OK, so ran the searches and went to www.mass.gov/rmv and I can't seem to be able to get my answer. I spoke to a friend of mine who does vintage racing and he tells me that the only way to obtain a title in MA for a "used" car is to get one from the seller. I am looking at a car in CT where cars older than a certain date don't require titles and they supposedly don't issue them. So unless the seller can somehow get the CT RMV to issue a title (he has said they won't), there would be no way for me to obtain one in MA? Tried calling the RMV here but after 45 mins on hold I dropped the stupid phone and the battery popped out. Not really looking forward to waiting another hour to hopefully get a response.
<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">i bought a 49 in ct and registered it in ma with a bill of sale ,thats it they sent me a title check with your ins agent bob </TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
If you have a bill of sale and the car has a VIN, just have your agent put the VIN on the Mass reg.form and it should go right thru. Be aware that Mass. now uses NADA book on classic cars to set the sales tax. I got hammered for $1300 for my '34 Roadster because the NADA was $26 - 52K. What a shock ! There went all my initial rebuild $$$.
Thanks a lot guys. I haven't purchased the car yet, just wanted to make sure I wasn't chasing something that would lead to a dead end anyway.
"that can be disputed if you show up with a car that is obviously not in that condition." Well...that wasn't my experience. I took in a PA title for my '30 coupe with $2500 as the sold price (which was true), and paid sales tax on $8000! I explained that this was a shell, not a complete car, and was told I could file for an abatement. I paid it because I need a valid MA title and filed for abatement with pictures of the shell and a full page detailing what the car didn't have and one line of what it did have (body,doors,trunk lid). Six weeks later I got my response stating that the abatement was not approved and would not be reviewed again. Sort of spoils the fun of picking up something as a project. You gotta love this state.
They'll take the lowest NADA appraisal according to my buddy who just bought a Sunbeam Tiger for racing and won't go below it no matter what the condition. Keep in mind this is the same turd who told me I was generally screwed and a title would not be obtainable for the car I am chasing. The bad thing is that the lowest NADA valuation is for a very solid running car. Most project cars I've been interested in have been at least 2 levels under that lol.
Supposedly the Legislature just reviewed a "Street Rod and Custom Bill" last October, that would allow you to apply for a title under the guise of "...the car that the assembled car most resembles..." type of deal. It'll be a few years for me anyway, but I was kind of hoping by the time I'm ready, they'll have come up with something. Not too worried about it right now. Pete
Regarding the MA sales Tax..... If you have a signed title for the bill of sale, better go to the registry right away and get it transfered, otherwise the state will make you pay intrest! I got Fu&*%d on that this year! Also, Got screwed on the NADA book rating for a 61 corvette in the meantime! The damn car doesnt even have a motor, a steering wheel, tires, etc......well that didnt matter. I went accross the street in worcester to the Dept of revenue to plead my case. They told me to keep all my reciepts to appeal the case at the end of the restoration.....but that will never work......over 2000.00 bucks later I went home pissed off waiting for a title in the mail in my name the state is a "racket".-------if you know what Im saying
If you have the bill of sale and a copy of the last registration from the owner you bought it from in CT you can register the car and get a title easily. But you need to have the copy of the registration from that owner or change the name on the bill of sale to match the copy of the registration.
and guys do us all a favor and LETS ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING. See my below quote from a previous thread here on the hamb. If these blockheads representing us get enough calls on these issues they JUST MAY acutaully do something.
also if you have a bill of sale from a non title state , pertaining to vehicles over 10 yrs old in these states you can get a police officer to verify the numbers on the vehicle and take the bill of sale an apply for title , at the RMV tought to do on some vehicles cause like model Ts they used the engine numbers , an if theres no engine ? Doh
I'm so glad I left Mass. After I left they issued warrants for my wife and I when we didnt renew our license plates for 2007. What a mess. I paid the fine and then filed for an abatement...they kept my money for 6 weeks and sent it back minus a bunch of bs fees. Then a few weeks later we got the same letter except for this time it was for the darn dog license. I refused to pay that one. I immediately filed the paperwork for canceling my firearms license as I figured they would just come get me for not renewing that. Honestly I have lived in 6 states and Mass was BY FAR the worst I have ever seen for general crap like this. I went around with the RMV in Mass over licensing a home built vehicle and I think I still have the e-mails somewhere. Once I got by the dunderheaded people that didnt know what they were talking about I did get some help. If you are interested send me a PM with your e-mail addy and I'll see if I can dig up the e-mails for you. There may be something in there that will help. And by the way...good luck.
it's been a few years but i had to the Broadway title route myself on a car i bought that didn't have a title. registry excepted it then.
Well, what I learned today is when I sell a car to MA, I don't put a date on the reciept. Oops, I musta forgot.
I will Write a letter here....I didnt even begin to think of excise tax! <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by zipper-z I have been going through this with Senator Joan Menard's office. Here is the info...ask for Kate: Senator Joan M. Menard Room 520, State House Boston, MA 02133 617-722-1114 In MA if you buy a project car and take 3 years getting it roadworthy when you register you are paying sales tax on the book value as stated above. I had the situation with my 46 that they wanted to charge about 5 years of back excise tax as well as sales tax on $15k. The problem with the excise tax system is that you CAN NOT call your local town hall and ask to pay your excise tax on your project car that is not registered because they need the information sent from the DMV when you register it to send you a bill. So you can't pay the tax. But when you go to register it you are stuck paying the tax, penalties and interest from the date on the bill of sale. The system is fucking broken and nobody will fix it. If we can't pay the taxes even though we want to (not really but) then they sure as hell shouldn't be able to charge us late fees and penalties. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I am about to try Broadway Title an old kit car restoration. The short question is "Will Mass RMV still accept Broadway Title Papers". I have heard they won't. I notice International Title supplies Bill of Sale, Letter as to No Title AND a "prior registration".
are you guy sure your in ma and not in michigan, this state is broke and the laws suck here as well, i have a hard time with dmv issues also and i own a towing company and we deal with this crap all day, but i feel for you guys paying that stupid taxes from nada thats bs
Went through Broadway title last year for a model A I bought without one.Everything went smooth-took a couple months until I got one ,they tell you up front it will take that long (Its a bill of sale from them selling you your car ,not a title.They are in a non title state -Alabama I think.) Anyway,you take their bill of sale to your friendly Mass RMV. Then you get poked like I did!! You are charged tax on NADA. I explained I only bought a body which was dragged out of the woods and no way should I have to pay on low endNADA which was $9500.00! The clerk said "we dont have to go through with this". I knew I didnt have a choice so I paid tax on that value and winced .Clerk said they charge you on what the car will be worth when finished!! Abatements are not approved too often from what I hear. So bottom line is it cost a total of $675.00 to have a title in my name.i only paid $2,500 for the car. Broadway was the easy part.Mass is the problem...
I hate this state its a mess, If it wont work at one rmv it will at the next its so messed up it all depends on whos behind the counter . They have said no one day and yes the next
I need to get started obtaining a title and reg for my Model A roadster pickup. I was planning to use Broadway Title. Sounds like that method still works in Mass., right? I used them about 12 years ago for a motorycle title with no trouble, but back then I lived in Ohio not the Masshole state. The Model A body is on original '32 rails that still have the serial number. Any advantage to using that number or should I come up with a Model A number? Thanks!
I just looked up the NADA lowest retail value for Model A roadster pickup: $11,600. Damnit! I already paid sales tax on many of the parts used in the project, now I'll have to pay tax again on that value. Bend over.
"Any advantage to using that number or should I come up with a Model A number?"-If it were me,I would probably try to use a Model A number, just to avoid conflicts down the road !
Tony: Maybe if we do an appraisal for you with a lower value it might help things somehow??? Chat with your agent (if its insured now) and see what he says. Ill have a Grundy agent at my Open House if you want to chat with him....
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