Hi, just looking at a car up in Washington state, its a 1948 build, has been off the road but owned by the same family for 30 years, they have a registration cert from jsut getting it re-registered but it shows "no title issued - ownership in doubt " , it shows the seller as registered owner...... Did/do WA have titles on older vehicles or would there not have been title for this around 30 years ago so it doesn't have one now ?? Anyone know ?
The vehicle should have a title. If he owner had applied for a bonded title when he first registered the car it would be clear now. With it being registered to the same person for that long and it it was continiusly registered I think there are ways to get a clear title but am not sure of the hoops that one would have to go through. There guys on here who can explain it a lot better than I can though.
Thats where I have been, doesn't say much about older vehicles and if titles were about way back when...... hense I'm asking here in the hopes someone might have experiance.
Washington has had titles for decades, that car should have a title. The question is, it shows the current owner as the registered owner, but then it says ownership in dought? That does not sound too clear for me. I would say maybe the title was lost and the current owner applied for a lost title. If he did that 30 years ago, he'll have to start all over again if he never finished it bacause it will be long gone in the record books
It's possible that there was a lien holder on the title and when the registered owned paid the car off or satisfied the lien, they got the title but didn't transfer it and probably misplaced it. If the ownership is in dought, the DMV should be able to tell you of the legal owner is.
Right, and as long as the owner is the same, it shouldn't be a problem. But HE has to fix that. Once he sells to you, it will be a helluva lot harder for you unless you clear that up given your location and the likelyhood of him giving a damn once money is in his hand. Make him fix it first.
I have to agree. The reality is that the registered owner can not legally sell the car, he doesn't own it. The title could of been in a relatives name, the registered owned has to fix the title problem.
if you have a car in washington without a title, you can register it in your name after the state patrol inspects it. the registration says owner in doubt or something like that. after 3 years you get a title mailed to you. maybe that's what's going on. i had a 48 diamond t pickup that was never titled from new and that's what i did.
that sounds like exactly it John, not sure how it helps this guy out he doesn't have 3 years.... I guess the 3 years is for anyone else with an interest to pop their hand up ? Thanks for all your info folks.
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