Bonded Titles in Washington state? Hey all, I’ve been searching the net trying to figure this out and seem to be getting conflicting/lacking info. Is this something a dealer would have to provide me or something I have to take care of through the DMV? What paperwork is the dealer supposed to provide to show a title is Bonded? The car I’m looking at (55 Caddy driver) states “Selling on Bill of Sale” and the guy I talked to says it has a Bonded Title but it doesn’t have a title. WTH? Can it be both? “Selling on BoS” to me means no title. How does this work so I don’t lose the car/purchase cost and any money I’ve invested into it? And how much of a discount can I expect to deal with this kind of mess? Another tidbit, I'd be buying the car in WA but live in OR. Thank you for your tips and help!
My understanding of a bonded title here in WA is that the car has a registration only for a period of 3 years after going thru a WA State Patrol inspection. If there are no claims against the vehicle at the end of a 3 year wait, the WA DMV will issue a title for it. They don't automatically mail yo a title either. You have to take the registration and transfer it into a certificate of title after the 3 year wait to get it. During the 3 year period it is possible for someone to file a claim of ownership on it and it is up to both parties to try and prove who actually owns it. The majority of the time it is clear sailing and just a wait for the time to pass and a title can be had, but it is possible you could loose the car too. The registration is transferable, but the 3 years still has to pass to be in the clear.
The car has a bonded title already or need to go through inspection? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Be very, very careful. Washington has gotten pissy about titles and it's not at all easy to re-title a vehicle anymore. The first thing I'd do is find out what your state will accept for documentation for ownership from another state, and be sure to ask about 'bonded title'. As to 'bonded title', that means title is lost and the state has issued a 'conditional title' that require the person seeking title to post a bond. At the end of a specified time (three years I believe), it will be 'converted' to a normal title. One catch is if somebody shows up with the real title during that time, they can take the car back. Washington started purging vehicle info from their system if it hasn't been licensed for a certain number of years, so they can't be searched for by VIN or plate anymore. If the seller already has a bonded title, it may be doable. But if this is a 'bill of sale' only deal, you may not be able to get a bonded title being out of state. Make some phone calls, it may save you a lot of heartache/money. And I'd recommend calling the main state offices, not 'agents'. The Washington DOL has been pretty helpful when I've called them.... After being involved in a few of these, I personally won't touch anything that isn't titled. No title, it's parts....
It sounds like from your post it has a bonded title already? If it does what it means is who ever owned it previously is MIA. And it has already gone through State Patrol inspection to make sure it wasn't stolen. A 3 year registration would be issued to whoever took it to get through the State Patrol inspection. Whoever owned it previously has three years to come back and claim it. If no one claims it, it is issued a real title. Not sure how a transfer to another state works. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I bought a 32 Ford in Washington that had a Sheriffs lien title in 1964. Still waiting for Salem to straighten it out. See my post on 32 Fordor. Oregon doesn't do bonded titles, I honestly don't know what Oregon will do for an out of state bonded title.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o> </o>Im waiting to hear back from the guy to see if its gone through the process yet or if its expected that I have to do it. Does anyone who what paperwork would be provided if the process is already started? I know when Ive bought cars in CA with a lost title we used a Bill of Sale, Statement of Facts and Power of Attorney to transfer ownership without any issues. The back story so far is that the previous owner died and there is no title. So I fear family could come back and claim the car but the Bonded part will reimburse my purchase price. Is that true?
Some 'agents' are pretty lenient in what they let by, some aren't. It can be a crapshoot.... And once you're on Olympia's radar, there's no fixing it. I bought a OT '88 Jag convertible as a non-runner, in rough but repairable condition. I had the title, but the agent refused the bill of sale and wanted to charge me KBB value for the sales tax. As that amounted to more than I paid for the car, I objected. The DOL told me I had to appeal to the department of revenue, which required that I furnish an appraisal from a 'recognized' source before they would change it. I did that, and got the tax lowered..... and the bastards issued me a title, but it was marked 'salvage'..... When I bought my '47 Ford coupe, I thought I was going to have go through this yet again. The agent was pissy about the purchase price; but this time, the car had been purchased from a licensed dealer with all paperwork, so I dared the agent to dispute the price. This time they folded, but you never know.....
http:dolspecm.dol.wagov/sites/collab/eguide/SitePages/Ownership%20in%20Doubt%20-% this is from the bottom of a print out on bonded titles dol gave me.
This has pissed me off for years and I don't know how they can get away with it. If I buy "X" from a dealer for $500 that's all I have to pay tax on, but if I get the same good deal from a private party they want tax on book value. And then they wonder why we pass Eymans initiatives!
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=308-56A-210 And the amount of bond required is here.... http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.12.680 Note that they determine the car value.
Well basically they ASSUME that any car you have bought is in #1 condition. and tax you accordingly. All I've ever had to do with any car I was registering is sign a statement of facts concerning the condition and they lower the sales tax accodingly....but the ladies know me at the DMV I go to and don't hassle me much at all. But I'm in there every other month.
When I have sold a car on a bonded title. I have had to go into the DMV with the new owner and change over the title in person.
So, let me ask this. I have a vehicle titled in another state and I move to Washington. What happens with the title process then? Still jump through hoops for three years? or do they just re-issue a new Washington title? s_f_l
Has to go threw state patrol inspection. Then title is issued if you already have one from rhe, state you moved from Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
They quit requiring the WSP inspection quite a few years ago if you have a 'normal' title from another state. Just go in and transfer it, pay the fees/taxes, and you're done. You'll only have issues if the title is other than 'clear'. But you'll pay tax on their valuation of your car unless you jump hoops to prove you paid less, and read my post above for the possible results of that.....
It's right here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=308-56A-115 Actually it seems pretty simple now if you have a good title from another state including one on a vehicle you are making payments on. http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/moving.html It used to be that every out of state vehicle had to be inspected by the state patrol but I think for the most part they dropped that requirement except for certain instances or certain state and I can't find info on that. Mostly they just want your money for the license and registration if you bring a vehicle in from out of state. If you have one that is worth quite a bit less than their "book" value you had be ready with documentation that it actually is worth what you say it is and not what they say it is. That could include things like the bill of sale from when you bought it or the registration receipts from the state you came from. I've walked a couple thought with the Ebay "you had the winning bid" printout without a hassle in the past.
Here's what happened to me. I have a '30 Ford. I have owned it myself for 50 years. I moved from CA to WA. I had the CA title (pink slip) in my name (forever). When I went to the DMV they fooled around and fooled around and decided they had to charge me a weight fee (it's a coupe, not a truck). It cost me $150 but I have a title. Soms serious BS here.
Been doing bonded titles for 35 years with zero problems. First off look at the bonded title and scan you a copy then call the DMV and give them info off title and when your ok with info buy the car. I have never had anyone come foward about a vehicle and only sold a few before the there years were up and new owner never had any issue getting clear title because I gave them proper paperwork when I sold it to them. The laws can change daily at DMV so take the time and visit your local agent,document you visit like person who have you info and time because lots of the agents are .poorly FUCKING TRAINED! :-(. Keep your mouth closed unless asked for specific document and if your not clear about what they want make them explain it to you until your 100% clear. You can kick and scream but in the end unless all your SHIT is wrapped right your not getting title and they could care less. Buying a vehicle in Wa. State without a title means headaches later,GOOD LUCK!
Thank you all so much for the info! I feel confident in my research and have since purchased the car, a beautiful black 1955 Cadillac Coupe deVille. I still run to the window and stare at it before I go to bed! The dealer was able to obtain a bonded title through Washington State the day before I drove up and will mail it to me. Once the title is in my hand (within 45 days) I should be able to go to the Oregon DMV and register it. I just can't sell the car for 3 years which I have no intention of doing even tho my neighbor is currently coveting it! If there are any snafus I realized I know a lot more car guys locally that can help me acquire a title and register it. I feel like a pretty lucky gal right now!! Funny thing is back in January I was interested in this VERY SAME car along with two 1949 Cadillac Fastbacks I couldn’t afford at the time. A handful of vehicles were being sold off through an estate in Tacoma, WA and I still have the ad I printed out for the ‘49’s and this car with a higher price tag! Turns out it was purchased with the rest of the lot and then returned when the family couldn’t find the title. The owner who passed had never titled the car in his name and the guy he bought it from is also deceased. Man, that’s a lot of dead history! Good thing I’m not superstitious. All in all it seems like this car was meant to be mine!
Like the others have said, transfers from other states is really easy for clean titles. I have bought 2 from out of state and walked out of the local licensing office with registration and new plates while the cars were still in other states I don't try to play games with the purchase price. Pay up and they leave you alone. Titles arrives in mail in about 3 weeks.
When I was living in Oregon, I bought a 1967 Plymouth Satellite from Ojai, California on a bill of sale. When I brought it into Oregon, the DMV wouldn't touch it until I had a title. I had to physically go back to a California DMV to get a title which required paying the back registration on the car. Luckily I was living in Klamath Falls and there was a DMV office in Tulelake, CA which was just over the border. Learned my lesson on that one.
Not a big deal for most of us and a good idea even if the title is clear in this state as I have sold cars and then been hit for an impound fee three years later because the purchaser never transferred it into his name. The members of the local hispanic farm workers community seem to do it as a matter of practice. The seller walks the buyer into the local license office here in town and tells them I am selling this guy this car for x$$ and gets the car out of his name then and there. Another thing to think about, how long has it been since the seller of the car in question got the provisional registration? three years goes by pretty fast. I did such a registration on my sailboat trailer and looking at it the other day it's already been four years since I did it.
If the car has a Washington bonded title, it won't actually be issued a paper title from Washington for 3 years....not sure how the dealer will handle that. Please update us when you get it registered as I am kinda curious how this will work out. Btw sounds like a cool car. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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