Titling an antique car with just a bill of sale? Anyone with experience?

[jrossowvue30]

I posted this over on bf.c in the Mid-Atlantic section but figured I might catch a broader knowledge base over here so posting here as well.

I am posting this here to see if anyone has gone through the process of buying a car that comes with just a bill of sale and titling it in Va. It appears that many states only require a bill of sale to transfer ownership of cars past a certain age, unfortunately Virginia requires all cars to have a title regardless of age. For various reasons I hate Virginia and all of their stupid laws and rules, especially when it comes to the DMV and cars, but I digress.

My situation is this; I have found a car in Georgia, has no title and will not come with one. Was apparently purchased in Alabama with only a bill of sale. After talking to the owner he has enough local interest from people who could buy and register without a title that he really has no incentive to obtain a title for an out-of-state buye like myself. I have asked him to look into getting one and he is open to it but if it requires too much he likely won't go through the process. It is the car I want and if not for this title issue I would have already bought the car. At this point I am exploring my options if he cannot or will not come through with a title.

Has anyone on here gone through this? If so, what did you do to get your title from Virginia?

I have been thinking of what I might do to get around this if I cannot get a title. Right now I am thinking maybe I can call on some old friends who live in Georgia to get one of them to "purchase" it, get a title then "sell" it to me. I am also wondering if Georgia will issue a title without registering it there to me even though I am not a resident (doubtful).

A quick Google search for this topic finds an almost exact scenario, Va resident bought a classic from Ga with only a BoS, could not register in Va and was at a total loss. I do not want to find myself in that situation.

Considering most on this site deal with older cars, and some are from Virginia and Georgia I was wondering if anyone has any insight and solutions to my problem. Any help is much appreciated.

[slammin.e28]

Right now I am thinking maybe I can call on some old friends who live in Georgia to get one of them to "purchase" it, get a title then "sell" it to me. I am also wondering if Georgia will issue a title without registering it there to me even though I am not a resident (doubtful).

Basically this is what you'll have to do.

Vermont is the real easy one to get a title in, IIRC.

[LJ851]

Right now I am thinking maybe I can call on some old friends who live in Georgia to get one of them to "purchase" it, get a title then "sell" it to me.

If the vehicle has ever been registered in Georgia without a title, you can never get another Georgia title for it. It is permanently a non-titled vehicle in Georgia.


Ask me how i know.

[rcsoundn1]

how do you know......... J/K

[jrossowvue30]

If the vehicle has ever been registered in Georgia without a title, you can never get another Georgia title for it. It is permanently a non-titled vehicle in Georgia.


Ask me how i know.

Well I actually don't think it has ever been registered in Georgia. In a nutshell, was bought by a restoration shop for a customer, customer bailed on the shop, now the shop is selling it. The guy said all he has is a bill of sale from the guy he got it from in Alabama.

Does this make a difference?

Curious, what issue did you run into? Were you able to make it work out?

[jrossowvue30]

A little digging has uncovered that companies in Alabama do "title services". Anyone have any experience with these companies? The reviews are mixed, appears some states Like Ca and IL for instance have cracked down on these titles.

[TurboJake]

Do you have AAA?

If not, fucking get it. The benefits are immeasurable.
If you do, good! Call them and tell them what you want to do. They'll help. They've helped me several times, and every single time, they've been far more knowledgeable than anyone at the DMV or SOS (Mi DMV).

One time they even registered a car in Maine for me.

;)

Also, fuck Virginia.

[jrossowvue30]

Do you have AAA?

If not, fucking get it. The benefits are immeasurable.
If you do, good! Call them and tell them what you want to do. They'll help. They've helped me several times, and every single time, they've been far more knowledgeable than anyone at the DMV or SOS (Mi DMV).

One time they even registered a car in Maine for me.

;)

Seriously? Thats fucking awesome. Do you have insurance thru them or just the services they offer?

I'm wondering if State Farm would do this?...

[TurboJake]

Just services.

State farm would probably not be able to help.. Doubt they'd give any shits really.

It would probably be privy to tell you that in a lot of states. Even fuckall Cali, AAA is a DMV proxy. You can apply for title and/or register cars at a lot of them. When I had the Maine one happen, I was in Utah, Taking my car back to Wisconsin.

AAA has a lot more to offer than just towing or a couple gallons of gas.

[jrossowvue30]

Just services.

State farm would probably not be able to help.. Doubt they'd give any shits really.

Awesome, the services are really cheap for a year membership.

Also, interestingly enough it appears that Virginia might actually let you register the car without a title, they just won't issue you a title either. Guess I need to sit on the phone forever or stand in line at the DMV to get some concrete answers. I don't really care about a physical paper title, I just want to be able to register and drive the damn car.

[meanEG]

where in GA is it? I can help you get it titled. what I suggest is have the shop owner do a VIN verification on the car. its a state form that a Police Officer fills out. Take this and a current bill of sale to the DMV and have GA insurance on the car. you will have do this in person or have the shop guy do it. you may be able to do it with a VA license, but I doubt it. You will then pay for a registration and road/title tax. Once you have it registered, you can cancel the tag at the same window, because all you need is the registration card. once you have the registration card, ask the tag lady to give you the statute stating that GA is a non Issue title state for 1985 and below. it will be notarized by the supervisor on duty. leave. take the registration, and the notarized copy of the law and give that to your DMV or tag office in VA and then you will have to get a new title. I have done this with a few cars now. you will need to know the curb weight and the GVW probably. feel free to contact me for any help. I am in Savannah Area

[LJ851]

^ Good info !

[Dirty325ix]

Maybe try what meanEG is getting at and if you do save his number but if I where you I would just move on to another car

By the time you get this car titled and on the road I guarantee another nice find will pop up somewhere. I bought my first car from a guy in Maryland(when I was living in Virginia) had so many title issues that required the original owner to intervene, that I was never able to register the car. Finally after a year of jumping through DMV hoops I just gave up and swapped all the parts to a nice shell I was able to find.

I always wish I just waited a few weeks for another one to pop up.

And be wary I’m sure the current owner will tell you anything to sell you the car but once it’s off his lot, not his problem anymore....oh and the DMV doesn't give a shit

[Shangsta]

where in GA is it? I can help you get it titled. what I suggest is have the shop owner do a VIN verification on the car. its a state form that a Police Officer fills out. Take this and a current bill of sale to the DMV and have GA insurance on the car. you will have do this in person or have the shop guy do it. you may be able to do it with a VA license, but I doubt it. You will then pay for a registration and road/title tax. Once you have it registered, you can cancel the tag at the same window, because all you need is the registration card. once you have the registration card, ask the tag lady to give you the statute stating that GA is a non Issue title state for 1985 and below. it will be notarized by the supervisor on duty. leave. take the registration, and the notarized copy of the law and give that to your DMV or tag office in VA and then you will have to get a new title. I have done this with a few cars now. you will need to know the curb weight and the GVW probably. feel free to contact me for any help. I am in Savannah Area

^This man knows what to do.

[mrcheezle19]

where in GA is it? I can help you get it titled. what I suggest is have the shop owner do a VIN verification on the car. its a state form that a Police Officer fills out. Take this and a current bill of sale to the DMV and have GA insurance on the car. you will have do this in person or have the shop guy do it. you may be able to do it with a VA license, but I doubt it. You will then pay for a registration and road/title tax. Once you have it registered, you can cancel the tag at the same window, because all you need is the registration card. once you have the registration card, ask the tag lady to give you the statute stating that GA is a non Issue title state for 1985 and below. it will be notarized by the supervisor on duty. leave. take the registration, and the notarized copy of the law and give that to your DMV or tag office in VA and then you will have to get a new title. I have done this with a few cars now. you will need to know the curb weight and the GVW probably. feel free to contact me for any help. I am in Savannah Area

Someone give this man a beer.