Topic: Title Transfer Timing Question

[RSchaefer]

Sorry if I've posted in the wrong location - looked like the only option.  Did a search but no obvious answer to my specific question.

I live in Arizona and purchased the vehicle from an Arizona resident.

So I purchased my '75 CB750F a few years ago from a local seller and received a signed/notarized title.  AZ requires me to transfer/register the title in my name within 15 days or pay a penalty, which I did not realize at the time.  So what should I do.

Apparently there is an $8 initial penalty and $4 per month thereafter not to exceed $100 total penalty, which I have obviously reached.

It seems that if I do the transfer then I also start annual registration fees, license plate, etc. even though I am not driving it on the highway (still restoring the old girl).

So I'm thinking I should just hold the signed title until I'm ready to ride it and then initiate the transfer and pay the $100 fee?  Am I missing something?

Thing is AZ says they "may" charge a penalty if the title is transferred after 15 days but I can't find any info on what they mean by "may."

There does not seem to be a way to get the bike in my name and kinda put it in a "hold status" until such time that I get it running and actually start riding it.

Does anyone have any experience with this in AZ?

[carnivorous chicken]

I lived in AZ for 20 years, and it is by far the most lenient state I know of in terms of DMV (or in AZ's case, just to be different, MVD) processes. Paying $100 for holding on to a title and not transferring it for a few years is kind of a pittance. There are other things you could try -- filing for an abandoned vehicle title which might technically be cheaper but would require a couple visits to the DMV, er MVD, and some time waiting. At this point, you might as well just wait. But if you've sure you've got a runner, who knows? One thing you can do to avoid late fees is ask to sign a "non-use waiver." In my early years in AZ I would go back to Seattle for the summer, but my bike's registration expired in July. I would come back mid-August and they told me I had to pay a late fee, but the first time they told me that the woman also told me about the non-use waiver. I signed it, didn't pay a fine, and did it every year after that I needed to. It might work for you even though it's a title transfer not a registration (the only thing that prevents you from doing so for registration is if you get a ticket so they know you were riding the bike).

The other thing I found is that penty of the folks at the AZ MVD appreciate a PMA. All day long people #$%* and moan about going there, but honestly if your time is flexible and you hit it at the right time, you can be in and out in 30 minutes to an hour. I bring a newspaper or a book to read. If you are friendly and conversational and just ask what can be done I think they have some leeway in assessing fines. I usually went to the MVD on McClintock in Tempe.

Another thing is to be aware of what you are trying to do. I went to register a little street legal TS50 and they told me I needed insurance, which isn't true in AZ for bikes under 50 ccs. even though I told them that I looked up the law and they told me they weren't sure, I had to go to another office where they just rubber stamped my registration. So it's not always effective, but best to be prepared.

[newday777]

Tell them it needed a major restoration to rehab it to get it road worthy and running and ask for a waiver of fees.
Be thankful you are not in California.....

[RSchaefer]

Yeah I agree on the $100, small price to pay cause at least I have a good title to process, seems like the thing to do would be to ensure I have a runner 1st, and hang onto the sellers title.  I live in Tempe so I'm familiar with that location.  To be honest I quite going to the main MVD offices a couple of years ago and use the 3rd party locations instead.  Unbelievable how long the waits are and how rude the people are at the state MVD's when compared to the 3rd party offices.

I did ask the lady at the 3rd party office about this situation and she said they would "have to collect the penalty" but that a main office may have some flexibility.

I recently bought a '72, CL175 at garage sale from a lady who said it was her dead husbands bike, no title.  The 3rd party MVD said it would be about $250 abandon/lost vehicle/title issue and they would handle everything for that price to get a bonded title and then eventually switch it into my name.  She said to stop by with the vehicle and they could run a quick VIN search to make sure its clear, i.e. not stolen.

Thanks for the responses!!

[RAFster122s]

Be pleasant and polite and you might find the main MVD offices to be good to you. Really does depend upon whom is serving you though. I have had mixed results and they have been good to me. Give it a try, will be cheaper to give it a shot and you could even ask if they would waive the fee if they are going to charge you. Worst that can happen is they say no.

[RSchaefer]

I get the positive attitude thing, I really do.  Owned a service based small business for 18 years and fully appreciate the equity of being positive etc.  HOWEVER - if the people you are attempting to work with are underpaid and overworked, no amount of pleasant and polite will work.

Anyway I'm high jacking my own thread.  I think the basic transaction fee at the 3rd party office is $8 and you get free coffee/bottled water, in and out, happy people!!

[carnivorous chicken]

Yeah I agree on the $100, small price to pay cause at least I have a good title to process, seems like the thing to do would be to ensure I have a runner 1st, and hang onto the sellers title.  I live in Tempe so I'm familiar with that location.  To be honest I quite going to the main MVD offices a couple of years ago and use the 3rd party locations instead.  Unbelievable how long the waits are and how rude the people are at the state MVD's when compared to the 3rd party offices.

I did ask the lady at the 3rd party office about this situation and she said they would "have to collect the penalty" but that a main office may have some flexibility.

I recently bought a '72, CL175 at garage sale from a lady who said it was her dead husbands bike, no title.  The 3rd party MVD said it would be about $250 abandon/lost vehicle/title issue and they would handle everything for that price to get a bonded title and then eventually switch it into my name.  She said to stop by with the vehicle and they could run a quick VIN search to make sure its clear, i.e. not stolen.

Thanks for the responses!!

For the 175, I would file for an abandoned vehicle title myself. It's easy, one trip to the MVD IIRC. You need to bring the bike and the form (you can print it out ahead of time so you don't have to fill it out there). They will check the VIN, look up the last registered owner, and I think you have to send them a registered letter or the MVD does. I remember it costing around $35. I looked up the last known address for the last title bearer, and it was an old apartment building that had been torn down to put up businesses, so I knew it was a formality. Letter came back undeliverable a week or so later, brought it to the MVD, and they mailed me a transferable title in 6-8 weeks.

Paying $250 for someone to do that seems pricey, but some people have more money than time.

[RSchaefer]

Good point, maybe I can take care of this myself and avoid the 3rd party $250

[newday777]

Good point, maybe I can take care of this myself and avoid the 3rd party $250

Did you get anywhere with this?

[RSchaefer]

Well on the CB750F it turns out it was a Texas title and the seller to me did not get it notarized.  Turns out Texas does not require the title to be notarized and also no late penalty for transferring the title into my name from a Texas title many many years late.  The 3rd party MVD was not able to register my old 1975 plate (from my original '69 CB750) to my '75, CB750F.  They said I could try at a state MVD office but they did not have that option on the computer system for a motorcycle.  Could be the new software that AZ cut over to last year?

So got my new title (not really, AZ does not issue hard titles any more, they are in the "cloud.")  They will give you a title copy for a fee.  Got the title and tags registered for 5-years.  Cost $6 for the 3rd party MVD to do this for me.

On the CL175 I can bring in the bike and they will do a VIN search for me and give me the last owners address.  Sounded like they would do that at no cost.  If I want them to do the whole process, i.e. send certified letter, get a bond, issue bond title, transfer to full title, etc. then it would be around $250.

It appears to be an even longer process to then get a waiver to not register it for on-the-road as this is not a normal option in AZ.  So when I get to the CL175, probably next summer now, I'll see if I can get it running, what engine issues, if any, etc. and depending on the prognosis, go check the VIN and start that process then.

[carnivorous chicken]

You should be able to register your 1975 plate for your '75 bike as a "year of manufacture" plate in AZ. I always found plates from the corresponding years for my bikes in AZ because they were way cooler than the copper and red "Historic Vehicle" plates, which are also crazy expensive.

Regardless, glad you got your papers.

[RSchaefer]

Yeah the lady at the 3rd party MVD said they have done that before but that option was grayed out on their new software screen so talking to her was a dead end.  I would have to go to a regular MVD office.  or...... maybe this new software update blows me into a Catch 22.