Title for an old car ... one man's adventure

[JPHIL]

Roger

Any success in obtaining a title in Massachusetts ?

I am considering a purchase of an untitled AND unregistered car in the state, but want to avoid any problems associated with ownership.

[R Walling]

Have you been able to clarify the MA requirements ?

There is a wayto do it.

I have not tried it though.

[h=4]Bonded Vehicles[/h]A vehicle is considered undocumented when the purchaser does not have all the documents required to transfer ownership and apply for a Certificate of Title. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90D Section 12 authorizes the Registry to register and title an undocumented vehicle at its discretion. As a condition of issuing a Certificate of Title, the Registry may require the customer to file a bond in an amount equal to one and one half times the National Automobile Dealers Association clean trade-in value of the undocumented vehicle.

The customer may submit the following documents to the Title Division to obtain approval for bonding:

• Notarized Affidavit attesting to the complete history of the vehicle as known. Affidavit must include vehicle's model year, make, and Vehicle Identification Number

• Completed Visual Inspection of VIN

• Any other documentation pertaining to the transfer of ownership of the vehicle, including bills of sales or cancelled checks

This can be faxed to the Title Division, to the attention of the Title Review Officer. A Title Review Officer will review the paperwork and based on the information, he/she may require more documentation or approve the bond.

If the request for bond is approved, an insurance company must complete a Vehicle Bond Form, with one witness signature, and the issuing agent must attach an Acknowledgment of Surety, which states that the agent is authorized to issue a surety bond within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The customer may then submit an Application for Title. He/she must supply the original bond form along with any other supporting documentation previously submitted as part of the approval process. The bond and the complete Title Application file will be held by the Registry for a period of three years, or until the vehicle is no longer registered in Massachusetts and the bonded Certificate of Title is surrendered to the new state of registration.

To indicate that a vehicle is a bonded vehicle, the Title will include a brand of BOND. For more information on Title brands, please see the Title Brands section.

Edited September 14, 2014 by Roger Walling (see edit history)

[R Walling]

Roger

Any success in obtaining a title in Massachusetts ?

I am considering a purchase of an untitled AND unregistered car in the state, but want to avoid any problems associated with ownership.

To bad the seller in in MA. If he was in NH. all he would have to do is register it and then give you the registration when he sells it to you. Then you could title it in MA using the NH. registratrion.

[cahartley]

Everything I've been able to find about buying a car in Wisconsin that has no title points to a very difficult, if not impossible, situation.

I found a way to get a replacement title which requires a bill of sale at a minimum.

Purely out of curiosity I'm going to email our DMV and ask how a car from NY State with no title would be handled here.

I got my answer from the WI DOT.......much easier than I thought!

>>> Thank you for using the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's website.

To title and register a pre-1973 car from New York State (where cars earlier than 1973 aren't titled) we require a transferable New York registration and an original Bill of Sale. <<<