Topic: How long to wait until registering

[eigenvector]

Bought a bike from someone - private sale.  How long should I give him before I register it, how do I confirm that the title he signed is truly now in my name?

Guess I'm just trying to confirm that the deal was legit, legal, and done.

[scrapvalue]

You can register it any time. You don't have to plate it at the same time.
Tell them it's a project bike and you want to make sure everything is legit before you spend any money on fixing it.

[b52bombardier1]

When the late fees start to add up depends on the state.  Here in Louisiana, it's forty days.  A check of the VIN for theft should have been done before the purchase but I'm guilty of not following my own advice here.

Rick

[BomberMann650]

Washington state - seller has two weeks to report the sale.  Buyer has 30 days to transfer ownership.

If the seller fails to report the release of the vehicle, you will be stopped by the highway patrol man.  Ask me how I found that out

[eigenvector]

So I guess what I'm hearing is that I probably should give him 2 weeks to report the sale, then I hoof it down to the DOL to transfer ownership and register.

[mrbreeze]

Another thing to consider is if it had a non-op registration. Some places will stick you with back fees if it's still in the system and wasn't non-op'ed. Smart to do your homework before buying.

[eigenvector]

Naw, Washington doesn't do that.

Besides, the price was so low that the fees are inconsequential.  The theft part concerns me, but this guy didn't seem like a crook.

[mrbreeze]

Neither did Brimmer!!

[scottly]

Bought a bike from someone - private sale.  How long should I give him before I register it

About two seconds! You should get the title transferred ASAP. It's up to you to get the title transferred, not the seller.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Another thing to consider is if it had a non-op registration. Some places will stick you with back fees if it's still in the system and wasn't non-op'ed. Smart to do your homework before buying.

Yep.  California DMV loves to do this to collect revenue.  It's actually discretionary to waive back fees, but SELDOM do clerks do it, as they need supervisor approval.

[mrbreeze]

Bought a bike from someone - private sale.  How long should I give him before I register it

About two seconds! You should get the title transferred ASAP. It's up to you to get the title transferred, not the seller.

It's in the seller's best interest to make sure it gets transferred. California DMV has a form that the seller fills out and sends in releasing interest in the vehicle. That way I can't buy a car and then go on a crime spree in that vehicle under the seller's name.

[754]

I will tell you when I got my sandcast, I put it in my name as fast as I could get it done..

Before the guy told anyone in the know, what he sold it for ...

[calj737]

If you have the title, a wait is not needed. The Seller doesn't have to report anything. You simply title the bike in your name and that is all the notification needed to the DMV.

[BomberMann650]

If you have the title, a wait is not needed. The Seller doesn't have to report anything. You simply title the bike in your name and that is all the notification needed to the DMV.

Tell that to the trooper who wanted to take me in for Grand Theft Auto :/

[Bankerdanny]

If you have the title in your hand you can transfer it whenever you want. You don't need to give the seller time to report the sale (or not as the case may be). When I bought my 550 in May I transferred title and plated it a couple business days later.

OTOH, I haven't transferred the title to the scooter I bought a year ago as a flip. It's signed and undated as is the receipt for the sale. When I flip it that will go to the new owner. There is no point in spending $200 in fees to transfer title for a vehicle I don't intend to use.

[mrbreeze]

If you have the title in your hand you can transfer it whenever you want. You don't need to give the seller time to report the sale (or not as the case may be). When I bought my 550 in May I transferred title and plated it a couple business days later.

OTOH, I haven't transferred the title to the scooter I bought a year ago as a flip. It's signed and undated as is the receipt for the sale. When I flip it that will go to the new owner. There is no point in spending $200 in fees to transfer title for a vehicle I don't intend to use.

Very true Danny and I do the same thing but as a seller you don't want to leave your name on a vehicle you no longer own. If I'm driving a car that you sold me and I go rob a bank in that car where will the cops go looking when a witness calls in that plate?

[Duanob]

Bought a bike from someone - private sale.  How long should I give him before I register it

About two seconds! You should get the title transferred ASAP. It's up to you to get the title transferred, not the seller.

Exactly, especially in Washington. If you go over 15 days from the date on the title they start dinging you extra cash.

[Duanob]

If you have the title, a wait is not needed. The Seller doesn't have to report anything. You simply title the bike in your name and that is all the notification needed to the DMV.

Tell that to the trooper who wanted to take me in for Grand Theft Auto :/

Maybe the trooper just didn't like you. The seller's report is not your concern if you buy a bike. Taking the title down and having it put in your name within 15 days is your concern. How could the trooper give you crap if you had a signed registration?

[BomberMann650]

If you have the title, a wait is not needed. The Seller doesn't have to report anything. You simply title the bike in your name and that is all the notification needed to the DMV.

Tell that to the trooper who wanted to take me in for Grand Theft Auto :/

Maybe the trooper just didn't like you. The seller's report is not your concern if you buy a bike. Taking the title down and having it put in your name within 15 days is your concern. How could the trooper give you crap if you had a signed registration?

It was an oldsmobile alero.  Car got zero respect on the road. 
It was a bizarre phenomena.  By the time the THIRD trooper asked me "son is this your car". I quipped back "what the hell is going on?"  Finally got my answer from the leo.

Apparently, when a washington seller fails to report a sale, the new owners only hope of not going to jail, is having valid title, registration, and insurance.

Gawd I hated that car.  It was uncomfortable to drive, I constantly bumped my head getting in, it drove other motorists to doing wild and unpredictable stunts around me.  Day I drove it home, I could see every zit and freckle on the face of the driver behind me from my rearview mirror.

The constant traffic stops were just icing on the cursed car cake.

Oddly, I've had less trouble in the roads with my cb550.

[scottly]

Bought a bike from someone - private sale.  How long should I give him before I register it

About two seconds! You should get the title transferred ASAP. It's up to you to get the title transferred, not the seller.

It's in the seller's best interest to make sure it gets transferred. California DMV has a form that the seller fills out and sends in releasing interest in the vehicle. That way I can't buy a car and then go on a crime spree in that vehicle under the seller's name.

The form is(or was?) a yellow slip that came with the pink slip: a "notice of release of liability", used to report sale or transfer of vehicle. This protects the seller in case the buyer doesn't get the title transferred.
My brother-in-law once sold a Datsun station wagon to a surfer, and didn't bother with the form. About two years later, while driving somewhere near Modesto, Richard got pulled over, and when they ran his license, a bench warrant showed up, resulting in a mandatory trip to the pokey. It turned out the surfer had gotten a bunch of parking tickets before he got the title transferred, by parking on the shoulder of the 101 near Santa Barbara to get to a favorite surfing spot.    

[Bankerdanny]

If you have the title, a wait is not needed. The Seller doesn't have to report anything. You simply title the bike in your name and that is all the notification needed to the DMV.

Tell that to the trooper who wanted to take me in for Grand Theft Auto :/

It really depends on the state. In Illinois until very recently (last couple years) there was nothing to send to the state when you sold. Now there is a detachable part of the title you complete and mail in to give notice of the sale.

If I plan to drive/ride the vehicle right away then I transfer right away, the one exception being my FJ1200 a few years back because of issues with the title (its a long story). So I rode it for almost a year with a plate on it that was in my name, but attached to my prior bike, the "02 Royal Enfield. I never got pulled over, so it wasn't an issue, but if I had it could have gone several ways.

[eigenvector]

That was certainly easier than I expected.

Just show up with the title, pay the tax and fees - bing bang boom.  Done.

[faux fiddy]

I know that when I transferred title to a car to my girlfriend, she  who lived in Kansas needed  the local police  to physically look at the car and see the VIN number and make sure it wasn't altered.

I think that is statewide deal in Kansas.

[rb550four]

Here in New York, I bought a parts truck 10 years ago, put it on the road last month,surprised that there were no issues.
We don't sell the plate with the vehicle here, we keep the plate (turn it in later on) sign the title ,reg and a bill of sale (For sales tax)
The rest is up to the new owner, as long as everything is signed , he can go to dmv that same day, and get a new title, reg and plates with a 10 day inspection sticker on the side.
 The plate problem here is if you don't turn in your plate later on, before it expires, and pay the dollar. NY don't want extra old plates that could be used by criminals on our roads. If you didn't turn in your plate after it has expired and pay the dollar, and it is brought to their attention, then you end up being the criminal that NY don't want on their roads .and it 's a loss of licence . 1 day for each day over overdue. That's harsh for the average guy who's vehicle may have broke down 9 months ago 3/4's of the way through it's registration year.... So you get it fixed,and realize the reg has run out. So you go to DMV to  re register and they immediately want your licence, and want to hold it for the six months it was parked with your plates on it.  You can't renew those plates either.
  Now you don't have any licence, can't drive to work or anywhere else, even though you own 3 more trucks.  The vehicle that you have always owned is fixed but temporarily not able to be registered with those plates, and no licence, until the time has passed.   That's the way it was explained to me. Sounds like some-kind of biblical ,old testiment type of punishment to me...until the time has passed...WTF are you kidding me? .......Or there  was a new option for State forgiveness , $100 for each day and you may keep your licence...oh let's see....160 days times $100.... Lady, are you out of your freakin mind?     if this looks like it could be you , here in NY, sell the vehicle to the wife  or kids , have them get the new title and turn in thee plate that was left on the truck when they bought it. You buy it back ,re-title, re-register and you are back to your noncriminal life with a driver's licence, no marks , no record ,and no bullspit from those cork sniffin iceholes at the DMV...  farging bastages .
 

[BomberMann650]

Here in New York, I bought a parts truck 10 years ago, put it on the road last month,surprised that there were no issues.
We don't sell the plate with the vehicle here, we keep the plate (turn it in later on) sign the title ,reg and a bill of sale (For sales tax)
The rest is up to the new owner, as long as everything is signed , he can go to dmv that same day, and get a new title, reg and plates with a 10 day inspection sticker on the side.
 The plate problem here is if you don't turn in your plate later on, before it expires, and pay the dollar. NY don't want extra old plates that could be used by criminals on our roads. If you didn't turn in your plate after it has expired and pay the dollar, and it is brought to their attention, then you end up being the criminal that NY don't want on their roads .and it 's a loss of licence . 1 day for each day over overdue. That's harsh for the average guy who's vehicle may have broke down 9 months ago 3/4's of the way through it's registration year.... So you get it fixed,and realize the reg has run out. So you go to DMV to  re register and they immediately want your licence, and want to hold it for the six months it was parked with your plates on it.  You can't renew those plates either.
  Now you don't have any licence, can't drive to work or anywhere else, even though you own 3 more trucks.  The vehicle that you have always owned is fixed but temporarily not able to be registered with those plates, and no licence, until the time has passed.   That's the way it was explained to me. Sounds like some-kind of biblical ,old testiment type of punishment to me...until the time has passed...WTF are you kidding me? .......Or there  was a new option for State forgiveness , $100 for each day and you may keep your licence...oh let's see....160 days times $100.... Lady, are you out of your freakin mind?     if this looks like it could be you , here in NY, sell the vehicle to the wife  or kids , have them get the new title and turn in thee plate that was left on the truck when they bought it. You buy it back ,re-title, re-register and you are back to your noncriminal life with a driver's licence, no marks , no record ,and no bullspit from those cork sniffin iceholes at the DMV...  farging bastages .

Is it just me, or are these mooks running amok with their own imagined ideal society?