Buy/Sell Question - Title, Registration, etc.

[Herschel]

Howdy Folks-

My fiance and I purchased a Class A [Mod Edit] in Los Angeles, CA 8 weeks ago with the mission to see America's outdoors. We've had a great time and have landed with family in Atlanta, GA.

We are looking to sell the RV and have some questions about the soon-to-be sale and transfer.

I have the title in my possesion- It has the person's name who I purchased from, along with my name (my name has been written in).

I have the bill of sale as well.

The registration expires 8/18/20, at which point I believe I will pay the taxes on the purchased RV (California) in addition to the registration for the upcoming year (2021).

• Question 1- If I am selling in GA, should I register the vehicle in GA?

• Question 2 - If I sell the RV before the 8/18 registration date, how would I be able to transfer the title to my buyer? Again, the current title has the previous owner's name along with my written in name

It will surely sell quickly based on comps in the Atlanta market but I don't want to hold up the sale due to my lack of preparation and experience.

Thanks so much and happy travelin'

Jason & Rebecca

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by Herschel

Howdy Folks-

My fiance and I purchased a Class A [Mod Edit] in Los Angeles, CA 8 weeks ago with the mission to see America's outdoors. We've had a great time and have landed with family in Atlanta, GA.

We are looking to sell the RV and have some questions about the soon-to-be sale and transfer.

I have the title in my possesion- It has the person's name who I purchased from, along with my name (my name has been written in).

I have the bill of sale as well.

The registration expires 8/18/20, at which point I believe I will pay the taxes on the purchased RV (California) in addition to the registration for the upcoming year (2021).

• Question 1- If I am selling in GA, should I register the vehicle in GA?

• Question 2 - If I sell the RV before the 8/18 registration date, how would I be able to transfer the title to my buyer? Again, the current title has the previous owner's name along with my written in name

It will surely sell quickly based on comps in the Atlanta market but I don't want to hold up the sale due to my lack of preparation and experience.

Thanks so much and happy travelin'

Jason & Rebecca

First, I think you have an improper title! When you bought the RV a new title should have been applied for in your name. I don't know how the taxes and registration works in CA.

It will be up to the new owner to register it in his/her home state.

[Ljwt330]

Joe is correct, you do not have a legal title to the coach in your name in that it has not been legally retitled in California or anywhere else. This can cause problems when trying to sell in GA. Trying to sell without retitling in your name is known as "Title Jumping" and is illegal in every state because it deprives them of revenue.

I suggest that you title the coach in GA, secure the new title in your name, then proceed with the sale. As far as GA is concerned, you bought the coach in CA. and are titling/registering it in GA. like a normal transaction. If you sell without retitling, the new buyer will attempt to title the coach and the DMV will likely come back after you to get the fees, taxes, and possible penalties due when the coach "belonged" to you.

[the trainguy]

So you bought it 8 weeks ago ,signed your name on the seller' s title but never registered it yet in your home state of California yet?

If so you've been driving it with the previous owner's plates and insurance since it was never registered in your name?

Normally you get insurance,take the title down to DMV ,have it transfered to you,pay the sales tax and either get a temporary tag or new plates right on the spot.

You might have been able to resell it without titling it in your name (car dealers,resellers do it all the time) but once you signed/put your name in the buyer's space on the title it's all over.

[Ljwt330]

Originally Posted by the trainguy

So you bought it 8 weeks ago ,signed your name on the seller' s title but never registered it yet in your home state of California yet?

If so you've been driving it with the previous owner's plates and insurance since it was never registered in your name?

Normally you get insurance,take the title down to DMV ,have it transfered to you,pay the sales tax and either get a temporary tag or new plates right on the spot.

You might have been able to resell it without titling it in your name (car dealers,resellers do it all the time) but once you signed/put your name in the buyer's space on the title it's all over.

Some good points made here^^.


You've dodged some bullets in the past 8 weeks. Unless the coach had personalized plates, the plates from the original owner are still attached. Any tickets or infractions based on a license plate ID would be assessed against the former owner, unless he filed a release of liability with the Ca. DMV, which he probably did. That means the violations would be traced to you, along with penalties for failure to register/title.


The insurance is another matter and potentially more serious, should you have an accident.


Let's not speculate. You currently have a coach that is not legally titled and may not have insurance coverage either. It cannot be legally sold in its current state and may not be insurable either. Clean up the title and move on. You've been lucky so far, but it's something not to push too far.

[Dutch Star Don]

Originally Posted by Ljwt330

Joe is correct, you do not have a legal title to the coach in your name in that it has not been legally retitled in California or anywhere else. This can cause problems when trying to sell in GA. Trying to sell without retitling in your name is known as "Title Jumping" and is illegal in every state because it deprives them of revenue.

I suggest that you title the coach in GA, secure the new title in your name, then proceed with the sale. As far as GA is concerned, you bought the coach in CA. and are titling/registering it in GA. like a normal transaction. If you sell without retitling, the new buyer will attempt to title the coach and the DMV will likely come back after you to get the fees, taxes, and possible penalties due when the coach "belonged" to you.

This is a good explanation. I will add....if the original seller was smart, he sent an electronic notice of sale to the California DMV. They might already be looking for you! I don't care if if I trade in a car or sell it private party. The moment it leaves my hands, I send a notice of sale to DMV. I then print a copy and keep it in a file. I've received parking tickets on vehicles I had sold years prior....having the proof of transfer made it easy to prove I no longer owned the vehicle.

[mokurt]

Why didn't you complete the title transfer in ca.?

And only after 8 weeks why do you want to sell?
Did you think this was a cheap way to rent one?

[Talloaks]

Originally Posted by Herschel

Howdy Folks-

My fiance and I purchased a Class A [Mod Edit] in Los Angeles, CA 8 weeks ago with the mission to see America's outdoors. We've had a great time and have landed with family in Atlanta, GA.

We are looking to sell the RV and have some questions about the soon-to-be sale and transfer.

I have the title in my possesion- It has the person's name who I purchased from, along with my name (my name has been written in).

I have the bill of sale as well.

The registration expires 8/18/20, at which point I believe I will pay the taxes on the purchased RV (California) in addition to the registration for the upcoming year (2021).

• Question 1- If I am selling in GA, should I register the vehicle in GA?

• Question 2 - If I sell the RV before the 8/18 registration date, how would I be able to transfer the title to my buyer? Again, the current title has the previous owner's name along with my written in name

It will surely sell quickly based on comps in the Atlanta market but I don't want to hold up the sale due to my lack of preparation and experience.

Thanks so much and happy travelin'

Jason & Rebecca

You asked 2 questions. Here are 2 answers without adding a lecture.

Note I am not a GA resident but this is how it works in other states.

1) Go in to the GA vehicle registration office or secretary of states office, whichever GA calls it, with all your paperwork and have them issue a GA title in your name. You will pay both registration and sales tax on the transaction, plus an administrative fee. Be prepared to give them your GA address of residence. They may want some evidence confirming your address as well as evidence of insurance before issuing plates. Keep copies of *everything*!

2) You can proceed to sell the RV but tell the buyer the title will be delayed while the state processes your application. You can provide a bill of sale that is contractually legal and binding, pending the title transfer.

Good luck!

[01blueox]

Originally Posted by mokurt

Why didn't you complete the title transfer in ca.?

There are a thousand answers for this and everyone is a dollar and did he get a smog cert from the seller, I doubt that also. Smells like the rules don't apply to me as I'm going to sell after this trip out of state...

[Roy-c]

I would think you need to title the RV in your name before you can legally sell it. I know that I would not buy a vehicle that did not have a clear title and don't think many others would either. Calif. title and you selling in Ga. only adds to the issue.
I would try to title in Ga. and then sell. I don't know about other states but in Ma. you need to pay sales tax and apply for title right away or there is a $ penalty. ( they want their tax $ )

[Gary RVRoamer]

What's done is done, whether wise or not. At this point, Herschel needs to get a proper legal title in GA, and get the RV legally in his name with GA taxes paid. He does not need to get tags, just the title. Once he has done that, he can legally sell the RV.

[the trainguy]

Rather than everyone speculating what you could/should do just call Georgia DMV and ask them!

https://www.dmvusa.com/statelink.php?id=161