Owning a motorcycle can make your life so much better. It’s a great way to make you look and feel fabulous, you can ride your motorcycle to find your Zen, and it makes commuting easier and more fun.
If you’re considering buying a motorcycle, you will have to understand the laws that apply to this vehicle’s ownership and handling. In this article, you’ll learn how to get a title for a motorcycle without a title, so keep on reading.
What is A Motorcycle Title?
Compared to cars, a motorcycle is easier to maintain, takes less parking space, and allows you to enjoy the surroundings as you commute efficiently. Nevertheless, there are legal aspects that you need to think about when you’re thinking about buying a motorcycle, especially a used one.
Although buying a motorcycle is a great decision, it can be a little headache when you have to deal with titling issues. In most states, a motorcycle is considered to be a motor vehicle that falls under the titling laws that apply to all motorcycles.
When you buy a motorcycle, the seller should provide you with a certificate or a title that you should then change to issue a new title in your name to prove your ownership. Without a title, you can’t ride or sell the vehicle, although if it’s considered an antique, the law might not apply.
Can You Buy a Motorcycle Without a Title?
Yes, it’s possible. In some states, pocket bikes and miniature motorcycles can be bought and used without a title. Scooters are also usually exempted from the motorcycle titling laws, so you can buy one without a title.
Some buyers are also tempted to buy a motorcycle even if the title is missing because the price seems so attractive. You can still use the bill of sale to apply for a title by following the appropriate legal procedures.
It’s not impossible to get a title for a motorcycle that you’ve bought without one. However, you need to follow the legal steps and fill in all the necessary documents to make sure that you’re not breaking any laws. Although buying a motorcycle is a thrilling experience, you don’t know the seller, and you can’t verify any information about the vehicle, especially if there’s no title.
How to Get a Title for a Motorcycle Without a Title
If you’re buying a used motorcycle that has no previous title, you should follow the following steps to get a title in your name.
- Visit the state’s motor vehicle authority and ask about the procedures needed for obtaining a title. Get the title application and bill of sale form to fill in the documents. In most cases, these documents are available online.
- Examine your bill of sale to see if it meets the state’s titling laws. It should include the contact and personal information of both the buyer and the seller, the motorcycle’s identification details, and the selling price. In some cases, you should also include the engine number. If any of this information is missing, you should contact the seller to have this situation fixed.
- Fill in the title application form. Application forms differ from one state to another, but in general, you need to fill in your identification data, as well as the identification information of the motorcycle.
- Take your completed application to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles and submit the documents. You can also mail the documents while paying the required fees in both situations. You’ll receive the new title once your application is processed.
Why Doesn’t My Motorcycle Have a Title?
Without a title, you can still go on with the sale. Here are a few reasons why your motorcycle doesn’t have a title.
- The motorcycle sale is handled by the estate because the previous owner died or was a victim of a natural disaster and can’t be located or identified.
- The owner lived in another state that didn’t require a title.
- The owner has bought the motorcycle a long time ago and has lost the documents.
- The seller is legally handling the sale on behalf of someone else.
- The seller stole the motorcycle, and the title is with the lawful owner.
How to Avoid Problems
A sale without a title can be a legitimate hassle-free transaction or a big scam that might get you in trouble. Here are a few things that you can do to make sure that you’re not being scammed.
- Check for duplicate titles. If the owner of the motorcycle is reluctant to obtain a title, there might be another issue that you need to pay attention to. A missing title can be easily replaced unless the vehicle is on a lien, and in this case, the new buyer will have to deal with the legal consequences.
- There might be a title, but it belongs to someone other than the person selling the motorcycle. This happens when the person is acting like a dealer, but this is considered to be illegal because they’re paying revenue tax for sale. In this case, you should proceed with caution.
- Examine the motorcycle for damage. If the title is missing and the motorcycle seems damaged, it might not be legal to be sold. The vehicle might be stolen, and you need to avoid this sale no matter how lucrative the deal seems.
- Protect yourself and your money. The person selling or pretending to sell the motorcycle might be planning to scam you, especially if they know that you have cash. Make sure that you know the person selling the motorcycle and try to examine the motorcycle somewhere where a friend might be available.
- Ask for the VIN number and look it up. It’s unique to each motorcycle and is displayed on its frame.
The VIN number should match the number on the registration or title. However, in the past, VIN number laws weren’t strictly applied, and people would customize their motorcycles by installing new frames, thus changing the VIN number.
Wrap Up
A motorcycle without a title isn’t always a bad thing, but it might cause confusion and cost you several hours until you get all the documents right. It’s best to get a motorcycle with a title, even if it costs a little more, so you can avoid legal problems in the future and enjoy your ride without much hassle.