A few years ago, I traded a HAMB friendly car straight across for another one while I was at a swap meet. Literally five minutes later, a guy who had looked earlier at the car I had just acquired wanted to buy it from me. I said sure, but you're gonna have to wait for it until I get title in my name. He asked why I didn't just skip getting it in my name and give him the title from first owner. My reply was that I wanted a paper trail to accompany the large amount of his money I was going to put in my bank. It took a month and half to get title back in my name. I paid all taxes and fees to have it put in my name. I didn't have to worry about a glitch of some kind opening up an unpleasant can of worms. It's never wrong to do the right (legal) thing.
Like Steve said, here in WA the guy with the tiny desk by the pharmacy at the grocery store is the one to go to. But that’s not everywhere. I’ve happily (ignorantly) accepted signed titles that were being “jumped” and didn’t have a problem- until I did. Couple years ago I bought a vehicle and the guy went in his house, came out with the signed title and a pen in his hand, I gave him the cash and drove off. Turned out that he had bought it from a fella that was “guest of the county” and the truck had a lien on the title from his bail bondsman. The guy I bought it from had had it nearly a year without putting it in his name and sold it to me as the tabs were about to expire and he wouldn’t be able to drive it anymore. What a mess. I eventually paid the bondsman a couple hundred to get him to release interest. Did you know it’s a proven fact that a scared man can run faster than a mad man? Bumped into the title jumper in town and we recognized each other at the same time... Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.
Arkie I am with you on this one all the way. There was a saying that I heard as a kid and this topic reminds me of it: “What’s wrong is wrong and will always be wrong, even if everyone is doing it. What’s right is right and will always be right, even if nobody is doing it.”
will not ever happen again, i bought a nova from a man that had clear fl title in some one else name at a swap meet. went to get it titled and found out it was stolen. lost the car and money
If your state does not require the title to be notorized than it would be no problem but where I live does so no way.
I just titled a motorcycle that had a title signed and dated 5 years ago by a previous owner from another state. Went to one of those tag &title companies, paid my cash and was done. But if anyone asked I would sware this did not happen.
Do any of you guys ( and gals!) know if there is some sort of national database that is accessible to the public showing the status of a car serial number, i.e. #123456 is titled as belonging to Joe Blowby...?? Could and would a state agency do this?
States generally will not provide that information to ‘civilians’. The National database exists mainly as a registry of reported stolen vehicles. Ray
This is what I did with one of the last boats I bought as the guy hadn't transferred the signed title to his name. If your trade guy doesn't want to do it, walk,no run from the deal. There are prison terms as well as fines if you get caught.....not worth it in my book at my age.
When we did this transaction, I found out they (Fla) have a "fast track" option where for an additional fee,the title got transferred to the seller electronically ,then from the seller to me right there at the title office....we didn't have to wait for him to receive the title by snail mail
^^^^ Best advice on this thread. Yes, odds are the deal will go through. The guy is probably trying to avoid excise tax and/or avoid having the sale associated with him (used to be in Washington state, you're limited to 3 sales a year, beyond which you need a dealer license; don't know if that's still true.) But worst case, as others have said, the car is stolen or has a lien on it. And frankly, the first guy may not even know! So why would you want to take on that risk for him? Solution is simple, at least in this state. You go to the agency together and conduct two transactions, back to back. If they won't let you do two title transfers in a row, then first guy (middleman) does the title transfer to himself, and then gives power of attorney to the second guy, so the second guy can transfer the title to himself later. The agency will check their computer to confirm everything is legit, everybody walks away with paperwork. Factor the added cost into the deal. If the first guy won't go for that, something's fishy. My two cents.
If civilians could easily access that information, it would likely become the catalog of soon to be stolen vehicles.
Yep, Clear authentic signature no problem. No problem on the date just date it as the same day you sign and date it. There are some states that the seller and buyer have to sign before a Notary before you can take the title in for transfer. Dated titles are a pain in the butt in this state because you have to pay fees from that date. I've got one now that I paid 35 bucks for but the fees are well over 100.
NCIC is for stolen with things with a number. No public access. (A police friend might help you.) NICB is open to the public to check stolen car Vin numbers. Google NICB.
Where is the proof that the signature is actually that of the owner whose name is on the title. With so many people so quick to advise “just sign the name”.....there is at least a 50/50 chance the signature is NOT that of the original owner. The burden of that risk should be born by the current title ‘custodian’ not the next in line to possess the car.....at least if the latter has half a mind to protect himself from potential, and unnecessary, grief. Ray
if the back is open- do the trade-means nothing whether or not party B is involved. You are transferring from party A to party C-you. amazing the bad advice ALWAYS given on titles...............
Your comment is not only erroneous, it is reckless advice. You obviously have not considered the various possibilities that can lead to legal grief. In some cases, it can be done with no consequence....in others....not so much. In ANY case, jumping title is illegal. Ray
You tell 'em, Ray. I'm amazed at the folks that will do this because everyone else does it or they think they will not get caught. At the minimum, they will lose the vehicle and the money.....and it goes downhill from there.
Every state is different in what they want. New York, two separate occasions they did not like my receipt. And two separate occasions I went to my other DMV office with a new receipt with the signature traced out by *someone* and the rest made to satisfy them - and that they accepted without question. The last time they didn't like it because the last owner changed a number on it that made a couple bucks difference on the sales tax. With HAMB era cars, they don't even use titles, and it's ridiculously easy to get a legit legal registration on a car with nothing. It used to be very difficult, I tried it once around 1990 and ended up giving up. Now, it's so simple I don't know why anyone would risk using an old registration with the wrong VIN on it. Anyways, the answer ultimately is to find out what makes the DMV, BMV, or whoever you have to see happy with you, do what you can to make that happen, and if a problem arises, you don't know anything.
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