registering a car in Washington state without a title?

Ron Pilger

Ron Pilger

Senior Member
I have an opportunity to sell a more-or-less complete Ford body on frame to someone in Washington state. I can prepare a bill of sale. We don't have titles in Alberta. The car is not registered, here, as it is not a running, driving car. Realistically, at this point, it might as well be compared to buying a couple of doors, or a trunk lid, from a swap meet and trailering these components home. What i would be selling, however, would potentially look like a car to someone from a border crossing or DMV. The question is this: with just a serial number on a frame, a bill of sale, and a receipt for the purchase, how hard will it be for a buyer to register this vehicle in a few years when it is a running, driving vehicle ready to tear up the roads? Thank you for your expertise and sharing your own personal experience with a similar transaction?
 
It's different from state to state, but the new owner could apply for a lost title or resurrect it as a "reconstructed vehicle" and get a title that says it reconstructed. He may be required to bond the title for 3 or 5 years. Another option is for the new owner to do a lien sale. The new potential owner should know the laws of his state and proceed accordingly.
 
every state is different, so you need an answer from a washington resident. title, is they're problem. now crossing the boarder, my 34 coupe body came into north dakota, being carried by a us resident, and the us asked for no papers, and charged no fee. this was just a body as i had brought the frame and other parts home earlier, with no problems on that either. but, crossing the boarder has no facts. its up to the guy on duty that day and tomorrow may be different
 
I have looked into this as I am a Washington resident. One must go to the dept of licensing, get a form from them and fill it out with vin or serial number and other info such as seller's name. Then make an appointment with the Washington State Patrol for an inspection. This is not a safety inspection or anything like that, just checking the vin # to see if has been reported as stolen. The appointment can be 2 or 3 months out and they are very strict about being late etc for the 1/2 hour appointment. If all is in order, they will issue you a 3 year title. If after 3 years nobody comes forward and claims it, a permanent normal title is issued in your name. The appointment costs a hundred bucks. During your 3 year waiting period, you can register and drive it, even sell it. Pretty good system compared to some I have read about.
 
GB is absolutely correct. I have purchased a '28 and a '35 this way. One was from British Columbia. The owner in Alberta needs to go to the RCMP and get a form showing proof of serial number and owner. That should get the vehicle into the U.S.
 
When I went through this process (frame had a Canadian Vin C18Hxxxx) several years ago, I was issued a WA REGISTRATION for 3 years, not a provisional title, and after the 3 years I indeed got a full Washington state title. This was for a 34 Sedan Delivery which I eventually sold and it coincidentally went back to Canada. It may be different now but it wasn't that hard to do.
 
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