Getting a bonded title in TX?

[mystahagy]

Alright here's my situation. I picked up a "clean title" SL650 for real cheap about a month ago. I didn't absolutely require that it had a clean title, but it was a nice bonus. I went ahead and got the ski, and they were gonna go through the proper channels to get ahold of the title. Not so clear I guess, eh?

Well I wanna put this thing on the water, and the previous owners are supposedly hitting a dead end. They say some company out in Kuhleefornia is working on getting ahold of it. In the meantime I've done some looking at other options, and I've found "bonded" titles.

http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/title-transfers.php

Is this something I do to get registered and on the water here in Texas?

[wetherby]

Good luck.
I wound up parting out the last clean title ski. After 12 months.

[delagem]

If you make up a bill of sale that says it came from the state of Georgia, it should go through no problem. They don't use titles, so a ski coming from there would not have one to transfer to you.

Purely hypothetical, though, I wouldn't advocate doing this... Unless I had a cop run the HIN first to be sure it wasn't stolen.

[mystahagy]

Yeah, I know the history of the ski, and that is has no bad history. The previous owners bought it new, and then let it sit for the last few years. While it sat on the trailer, the title was lost.

I've got a new motor, rebuilt pump, and everything else replaced or rebuilt ready to go into this ski. I don't care what kind of title I end up with, I just want to be able to put this thing on the water.

Someone mail me a title and a number plate, haha.

[tryintolearn]

if you are only the second owner for sure, the seller can get a replacement title. Was it in TX or CA that it was last registered?

[mystahagy]

if you are only the second owner for sure, the seller can get a replacement title. Was it in TX or CA that it was last registered?

Well supposedly it was gonna be no problem for them to get ahold of it, but last night I spoke when them on the phone and it was "Oh we're having to do this and that, and this company out in CA is working on getting the title."

I do know that it was last registered here in TX, not sure how all that stuff works though. Researching through the Texas Parks and Wildlife, I found this interesting table. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publicat...a0900_1104.pdf

According to it, to title and register a boat I'll need:
Vessel/Boat Application (PWD 143)
Pencil Tracing of Serial Numbers (PWD 504)
Bill of Sale OR Invoice
Affidavit of Fact (PWD 314)
Verification of No Record From Government

Really that doesn't sound too complicated. You can print those forms up off the website too. I wonder about that last one though, not familiar with that. But after gathering the proper documents, it seems like it wouldn't be too difficult, however I'm sure there's something in there to trip you up. It can't be that easy.

[delagem]

That sounds very similar to what I had to do to register a NJ ski that came without a transferrable registration. Notarized letter, a few forms, and a digital photo or tracing of the HIN.

I have found that if you don't get help from one DMV office, it pays to go to another, and even another. Some of the people there are strictly by the book, but others will work with you to get the ski registered. Never had a ski or bike I couldn't eventually register, and I've done it a dozen times! Mopeds, motorcycles from Canada, skis, whatever. It just takes patience.

[tryintolearn]

Did you buy it in TX? What does California company have to do with the Jet ski? Did you buy it from an individual? Where was it last registered?

If I know these answers, I may be able to get you in the right direction.

[tryintolearn]

If it was last registered in TX as you state, TPWD should have a record of the title or they could not have registered it. You do not have to have the original title. They get lost all of the time. You need to have the seller get a rep;acement title.

[axgrider73]

Sounds to me like there is a lien on the title. Possibly why they are dealing with someone (like a bank or loan company) in Cali???