a registration from from him. It’s weird he has MN address but the registration tags on the boat are WI.
Can I just bring the bill of sale to Iowa Recorders Office and they take care of the rest? I have no clue how to contact this guy to get the registration.
He apparently did the same thing you did. Ran it without registering it in his name. Did you ever get questioned about it when checked by warden or boat patrol?
If you explain the situation to the buyer I’m sure you could get them to pay in cash.
What good would that do?? Still have to register it.
Multiple owners not transferring registration sounds like a nightmare. If I was the buyer I would be looking at another boat.
Can I sell it with no registration or anything? I literally have no paperwork. I’m hoping I can just write a bill of sale and call it good.
No title is needed. It doesn’t need a title to be registered (because it is 14.5′). Sounds like a lot of extra pointless work to me.
It’s not pointless work because right now you literally do not legally own the boat. Even without a title, your registration is proof of ownership. Except right now the registration isn’t in your name, so you don’t even own the boat to begin with.
A buyer is going to care because they have to renew the registration soon. The bill of sale you give them won’t mean anything because the names don’t match the name on the boat’s last registration. Heck, it’s even from the wrong state. Also what were you planning on doing if you got checked by the DNR or water patrol and they ask to see your registration? You don’t have it and your name ain’t on it even if you did.
If you go ahead and sell it without straightening this out, be ready for the buyer to come back demanding some answers as to why you sold a boat that you didn’t own. The right thing to do is to transfer the boat registration into your name so you can properly sell it and then transfer to the new buyer.
Also, does this thing have a trailer? If yes, did you transfer the registration on that?
Update: I decided to do it the right way and bring it up to my name first before I sell it.
Problem is, previous owner only gave me a bill of sale with the hull number on it and such. I never got a registration from from him. It’s weird he has MN address but the registration tags on the boat are WI.
Can I just bring the bill of sale to Iowa Recorders Office and they take care of the rest? I have no clue how to contact this guy to get the registration.
Update: I decided to do it the right way and bring it up to my name first before I sell it.
Problem is, previous owner only gave me a bill of sale with the hull number on it and such. I never got a registration from from him. It’s weird he has MN address but the registration tags on the boat are WI.
Can I just bring the bill of sale to Iowa Recorders Office and they take care of the rest? I have no clue how to contact this guy to get the registration.
If it is in Iowa you need to start the bonding process. I posted the link earlier in the thread. If there are no hits it should move smoothly, but still take up to 6 weeks.
I just did this last year. My brother sold me a 14 ft alumacraft. (He lives in Wisconsin) no paperwork. I took it to MN. And registered it. They said all I would need is the hull number or serial number, I can’t remember which. Well, to my surprise there was no numbers on the hull, apparently because it was built in 1959. They issued me a registration on the spot.
He isn’t talking about MN I believe he is talking about IA.
I just did this last year. My brother sold me a 14 ft alumacraft. (He lives in Wisconsin) no paperwork. I took it to MN. And registered it. They said all I would need is the hull number or serial number, I can’t remember which. Well, to my surprise there was no numbers on the hull, apparently because it was built in 1959. They issued me a registration on the spot.
Same here but mine did have a hull number. Super easy and fast.
Someone or two is going to pay sales tax on the sale of this boat. It is the main reason for registration. The state WANTS their share (tax)!!!
Great questions. Should’ve just asked them a little sooner.
I personally wouldn’t sell or buy anything without a title transfer.
It’s not about sales tax, what if the seller stole the trailer or committed a crime while pulling it? What if you did something wrong and the seller was on the hook for it?
Get a clean title when buying anything that goes down the road.
If it is in Iowa you need to start the bonding process. I posted the link earlier in the thread. If there are no hits it should move smoothly, but still take up to 6 weeks
https://twitter.com/i/status/1375147583157452800
Six weeks? It should take six minutes.
What is a bonding “process” sounds expensive.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Browndog wrote:</div>
If it is in Iowa you need to start the bonding process. I posted the link earlier in the thread. If there are no hits it should move smoothly, but still take up to 6 weeksSix weeks? It should take six minutes.
What is a bonding “process” sounds expensive.
Again, I posted the link earlier in the thread. If you don’t have the appropriate paperwork (In IOWA) you must go through the bonding process. It lays out the timeline and requirements in the process.
I agree with Browndog, unfortunately for me I think you are correct. I am going to try and track the guy down first. But ultimately if he cannot find the registration, I will have to go the bonding route.
Hopefully it doesn’t take the whole 6 weeks.
Update: I was able to get ahold of the previous owner and he was able to get ahold of the WI DNR and get a duplicate registration. He’s sending it directly to my house. Saving a ton of hassle. There are still some pretty darn great people in this world.
I’ll be good to go now.
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