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WS6
10-20-2010, 07:22 PM
How strict are Texas's title laws? I've bought a project bike here in CO and am having trouble getting the title squared away because of how ridiculous CO is about titles. The sale is legit and the bike isn't stolen. It just sat for seven years and that's the hang up really. It's a 98 model bike. If I had a notorized bill of sale, would that allow me to get a title for the bike in Texas since I'm now moving there? It will obviously be an out of state transaction but they don't need to know I didn't drive to CO to purchase the bike. So anyone have an idea on my options?


Thanks

MuscleRodz
10-20-2010, 07:28 PM
what state is the bike titled in? If not in the state you live in, the dmv or tag agency will need to do a vin check to verify it is what the title says it is.

WS6
10-21-2010, 03:37 AM
It's titled in CO from way back in 2003. That's when the person I bought it from bought it. He took it home to Utah and wrecked it within an hour of owning the bike. He never got the title transfered to Utah where he lives. The bike simply saat at his grandfather's for seven years. Grand father lives in GJ Colorado. I was simply hoping to show up in Texas with a bill of sale on the bike and no title. Think that's possible?

derekf
10-22-2010, 03:24 AM
From http://www.txdmv.gov/vehicles/drivers/new_residents.htm -


After having it inspected, owners should take the following to their county tax office:

•inspection certification,
•proof of liability insurance,
•the vehicle's odometer reading if it is less than 10 years old,
•an original out-of-state title, proof of registration, proof of sales tax payment or current foreign/military ownership document,
•completed Form 130-U, and
•the following fees:
◦registration fee,
◦title application fee of $28 or $33, depending on the county, and
◦new resident tax of $90.

Is a BOS sufficient? Doesn't sound like it. Best bet would likely be to call the TXDMV at 1-888-DMV-GoTx (368-4689) and talk to them.

vintageracer
10-22-2010, 06:21 AM
This is what happens when you buy a vehicle/bike from a person who is not the legal registered owner on a bill of sale.

Does the "grandfather" or the person from whom you bought the bike know the person from whom they bought the bike? If you can find the person to whom the bike is legally titled to in Colorado you could contact them and see if they would file for a duplicate title OR give you a "Power of Attorney" to act as their representative to obtain a duplicate title.

What you have is a Bill of Sale from a person who is not the legal "titled" owner of the bike. What's to keep the legal titled owner (the guy who sold the bike to the guy you bought it from) from filing a "stolen" report on this bike? Depending upon the attitude of the legal owner of the bike if you decide to contact him/her he may not be that up and up and may tell you to bring back his bike!

The best legal way to get out of your problem is to file a mechanics lein for storage charges against the bike in your state of residence. Since the bike's been sitting for 7 years somewhere not in the posession of the legal owner it will be easy for your to say it's been on your property for that long and file the lein. Go through process and the bike will be yours legally yours to sell or obtain a title.

Just another suggestion to help your problem. I'll bet you don't buy another bike on a bill of sale only!

WS6
10-22-2010, 09:29 AM
Actually, the grandfather owned the motorcycle shop that the bike was sold through. The person I bought it from is working on getting it titled in Utah. I just thought I would try and save him the trouble if possible. I see now reason to title the bike in UT, then CO, and then immediately title the bike in Texas. I figured if it wasn't terrible I'd just get it done in Texas. It's not that big of a deal for me since the bike is a project bike that's not road worthy. I'm months away and maybe even more now that I'm moving from riding it on the street. I was just looking into my options since I know CO is such a pain about titles.

Thanks

carbuff
10-22-2010, 07:23 PM
Texas is a PITA to register an out of state car. When I bought a project Camaro (ie: non-drivable) a few years ago, I couldn't find a way to transfer the title into my name because the DMV requires an "inspection" of the car before you do request a title. That means that you have to go get an inspection, and they give you a special form that says the VIN on the vehicle matches the VIN on the title. Obviously if you can't drive a vehicle, you can't get an inspection.

I ended up selling the car to someone out of state that was able to deal with it in their state...

With the Firebird I just purchased, I'm in a similar situation. I actually have a signed Title, but it wasn't registered in the guys name I bought the car from (ie: he got it signed when he bought it, but never bothered getting it titled to him in his state). So now I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to deal with this again. I too have a BOS, but it's a similar situation where the BOS signature doesn't match the name on the title... Sigh... I thought I had learned this lesson already, and I even got a copy of the title sent to me via email before purchase, but I didn't catch the mismatched name.

Good luck however you work this out! If at all possible, you may be better off letting him get the title and then bringing that with a BOS to Texas.

WS6
10-22-2010, 07:56 PM
Can you not tow a car or motorcycle to the DMV place and have them inspect the VIN? CO has that same requirement but have a provision that it doesn't have to be driven to the DMV to be inspected. They also have an option where if you live outside the city limits, for $10 a country deputy will come to the vehicle's location ie home or shop to do the inspection. It's looking like him just getting the title will be the easiest thing to do after all.

Thanks

carbuff
10-24-2010, 01:02 PM
I actually don't know, but I offered to pay the inspection guy to come to my house (about 3 miles away) and he wouldn't / couldn't do it. I will have to go ask if that is an option. At this point, I'm not sure what my next step is...

Good luck with your situation!

WS6
10-24-2010, 05:29 PM
You too Bryan. I'd ask about towing the car up there. I see now reason that wouldn't suffice but then again, I'm not some government employee

WS6
04-25-2011, 10:52 AM
a short update about my situation. I spoke with the people at the title office here in Pampa and the lady I spoke with said I don't have to do anything ridiculous like a surety bond to get the bike titled. She basically said bring in the Bill of Sale, a pencil rubbing of the VIN, and I'd have to go before a judge for a title hearing. After that, if everything is clean on the bike(and they have no way of knowing really since it is an out of state bike) then I'll be issued a Texas title that's clean. In short, it's not terrible or expensive. A little time consuming as it'll take a few weeks but it shouldn't be bad. Since everything is up and up about the bike and the sale, I don't forsee any problems. I'm going to start the process soon and keep you guys informed as this stuff applies to cars as well. Especially older cars found in barns, sitting in fields, etc. I just have to balance a busy work schedule to get it done.

WS6
05-25-2011, 08:28 AM
It's done! I just had my title hearing today and paid them for the title and sales tax. The title should be here in a couple weeks. I'll update this if the title some how is not what I'm expecting but it should be a clear Texas title which si what I want. The only suggestion I can make for anyone else needing to go through this process is to find a small town tag/title office. Here in Pamp I walked in and there's no one else in there. I spoke with the same lady each time and the whole process took about 20 minutes of my time spread over a few weeks. In short, rather simple and inexpensive. I honestly don't understand how it worked but it did.

1bad78zam
05-28-2011, 01:54 PM
Love those small Texas towns!!

WS6
05-29-2011, 06:56 PM
small towns in general. For me, the biggest thing was that I had to go back a few times and I dealt with the same lady each time who recognized me immediately. Having that type of a business relationship with someone was great. From the get go I told her what I was trying to do and she knew exactly what needed to be done and guided me through the process. Last year when I called the DMV hotline, the lady I spoke with then told me flat out I only had one option which was the surety bond process. She didn't want to hear anything else from me aside from me not having the title. Apparently, she was wrong. Sure wish she had known her job more thoroughly but whatever.

elitecustombody
05-30-2011, 12:23 PM
Glad you got it . AFAIK Texas is easy to title salvage cars that have been rebuilt without inspection,all they need is proof of insurance and some $$ for registration/tag.No appointments for inspection that can take more than 6 months ,no BS paperwork,affidavits,invoices,e.t.c.

WS6
06-11-2011, 07:10 AM
Well, this isn't a salvage title. I got it in the mail this week. It's a clean title in my name. So that chapter of this build is closed. I'm happy.