Buying boat with Oregon Title

jakeauc · Post by **jakeauc** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 11:51 am

Hello all,
I am looking at purchasing a boat from a guy that lives in California. I will be registering the boat here as well. The boat is registered and titled in Oregon. Will that be a PITA at our DMV? The trailer that comes with the boat has no license plate and no VIN. The owner never had a title for it. He said he will try to apply for a lost title and see what happens. If not, would I have any options in California, other than lying and saying I built it at home?

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:43 pm

Sounds pretty "Fishy" to me !! Is it a home made trailer ? If it is, How did he move it around without a plate ?? If it doesn't look home made, you'll have major problems at the DMV !! This whole deal sounds bad. JMHO !!!

jakeauc · Post by **jakeauc** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 1:31 pm

Mitch wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:43 pm Sounds pretty "Fishy" to me !! Is it a home made trailer ? If it is, How did he move it around without a plate ?? If it doesn't look home made, you'll have major problems at the DMV !! This whole deal sounds bad. JMHO !!!

It's an EZ loader trailer. The boat was used in Oregon, not sure how lax they are on trailer laws if they have to register ect. The guy isn't making up any stories, but it seems like every boat I have bought has had issues with trailer titles. Especially in CA with the PTI plates, everyone says that they filled the paperwork out but have not.

Trace · Post by **Trace** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:54 pm

Why not go with the guy to DMV and watch him sort it out.

Yaboy · Post by **Yaboy** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 10:33 am

I bought a boat from Oklahoma about two years ago and DMV was a pain and I had paperwork for everything. I couldn't imagine a trailer with no VIN or plate. You could call the trailer company and ask if they make trailers with no VINs (probably not). It's likely the trailer is stolen. I would stay away.

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 6:11 pm

If it's an EZ-Loader trailer it has/had a vin #. Still sounds fishy to me !! Good luck !!!

Csuhchris · Post by **Csuhchris** » Wed Feb 23, 2022 9:21 am

Trailers can be challenging! Anything without a pink slip has become increasingly more difficult to overcome! We had a damaged tongue of a stratos trailer. Vin stamp was located on part cut off. Took the trailer to DMV with an appointment and received a new vin # issued by the state. Hopefully, you get lucky explaining things to DMV, it’s a crapshoot! Each attendant you bump into may have you do different things..

taka · Post by **taka** » Thu Feb 24, 2022 9:20 am

Went through this about 10 years ago with a boat I bought back east. It was an EZ loader as well. The Dmv had to visually inspect for road worthiness. I think they said Highway Patrol could do so as well. They will then assign you a VIN that you then have to have engraved Or stamped into the frame. They will inspect again to make sure it is properly done and then they will issue you a registration. I used an engraving pen and the DMV agent said that was not really acceptable but because I had gone through so much hassle she let me slide. Good luck. Art

SObassman · Post by **SObassman** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 7:22 am

Hello I live in Oregon
Boat trailers under a certain gross weight are not required to be licenced with a plate in Oregon
but there should be a vin number on the trailer somewhere if it is a eze loader, probably had a sticker with number somewhere at some time
The only time I had a plate was when trailer was under a loan and they held the title

JPFish · Post by **JPFish** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:26 am

From the EZ Loader website:

The Vehicle Identification Number is located on a silver sticker at the front of the trailer on the inside of the rail on the passenger side. A decal is also placed on the bottom of the tongue of the trailer. For EZ Loader Custom Trailers only, if the silver sticker is faded you can find the last 5 digits of the VIN number stamped on top of the trailer frame, before the frame welds into the trailer tongue. EZ Loader can recover the complete VIN number with these 5 digits.

jakeauc · Post by **jakeauc** » Sat Feb 26, 2022 4:01 pm

Trace wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:54 pm Why not go with the guy to DMV and watch him sort it out.

That will likely be the next step unless a title is produced.

jakeauc · Post by **jakeauc** » Sat Feb 26, 2022 4:02 pm

JPFish wrote: ↑Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:26 am From the EZ Loader website:

The Vehicle Identification Number is located on a silver sticker at the front of the trailer on the inside of the rail on the passenger side. A decal is also placed on the bottom of the tongue of the trailer. For EZ Loader Custom Trailers only, if the silver sticker is faded you can find the last 5 digits of the VIN number stamped on top of the trailer frame, before the frame welds into the trailer tongue. EZ Loader can recover the complete VIN number with these 5 digits.

Thanks, that is super helpful! Hopefully it can get squared away, seems like every boat I buy has trailer trouble!

jakeauc · Post by **jakeauc** » Sat Feb 26, 2022 4:03 pm

Csuhchris wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 9:21 am Trailers can be challenging! Anything without a pink slip has become increasingly more difficult to overcome! We had a damaged tongue of a stratos trailer. Vin stamp was located on part cut off. Took the trailer to DMV with an appointment and received a new vin # issued by the state. Hopefully, you get lucky explaining things to DMV, it’s a crapshoot! Each attendant you bump into may have you do different things..

DMV definitely feels like a crab shoot! We will see, owner is actively trying to sort it out as of now.

Smokie · Post by **Smokie** » Sat Feb 26, 2022 11:03 pm

I live in OR and your not required to plate trailers under 1800 lbs, most small boats up here are not on plated trailers and e z loaders will have a number on them definitely i have had a few of em... sounds like a typical oregon boat im guessing smaller than 16ft... most of my buds dont have plates on their bass boats either and up here its no big deal really but i travel and tournament fish and got one on my boat since i frequent cali. i got loads of buddies with driftboats on ez loaders not plated and know quite a few guys who did get theirs plated that go to idaho and washington and cali and it wasnt that much of a hassle... id say if you got a deal its worth going threw the hoops for it my two cents... and def need plates to use calis anything just sayin

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