Sold my little boat and now the new owner is unable to register the trailer. Turns out it was never moved into my name from the prior owner. I don’t have the original bill of sale but do have a copy.
What do I have to do for making this right? What if I can’t track down the guy that sold it to me?
FYI – have issues on my new boat too. Ugghhh 
I took the proper paperwork to the DOT both times and now have headaches.
Just take a pen and sign the guys name. You might need to apply for a duplicate title and then sign his name as the seller direct to your buyer.
While I’m sure nobody is endorsing a method that may be construed as forgery, well, you get the idea… You need a signed bill of sale to transfer the trailer registration into your name first. Then it can be transferred to the new buyer.
I wish ALL MN BOAT OWNERS would here this: So-called “permanent” trailer registration is BS. It’s only “permanent” for so long as one person owns it!
It is NOT permanent, as soon as the trailer is sold, the registration needs to be transferred. For a fee, of course.
So many people believe that once that sticker is stuck to a trailer, then that’s the last time anyone ever has to do anything to do with registration for that trailer. NO! Any trailer you buy that has registration has to be transferred to YOUR name.
Grouse
wish ALL MN BOAT OWNERS would here this: So-called “permanent” trailer registration is BS. It’s only “permanent” for so long as one person owns it!
It is NOT permanent, as soon as the trailer is sold, the registration needs to be transferred. For a fee, of course.
Curious – what would you call it? Seems like permanent is the right word to me.
-J.
Its called Lifetime trailer registration as long as you are the owner. Second it sells, the new owner is responsible for new registration. DMV will ask what the GVWR is….that is your choice what to say at this point. It can transfer to new owner as long as its below 3000lb GVWR. Anything over 3000lbs is NOT eligible for lifetime trailer registration. Most police officers are also aware of the 3000lb guideline and we have been told at the DMV they have been pulling people over. Just letting you know what I am finding out with registering a lot of boats.
Just call it a trailer license or, if more is needed, call it a small trailer license.
Adding the “permanent” causes endless confusion because it makes people assume that the “permanent” applies to the trailer itself, ie once the trailer has been registered and licensed, it never needs to be dealt with again, by anyone, ever.
I see boat adverts all the time that call out this “permanent” registration like it was some kind of selling feature or benefit to the new owner. As if it’s something that the new owner won’t have to deal with when they buy the boat.
It’s a registration and license like any other on-road vehicle has. This one happens not to expire, but it is not permanent.
Grouse
Just call it a trailer license or, if more is needed, call it a small trailer license.
Adding the “permanent” causes endless confusion because it makes people assume that the “permanent” applies to the trailer itself, ie once the trailer has been registered and licensed, it never needs to be dealt with again, by anyone, ever.
I see boat adverts all the time that call out this “permanent” registration like it was some kind of selling feature or benefit to the new owner. As if it’s something that the new owner won’t have to deal with when they buy the boat.
It’s a registration and license like any other on-road vehicle has. This one happens not to expire, but it is not permanent.
Grouse
Yes, you are correct in all this. You do still need to transfer ownership but once done you do not need to continue renewing like a car/truck or boat.
Its called Lifetime trailer registration as long as you are the owner. Second it sells, the new owner is responsible for new registration. DMV will ask what the GVWR is….that is your choice what to say at this point. It can transfer to new owner as long as its below 3000lb GVWR. Anything over 3000lbs is NOT eligible for lifetime trailer registration. Most police officers are also aware of the 3000lb guideline and we have been told at the DMV they have been pulling people over. Just letting you know what I am finding out with registering a lot of boats.
There would or should be no question if you have the registration card to present to DMV when transferring. I posted pic’s of the card on this thread an a related issue.
http://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/boat-trailer-title/
Having never bought/sold a small trailer or had to register one, I just assumed that permanent meant just that, permanent. Aside from having to register it in your name. I have from time to time browsed craigslist searching for a good deal on a utility trailer and occasionally see descriptions that mention “permanent trailer registration.” So I am guessing that there are lots of people out there that do not know the actual meaning.
Its called Lifetime trailer registration as long as you are the owner. Second it sells, the new owner is responsible for new registration. DMV will ask what the GVWR is….that is your choice what to say at this point. It can transfer to new owner as long as its below 3000lb GVWR. Anything over 3000lbs is NOT eligible for lifetime trailer registration. Most police officers are also aware of the 3000lb guideline and we have been told at the DMV they have been pulling people over. Just letting you know what I am finding out with registering a lot of boats.
What he said. A lot of people have no idea of the weight guidelines. My oldest kid buys and scraps a lot of little rotary cars and has gotten the process down after getting burned on a couple things. It’s a process if done up front that’s not terrible. If it’s done as an after thought or when problems arise, it’s a nightmare of trying to find people and get them motivated to do anything.
I see boat adverts all the time that call out this “permanent” registration like it was some kind of selling feature or benefit to the new owner.
When I see these adds it just makes it clear what type of registration you are getting. I’m one who does see “Perm Reference” as a selling feature. I never assumed there would be no transfer fee.
As for the 3000# limit. If the DMV issues the tag incorrectly, how it that your fault? That should be their accountability to issue the correct license.
-J.
When I see these adds it just makes it clear what type of registration you are getting. I’m one who does see “Perm Reference” as a selling feature. I never assumed there would be no transfer fee.
As for the 3000# limit. If the DMV issues the tag incorrectly, how it that your fault? That should be their accountability to issue the correct license.
-J.
The DMV issues the license based on what the owner tells them. If the owner is wrong, it’s their fault.
I’ve heard stories of people being ticketed at boat ramps for trailers having incorrect licensing. I’ve never seen it though.
I have a friend who put a lifetime license on his 21′ glass runabout I/O with dual axles. I’ve pointed out to him that it is incorrectly licensed but he doesn’t care. He might someday after receiving a ticket.
There are some strange rules over der in MN……. 
Boat trailer licence……weird…. 
There are some strange rules over der in MN…….
Boat trailer licence……weird….
That why that us the land of 10,000 taxes!
-J.
That’s why I get it done right away! Best to go with seller so if there’s a problem it’s taken care of then or time you can back out of the deal!
Had a similar situation when I purchased my boat. The trailer was supposedly purchased separately from the boat from a seller in Wisconsin. I guess there they are not titled. I had to get a form signed by the previous owner that stated why there was no title. Then when we couldn’t find a VIN on the trailer the DMV registered it as a homemade trailer. It was kinda a headache but all worked out alright.
During that whole process the DMV told me if I could find a VIN they could tell me if it was ever registered in MN and they could tell me who I had to contact.
Maybe call it a “plateless” license.
Status Update: So I was able to submit my paperwork today at a DOT office after a bit of conversation, headaches, and luck. This is the good news.
The bad news is that they said it might take two months to process. Supposedly the dude who bought my boat can’t register the trailer until this is complete. Grrrr again!
He’s not going to be happy and may ask to back out of the deal.
Just go back and get a temporary license. You night need to re-new several times but I don’t think they will charge you. Go see the same clerk you used before.
Ran into this in the past and the DMV had us draw a picture of the trailer we “built”… called it home made and issued us tabs for our new trailer.
Just go back and get a temporary license. You night need to re-new several times but I don’t think they will charge you. Go see the same clerk you used before.
It does have what they called a “plicker”. Can only assume that means permanent license sticker. With this I’m perceiving I’m okay from a license perspective.
Where they are telling me is a challenge is transferring ownership to the new buyer.
Yep, if you get the right person you can get away with telling them that you fabricated it yourself.
I heard this happened to a guy one time. He bought a boat, motor, trailer and transferred title. He assumed everything was ok. He then sold the boat, motor, trailer only to find out the trailer had never been transferred. A duplicate title was ordered and sent. Since the original seller was long gone that left a mystery on how to get that duplicate signed so the owner had a title he could sign over to the new buyer. Seems this feller either signed the guys name or found a buddy that signed the guys name. I doubt it was really legal however since nobody was going to question the validity of any of the sales it flew. I’m not saying to do anything illegal but there are ways if you are willing. Or plod along the way this is going. It will get done eventually.
Just a thought here but ive noticed a difference in DMV offices. For example I had a friend who purchased an out of state car from someone in the army who shipped out after the sale. He took the title to the DMV near Ridgedale and they said he couldn’t transfer it for this reason or that and needed to obtain “xxxxxx”. The following day he took it to a little local DMV office about 15 miles away and they transferred the title likedy split! didn’t ask any questions or fuss about anything. Maybe this isn’t common but its been my experience that some DMV offices are pickier than others. Shouldn’t be that way of course. Maybe I should keep this to myself cause this little DMV shop down the road NEVER has any lines and the people are pretty nice there 
Yep, if you get the right person you can get away with telling them that you fabricated it yourself.
This trick used to work, but they got wise to it and now they will often ask to see receipts for materials used. As you say, you could still get the right person buy this is not a sure thing.
Grouse
This old thread is relevant to me now. In order to transfer my boat trailer can I just write a letter indicating the sale of it with the boat and sign it or do I have to go in and get a registration card? I am the original order and still have the old plate on it along with perm reg sticker on the tongue. Definitely under 3000 as indicated on perm sticker. Thanks.
This old thread is relevant to me now. In order to transfer my boat trailer can I just write a letter indicating the sale of it with the boat and sign it or do I have to go in and get a registration card? I am the original order and still have the old plate on it along with perm reg sticker on the tongue. Definitely under 3000 as indicated on perm sticker. Thanks.
I wrote a bill of sale for mine along with the perm sticker number on it, said I sold it with the boat. The gentleman who bought it said he had no issues transferring it.
I had a nightmare when I bought a boat that originally sold in SD, then sold to a guy in ND, then to me in IL. IL requires the trailer to be registered, titled and plated with yearly $150 stickers. ND requires absolutely nothing for a boat trailer. So when I got it, it had no title, just a bill of sale. I went through several DMV offices which eventually accused me of lying and attempting to defraud them by visiting multiple offices. I eventually ended up back in the office area reading the north dakota state code to the IL DMV title department manager down in Springfield on a phone in their offices. I did a conference call between them and ND officials before IL finally relented and issued a title with the bill of sale as proof of ownership. In the end, the regional DMV manager called me personally to apologize for their error and their accusation that I lied to them. I presume he did that so I was less inclined to sue the state for harassment. He said they were struggling with the law as written because there were comma’s in the sentence.
Take a picture of the permanent registration and whatever else you have and take it / send it to DMV for their ideas.
I believe you should have a separate title for your trailer, Mike.
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