Free Credit Report

boat registration without pink slip in CA.

Hi all,

I planned on buying an old small fiberglass boat with an outboard on it for about $400. The seller has no title or paperwork whatsoever. I called dmv and they said bring in a bill of sale(like an invoice) and they'll decide whether I could register it. Has anyone had similar experience? how else can I get it registered? thanks.

s o

s
Apr 12
2006
DMV doesn't really care about property taxes. That county turf, and the county works hard to figure out if you have restored your boat. There was quite a questionaire from the Santa Clara County Tax Collector this year.

But I don't think the property tax is too bad: $115 last year on my 97ish Boston Whaler.

Chuck
Apr 13
There is a cutoff on the tax bills being sent out. since the rate is about 2% of value, cheap boats do not get taxed. Cost more to bill than they get. My 14' Valco boat never got a tax bill, after I filled out the questionnaire. they sent out the notice before I had bought a motor for it, so the value was the $800 I paid for it new. 1986. My Jetcraft gets an $85 assessement.. CalifBill
Apr 14
My friend didn't claim he restored the boat. He told them he built the boat from the ground up. Lumber, fiberglass and marine supply store receipts. Like I said, it was many years ago. I'm sure they would be a little more picky these days.

I do know they always want to know where the boat is stored if different than your home address. Makes the aerial pictures over the private lake doable. No boats listed at the address and they'll give you a call.

> There was quite a questionaire from the Santa Clara County Tax Collector this year.

Got it too. I expect them to drop their appraisal of my boat. It's a fishing boat and I work it hard.

> But I don't think the property tax is too bad: $115 last year on my 97ish Boston Whaler.

Nope, not too bad. I pay $69 a month just to keep mine in (outdoor) storage.

-phish

phishrace
Apr 14
Before purchasing, figure out how long since it was registered in California if at all. The state never forgives registration fees, and they add 50% penalty. Calif
Apr 13
This doesn't surprise me. They use aerial photos to find additions phishrace
Apr 12
Don't know about California, but many states, including mine (MA) won't allow registration or issuance of a title without a seller's title. True for boats and autos/trucks. It used to be that if it was more than some number of years old, you could register and title with a bill of sale. No longer. No good reason for this, except it's another way to make sure everybody has paid sales taxes, over and over and over.

It seems like there used to be a title requirement exception if the boat was less than so many feet (11?) , but I think that rule has gone by the wayside also.

RCE

RCE
Apr 12
I have a buddy that years ago bought a boat in CA with the pink slip promised later. The pink never showed and money was owed on the boat. Someone suggested he collect receipts from hardware and lumber stores and claim he built the boat to DMV. He did and it worked. They assigned new CF numbers.

Just so we're clear, this is illegal. Any boat with an outboard attached in CA must have CF numbers unless you have a lake on your property. Good luck.

-phish

phishrace
Apr 12
You also can have a title search done and have a new pink done that way. I have purchased cars that the PO has lost the pink and they are replacable dewers
Apr 12
Message:

1. Never give money without the title.

2. Even you own the lake, in California, it has to be registered, See the third item in http://www.dmv.ca.gov/boatsinfo/boatreg.htm

3. CA DMV seems more interested in getting the sales tax, making sure you didn't screw the state on the price, and establishing a paper trail in case it later turns up stolen. That makes sense.

Chuck
Apr 12
   

Disclaimer: This is a computer-generated and formatted feed of current postings to a public
Internet forum. We do not control the information delivered, nor do we endorse or monitor its
content. Internet forums may carry offensive, harmful, inaccurate, and otherwise inappropriate material.
Click to see the RSS XML version of this page   Click to see the Atom XML version of this page