Post Pandemic Frustrations

[68BabyBlue]

Back in 2009, I bought a '66 Corvette from a reputable dealer in Georgia. Pennsylvania is a title to title state like New Mexico. Georgia is bill of sale only on older vehicles. I knew this when I bought the car, and was assured I would get a title as part of the process. It took over six months, but eventually they obtained a Florida title through a dealer located there, and transferred it to me. Pennsylvania accepted it. In the meantime, the dealer issued me three Georgia temp tags, which I was able to use to get insurance coverage, even though I couldn't obtain a PA license plate until I got the title.

My wife's younger sister is a court reporter, and has seen numerous cases of people going through the court to obtain PA titles for street rods that originated out of state with no title. It is a tedious process with significant legal fees, but it can be accomplished. Involves extensive research of the VIN or serial number to determine vehicle has no existing liens or record of theft.

 

[torredcuda]

Here in NH I only need a bill of sale and a vin verification done by an inspection station or LEO, no titles on older vehicles needed but I can apply for and get one if I want to.

 

[Cranky]

In Massachusetts you need insurance BEFORE you can register a vehicle.

Don't know how it is in Texas these days but about 4 years ago it was that way....had to prove it was insured before they gave you the 'permission' to drive it on the street but ya need a title to the vehicle before you can do anything like get insurance or state inpection.

 

[Cranky]

That's the most B.S. answer I've ever heard in my life! You need to find a better insurance company that works for you!! BTW, who's your insurance with anyway that would say such stupid ****?

So, where you live you can get insurance without a title? Never tried that but my insurance Co always asked for a VIN number to the vehicle I was wanting to insure.

 

[Dako]

So, where you live you can get insurance without a title? Never tried that but my insurance Co always asked for a VIN number to the vehicle I was wanting to insure.

So, where you live you can get insurance without a title? Never tried that but my insurance Co always asked for a VIN number to the vehicle I was wanting to insure.

So, where you live you can get insurance without a title? Never tried that but my insurance Co always asked for a VIN number to the vehicle I was wanting to insure.

In MD it's the same...need to have insurance established in order to register a vehicle. MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration) will not issue tags without proof of insurance.

Now, you can 'title' a vehicle without insurance in MD, you just don't get tags. I was able to do my Belvedere with an old (1979) registration card from my uncle (I wanted to keep the original 1966 KS title)...I simply chatted up the nice lady at the MVA.

As for on a bill of sale only, I successfully titled and registered a motorcycle bought out of state. Had to file a Writ of Mandamus (essentially take the MVA to court... easier than it sounds). My documentation (evidence) submitted was:
- Bill of sale
- Online search (cost me $10) to prove bike was - not stolen or had a lien
- Safety inspection (Req'd in MD)
- Proof of Insurance

Took me about a month thru our local court house...and I'm no lawyer...but I Have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express before!

 

[1STMP]

I used to deal with this stuff on a regular basis when I was a trucking company general counsel. The city and state of New York were the worst. On the front end, securing any kind of operating permit was the same ordeal you describe with New Mexico DMV. With dealing with local authorities on the five NYC boroughs, only designated desks could process fines once they were sent in. Lost in the shuffle, my employer was often hit was penalties for late payment.

The NYC problem was finally solved when my assistant spent half a day playing phone run around, and finally reached a live person who would accept and process our payments. Dealing with the state government in Albany we spent six months trying to secure turnpike double trailer permits with no success. That issue got fixed while I was in town helping set up the new terminal. I talked to the head of the department, and when he found out I was a live person in his vicinity, he asked to meet with me. Within an hour, he had me set up with my own desk, borrowed from a vacationing staffer. He walked me through the paperwork process, literally, introducing me to the multiple people who would process the paperwork, and explaining what each had to sign off on before my application could move ahead.

The supervisor was just as frustrated with the process as I had been, as each application had to be sent back to my company's headquarters in Indiana before being resubmitted, and folks on both ends were at the end of their ropes. Truly a bad system, didn't work well for any of us. But the two of us were able to process 25 applications in two days, enough to keep my company from losing $10,000 a week from having to run solo trailers.

DMVs are a truly nightmarish piece of our system. If you can somehow make contact with a real person, you may have a chance of expediting your ordeal.

68BabyBlue,
Can't thank you enough for the advice.
I know full well the attitudes of our
NM DMV. I spent 8 years of my
working career as a transportation
tech for a major electric company
in NM. We ordered 100's of vehicles
per year. It was my job to transfer
manufacturers' COO's (certificates
of origin) to actual vehicle titles.
I still have a contact with a "live"
person at NM DMV. Without
over-influencing, I've got to ride
the tide. I've also tried contacting
those at state level with my
questions and concerns. One
can only get so far as they're willing
to go. Pretty soon, they'll consider
you a nuisance, just to be ignored.
They have the power......

 

[1STMP]

Back in 2009, I bought a '66 Corvette from a reputable dealer in Georgia. Pennsylvania is a title to title state like New Mexico. Georgia is bill of sale only on older vehicles. I knew this when I bought the car, and was assured I would get a title as part of the process. It took over six months, but eventually they obtained a Florida title through a dealer located there, and transferred it to me. Pennsylvania accepted it. In the meantime, the dealer issued me three Georgia temp tags, which I was able to use to get insurance coverage, even though I couldn't obtain a PA license plate until I got the title.

My wife's younger sister is a court reporter, and has seen numerous cases of people going through the court to obtain PA titles for street rods that originated out of state with no title. It is a tedious process with significant legal fees, but it can be accomplished. Involves extensive research of the VIN or serial number to determine vehicle has no existing liens or record of theft.

Therin lies the problem. Today's
DMV's base all parameters of title
search and verification on a 17 digit
standard vin. Present a 12 digit
serial number from 1940 vehicle,
and they try to apply their current
mandated parameters.
Applied to a pickup that spent it's
entire life on a ranch in the middle
of nowhere, with being registered
once at time of vehicle purchase.
1940's owners viewed these trucks
as a tool, with some never seeing
a public road. After their useful life,
left to rust away in some far corner
of the property. DMV's do not take
these occurances into consideration.

 

[1STMP]

Here in NH I only need a bill of sale and a vin verification done by an inspection station or LEO, no titles on older vehicles needed but I can apply for and get one if I want to.

NM used to follow these parameters.
I've had numerous vehicles titled as
such. But, my belief, being NM is #3
state of the most stolen vehicles,
they've really tightened things up.

 

[1STMP]

Here in NH I only need a bill of sale and a vin verification done by an inspection station or LEO, no titles on older vehicles needed but I can apply for and get one if I want to.

I surely wish things were as simple
now as they once were.