does a boat trailer need an ownership?

[saneryin]

I was trying to buy a used boat trailer so I could put my inflatable boat on.

 

Yesterday I went to the traffic dept to apply for the plate for the "future" trailer, the lady told me I have to provide vehicle ownership of that trailer.

 

I am confused... for a $200 stuff, do I have to get the ownership? what if the seller could not provide the ownersip to me? 'cause I saw some trailers are very old and rusty.

 

How do you guys handle this when you buy a used trailer? Any suggestions and comments would be highly appreciated.

 

thanks,

[Fisherman]

Yes, the same as your car, truck, ATV, etc. If the old owner can't provide it, you kind of wonder if it's "hot" or not. It's the old owners responsibility to provide you with a new one.

[BillsTheBassMan]

I know that there is a difference between a homemade trailer vs a commercial trailer. I'm not 100% on what that difference is, but if you have a homemade trailer it is less of a hassle (it has something to do with being registered, though it still requires license plates).

 

I know this from almost buying a boat from an ex-cop not too long ago. His trailer was commercial, but he had it marked as homemade. Perhaps someone on here can clear this up.

[bulltron]

I know that there is a difference between a homemade trailer vs a commercial trailer. I'm not 100% on what that difference is, but if you have a homemade trailer it is less of a hassle (it has something to do with being registered, though it still requires license plates).

 

I know this from almost buying a boat from an ex-cop not too long ago. His trailer was commercial, but he had it marked as homemade. Perhaps someone on here can clear this up.

 

 

 

On the trailer I just got with my boat, I labeled it as home made, so there was no tax to be payed .. if its commercial(or sold to you as a trailer), you have to pay tax on that when you register it for your plates ... but i didn't have to pay tax on the boat .. and the boat has to have reg. papers like any other vehicle.

[linweir]

You have to register your trailer if you tow your boat every time.

[torco]

When I was in high school I purchased an old aluminum boat and trailer for like $500 bucks. There was no ownership as it was quite old and the previous owner could not provide me with papers. They let me get plates for it as a homemade trailer.

[saneryin]

looks like a 'home made' trailer is a good idea. if there is difficulties to achieve a ownership.

 

thank you guys!

 

When I was in high school I purchased an old aluminum boat and trailer for like $500 bucks. There was no ownership as it was quite old and the previous owner could not provide me with papers. They let me get plates for it as a homemade trailer.

[Fisherman]

looks like a 'home made' trailer is a good idea. if there is difficulties to achieve a ownership.

 

thank you guys!

 

Well if you're going to go with that and if it's a real company manufactured boat trailer, at least put in the effort of removing the often stamped in VIN on the trailer. At least then if you get stopped and they check your bogus registration which will now have a "file" number instead of a VIN and the see a VIN on the trailer, you won't have so much explaining to do. When they run that old VIN it will come back to the previous owner.

 

Too add some more, if it really was owned by the guy you're buying it from, it's as easy for him to go to the licence office, they will run is Dvr licence and it will give all associated vehicles and plates to owner. He can then get a replacement registration.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Fisherman

[IndySKS]

Well if you're going to go with that and if it's a real company manufactured boat trailer, at least put in the effort of removing the often stamped in VIN on the trailer. At least then if you get stopped and they check your bogus registration which will now have a "file" number instead of a VIN and the see a VIN on the trailer, you won't have so much explaining to do. When they run that old VIN it will come back to the previous owner.

 

Too add some more, if it really was owned by the guy you're buying it from, it's as easy for him to go to the licence office, they will run is Dvr licence and it will give all associated vehicles and plates to owner. He can then get a replacement registration.

 

I'm kinda in the same boat here.....yes a pun was intended

 

I bought my boat and trailer five years ago, finally registered the boat last december. The trailer is a commercially made trailer and has been with the boat since it was new in 89, it has a VIN plate with all it's details. The previous owner had passed away and his wife could not find any documents for either the trailer or boat.

I had the licensing office do a VIN search for the trailer to see who was the last owner registered and even though it has been around since 89 it has never been registered. Now I have to go through a process called and affidavit for vehicle registration and have it signed by a notary in order to prove I am the owner of the trailer. So far I haven't done it but will be soon....or I will just rip the tag off and call it homemade...lol

 

So there is two ways to go about this.

[Fisherman]

I'm kinda in the same boat here.....yes a pun was intended

 

 

I had the licensing office do a VIN search for the trailer to see who was the last owner registered and even though it has been around since 89 it has never been registered.

 

Not picking on you by any stretch, but this is probably what happened to this trailer. The guy that owned it(now deceased) before you, probably had another trailer, (maybe snowmobile or utility, doesn't matter) and used that plate to get the trailer home and probably from there played switcheroo with the trailer plate as he saw fit, therefore never registering it or paying the tax owed. I wonder how many "home made" trailers there actually are out there with their file numbers engraved not likely. Oh, and I don't work for the taxman and I really don't give a damn if the taxman gets some new threads machined in his ringpiece.

[IndySKS]

Not picking on you by any stretch, but this is probably what happened to this trailer. The guy that owned it(now deceased) before you, probably had another trailer, (maybe snowmobile or utility, doesn't matter) and used that plate to get the trailer home and probably from there played switcheroo with the trailer plate as he saw fit, therefore never registering it or paying the tax owed. I wonder how many "home made" trailers there actually are out there with their file numbers engraved not likely. Oh, and I don't work for the taxman and I really don't give a damn if the taxman gets some new threads machined in his ringpiece.

Oh no doubt that's what he did, I also got his plate and used it for a couple years before putting my own plate on the trailer. Who knows what trailer it's registered to. I just want to be legal if a cop stops me.

I have no problem paying my share of the taxes....my living comes from peoples taxes....lol

 

What amazes me is I am the forth owner of the trailer and boat since 89 and the trailer has never been registered. I guess more people do the old plate switch than i would have thought.

[mercman]

Oh no doubt that's what he did, I also got his plate and used it for a couple years before putting my own plate on the trailer. Who knows what trailer it's registered to. I just want to be legal if a cop stops me.

I have no problem paying my share of the taxes....my living comes from peoples taxes....lol

 

What amazes me is I am the forth owner of the trailer and boat since 89 and the trailer has never been registered. I guess more people do the old plate switch than i would have thought.

 

now ya got me wondering. my bro won a boat last year at a show.a 14ft with 8hp motor. sold it to me for a buck cause he didnt need it. i registered the trailer in my name, but what about the boat. i think that under 10 hp and under 16 ft, no registration is required in que and ont. is this correct

[ch312]

i registered a homemade trailer a couple years ago.

 

1)fill out some paper work

2)pay for it

3)go home

 

id say its too easy to register a trailer as you could basically steal a trailer and not even need to show anyone to have it registered...

[Fisherman]

i registered a homemade trailer a couple years ago.

 

1)fill out some paper work

2)pay for it

3)go home

 

id say its too easy to register a trailer as you could basically steal a trailer and not even need to show anyone to have it registered...

 

Bingo, how many do you think are out there like that. If some sticky fingers ever borrows one of mine on the long term plan and I ever see it again, there are little "spots" that have particular markings that you'd need a forensic lab tech to discover.

[gaspumper]

Also some license registration places are making you go and get gross weight,and load limit, on your home made trailer before you can register it.

[ch312]

Also some license registration places are making you go and get gross weight,and load limit, on your home made trailer before you can register it.

 

pick a number off the top of your head and write it down...worked for me

 

didnt ask for any proof at all...

[road]

we registered our trailer and boat , with a hand written bill of sale and no ownerships.

we decided to register everything as homemade.

when we filled out the paperwork i made up some numbers on the new ownerships, then after we got home i mig welded those numbers under the tongue . then for the boat we did the same idea just with a tig. welder.

ta da !

fully registered .

 

road.

[Fish Farmer]

On the trailer I just got with my boat, I labeled it as home made, so there was no tax to be payed .. if its commercial(or sold to you as a trailer), you have to pay tax on that when you register it for your plates ... but i didn't have to pay tax on the boat .. and the boat has to have reg. papers like any other vehicle.

 

I did the same as you, and a few years later, got a call from revenue Canada, they wanted to know who the previous owner was and who the owner is now. They wanted there Tax money.

Just a heads up.