Title headaches

[Dave Sherman]

Is it just me, or does it seem like everyone at a title bureau or BMV has a different idea of what the requirements are? Last fall, went to transfer the Lincoln and the motorcycle since dad is giving them to me. Went to the Arizona title office while we were visiting, and the girl there just had my dad sign the title, and put my name OR my wife's name for the buyer's name. Got ready to leave, realized she hadn't notarized the title, and despite having my mom's name and my dad's name on it, only my dad had signed it. So she notarized it. I asked if my mom had to sign it, she says no, it's not necessary.

Get back to Ohio, and the girl there says "what's this you OR your wife? We don't recognize OR, so she has to come with you.". Ok, not a problem, I can come back and have her sign her name too. "Oh, your mom didn't sign it, she has to sign it.". Oh, great. "Oh, you have to have the VIN verified since it's an out-of-state title. Can you drive it here?". Heck no, the car is not running, I just had to have it shipped here. "Well, can't you just tow it here so we can verify it?". Um, no. Turns out you can have somebody from the BMV do a VIN verification for a non-running vehicle. After sending the titles back to Arizona for my mom to sign them, I put in a request for the VIN verification. Hadn't heard anything for a couple weeks, so I stopped by the nearby Ford dealer, and talked to the service advisor. Yes, he can do VIN inspection, and totally understands that transporting the car would be difficult, so he was willing to come to my house to do the VIN verification. Great! Right after I had him scheduled, the BMV finally calls, and they can come the next day. Mentioned that I had just arranged to have the Ford dealer do it, and he freaked out saying how he'll pretend he didn't hear that because apparently they aren't allowed to do that. Fine, you can come do both vehicles. He shows up, doesn't even look at the Lincoln's odometer, just writes "Inoperative" on the odometer reading. I asked him about that, since the odometer is functioning, although it has rolled over at least once. "Oh, it doesn't matter since the car isn't operable.". Um, okay. After he leaves, I realize he didn't put my last name on the certificate, so I carefully wrote it in.

Go to the title bureau today, and I get somebody else. This guy immediately notices the OR between the two names, and again says Ohio doesn't recognize OR. Yes I know, that's what they said last time. My wife is here today, just put both our names down with AND. Then he gets to the VIN inspections. "Hey, what's this 'inoperable'?" Ugh, how did I know that would come up. Yes, the mileage on the old title is correct, no, I don't know why the BMV guy didn't look at the odometer and wrote "inoperable", but he insisted it wasn't important. Apparently, it is important. So, the title guy was satisfied that the mileage on the old title is correct, I've confirmed it, but the actual mileage is beyond what the odometer can show. Great! Then he notices that the fields where the printed names of my dad and mom are are blank. "I'll have to check with the guy in charge if you can just put the names on there.". Uh oh, another glitch. Turns out they were OK with leaving them blank, so I was finally able to walk out with two new titles.

I could only think of the line from the movie Apollo 13:

 

[SHOZ]

Illinois you have to make an appointment first now. Last time I went it was to get the Real ID one. 4 forms of ID. They would not take my valid drivers license as an ID. Finally found my voters registration card buried in the wallet. About got thrown out for arguing.

 

[eljefino]

Maine is smooth as silk. The only foul ups are the customers who don't know how to read a website that explains exactly what you need, ahead of time. Then they stare at the poor DMV workers who clearly enunciate what was done wrong and what needs fixing, but the people won't take their medicine and leave the window to try again.

Example, had a guy "living in the woods". DMV people would actually have issued him a license if he had a utility bill and birth certificate! But he couldn't pull that off.

Some states have sticks up their butts thinking their citizenry is cheating them on sales tax or other fees, so they throw in VIN checks and or notarization requirements. Seems this is also a handoff to the dealership industry, making it "too confusing" to do otherwise.

Bought my sister a car in NH for her to register in Texas. The NH dealer was cool with me signing her name, didn't even need power of attorney. TX website refused to list requirements, just said "call us." The TX inspection sticker station knew what was up and gave us a free VIN verification and it all worked out at the TX DMV.

 

[atikovi]

Get back to Ohio, and the girl there says "what's this you OR your wife? We don't recognize OR, so she has to come with you."

Then why didn't you just title it to you while there? Or they wouldn't do that either? And if it's inop, why even title it? Why not leave it in your fathers name? I have my father's 72 Dart that hasn't been on the road in 25 years still in his name.

 

[eljefino]

Some states are stuck up like I alluded to earlier, and if you don't title something within minutes of you buying it you get all sort of late fees and penalties. They also don't like seeing stuff on your property that isn't titled/ registered.

 

[JeffKeryk]

DMV in CA was always a nightmare. Lines? Bring a lunch, as they say. Even with an appointment. We got a lotta people and lotta cars!

COVID added more on-line functions; there is little need to go in now. Click-click-click.

 

[Variant_S]

DMV in CA was always a nightmare. Lines? Bring a lunch, as they say. Even with an appointment. We got a lotta people and lotta cars!

COVID added more on-line functions; there is little need to go in now. Click-click-click.

The Illinois Secretary of State locations in metro Chicago were known for their lines that moved at a glacial scale. I renewed my license and vehicle registration by mail this year, no muss, no fuss.

I've found that the California DMV office in Goleta and the AAA office in Santa Barbara were reasonably quick the few times that I've used them. Perhaps I've been lucky.

 

[Dave Sherman]

Then why didn't you just title it to you while there? Or they wouldn't do that either? And if it's inop, why even title it? Why not leave it in your fathers name? I have my father's 72 Dart that hasn't been on the road in 25 years still in his name.

Because I'm working on getting it roadworthy, which dad had already started on before some health issues came up. Little hard to get it registered in Ohio if it's got an Arizona title with mom and dad's name on it.

 

[mrsilv04]

Illinois you have to make an appointment first now. Last time I went it was to get the Real ID one. 4 forms of ID. They would not take my valid drivers license as an ID. Finally found my voters registration card buried in the wallet. About got thrown out for arguing.

Go to a office in a lesser populated county. No appointment needed, and the people working tend to have a higher level of intelligence and a better understanding of how things need to be done.

 

[silversport]

even in suburban ChicagoLand you don't need an appointment...at least not for title or license...I did mine in Lombard, Il last month...I did have to wait more than an hour in line to get it done but I got it done...I went mid month and during the week...

Bill

 

[SHOZ]

https://www.ilsos.gov/skip_the_line/home.html

 

[SC Maintenance]

I would probably go back to a different person.

I don't know DMV law, but contract law is pretty specific. Or means either party has complete power of attorney over that contract. If its me OR my wife on a bank account, either of us can close the account.

If its me AND my wife, then we both need to be there.

The banks usually ask when you set up the account.

 

[zzyzzx]

Never had an issue with the Maryland MVA.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Illinois you have to make an appointment first now. Last time I went it was to get the Real ID one. 4 forms of ID. They would not take my valid drivers license as an ID. Finally found my voters registration card buried in the wallet. About got thrown out for arguing.

Yeah, the Real ID is comically illogical. I ended just renewing my passport online and saying no chance with the Real ID. Passport was easier. I can't remember the logic, but I think it was something like you can use your normal driver's license as ID to verify your passport documentation and you can use your passport to get a Real ID but you can't use your driver's license even though you used your driver's license to get the passport.

It's so hilarious. It's like dealing with any government or corporate bureaucracy.

 

[SHOZ]

Yeah, the Real ID is comically illogical. I ended just renewing my passport online and saying no chance with the Real ID. Passport was easier. I can't remember the logic, but I think it was something like you can use your normal driver's license as ID to verify your passport documentation and you can use your passport to get a Real ID but you can't use your driver's license even though you used your driver's license to get the passport.

It's so hilarious. It's like dealing with any government or corporate bureaucracy.

Had to go to the court house too and get a official copy of my birth certificate. I did have an old photo copy from back in the day issued by the county but that was no good too.

During the scamdemic they closed down the drivers license stores and just auto extended the expired date. Mine had expired and I was into my third month of extension. I needed a state issued photo ID for something, can't remember now. They would not take the Drs Lic because it was expired. Somehow I used my State issued FOID card. with photo.

 

[earlyre]

Is it just me, or does it seem like everyone at a title bureau or BMV has a different idea of what the requirements are? Last fall, went to transfer the Lincoln and the motorcycle since dad is giving them to me. Went to the Arizona title office while we were visiting, and the girl there just had my dad sign the title, and put my name OR my wife's name for the buyer's name. Got ready to leave, realized she hadn't notarized the title, and despite having my mom's name and my dad's name on it, only my dad had signed it. So she notarized it. I asked if my mom had to sign it, she says no, it's not necessary.

Get back to Ohio, and the girl there says "what's this you OR your wife? We don't recognize OR, so she has to come with you.". Ok, not a problem, I can come back and have her sign her name too. "Oh, your mom didn't sign it, she has to sign it.". Oh, great. "Oh, you have to have the VIN verified since it's an out-of-state title. Can you drive it here?". Heck no, the car is not running, I just had to have it shipped here. "Well, can't you just tow it here so we can verify it?". Um, no. Turns out you can have somebody from the BMV do a VIN verification for a non-running vehicle. After sending the titles back to Arizona for my mom to sign them, I put in a request for the VIN verification. Hadn't heard anything for a couple weeks, so I stopped by the nearby Ford dealer, and talked to the service advisor. Yes, he can do VIN inspection, and totally understands that transporting the car would be difficult, so he was willing to come to my house to do the VIN verification. Great! Right after I had him scheduled, the BMV finally calls, and they can come the next day. Mentioned that I had just arranged to have the Ford dealer do it, and he freaked out saying how he'll pretend he didn't hear that because apparently they aren't allowed to do that. Fine, you can come do both vehicles. He shows up, doesn't even look at the Lincoln's odometer, just writes "Inoperative" on the odometer reading. I asked him about that, since the odometer is functioning, although it has rolled over at least once. "Oh, it doesn't matter since the car isn't operable.". Um, okay. After he leaves, I realize he didn't put my last name on the certificate, so I carefully wrote it in.

Go to the title bureau today, and I get somebody else. This guy immediately notices the OR between the two names, and again says Ohio doesn't recognize OR. Yes I know, that's what they said last time. My wife is here today, just put both our names down with AND. Then he gets to the VIN inspections. "Hey, what's this 'inoperable'?" Ugh, how did I know that would come up. Yes, the mileage on the old title is correct, no, I don't know why the BMV guy didn't look at the odometer and wrote "inoperable", but he insisted it wasn't important. Apparently, it is important. So, the title guy was satisfied that the mileage on the old title is correct, I've confirmed it, but the actual mileage is beyond what the odometer can show. Great! Then he notices that the fields where the printed names of my dad and mom are are blank. "I'll have to check with the guy in charge if you can just put the names on there.". Uh oh, another glitch. Turns out they were OK with leaving them blank, so I was finally able to walk out with two new titles.

I could only think of the line from the movie Apollo 13:

View attachment 227493

YEP.
back in...2010, I was buying a car from my Brother who lived in DFW at the time. I went down to the local BMV office well ahead of time to see what I needed to do.. never bought a car out of state, and this was a private party sale, not a dealer, etc... got a semi thorough explanation,
couple days later I had some new questions pop up in my head, called back down, talked to a different person, got a different explanation.

the one I hadn't thought of was :
bmv - How are you getting the car back up here?
me - I was gonna Drive it.
bmv - on what plates?
me - I'm buying it from my brother... probably drive it back up on his TX plates and then mail them back..
bmv - that might not be legal, some states require..blah..blah..blah ( rules vary state to state, some the plate stays with the owner, some it stays with the car, some you have to surrender back to the state) . what about the car you're currently driving?
me - sold it already, still have my plates
bmv- ( I forget the exact gobbledygook they said, but basically since I still had my unexpired ohio plates, I could put them on in TX and drive back with them on)
me - Oh Sweet! so that's what I did.. (seemed a little questionable, but that's what the BMV said...)

fly to TX, pick up the car, swap the plates, and start driving home, but was extra paranoid the whole way back, " if some cop runs this plate, it's gonna come back as a 2000 Hyundai Sonata, and I'm Driving a 2005 Dodge Neon. be extra careful not to get pulled over"
part way through the trip i get a call from my brother, he realized that some how we forgot to actually sign the title over... so my Buddy who was with me forged my brother's signature on the TX title...

Get back to Ohio.
Luckily, the Title Dept, and BMV are in the same building.
Have to have the BMV do the out of state inspection (look at the car, make sure the VIN matches, etc),
at first, she couldn't find the Dash VIN, B/c of the TX Inspection/Registration Decals on the window.
BMV- notices it already has OH plates on it " it already has OH plates, where did those come from?"
me - they're my plates from my old car that i already sold...guy in your office said i could put them on and drive it back since they're not expired, and i already sold the other car..
bmv - that's not right, (cites the same worries i had the whole drive back)
she completes the inspection, and give me the inspection form.
then take THAT form to the Title Dept and pay the Sales Tax, Then take the new title back across the hall to the BMV to get the vehicle registered.
Lucky me, the Title Dept didn't give me any guff, as the clerk I randomly drew was a friend of my parents.

 

[wlk]

Been going to PA'S main office in Harrisburg for the last few times for title transfers and been very smooth surprisingly. If you get there first thing you can be in and out w new titles in less than 30 minutes. If you get there any later it's a 1-2hr wait, not hateful but annoying. A lot of mom and pop dealers use the public side instead of the dealer window bc they only have one window in the dealer area. So you will have guys walk in with a 3" thick folder of paperwork to go through. Bogs the system but I get it

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Is it just me, or does it seem like everyone at a title bureau or BMV has a different idea of what the requirements are? Last fall, went to transfer the Lincoln and the motorcycle since dad is giving them to me. Went to the Arizona title office while we were visiting, and the girl there just had my dad sign the title, and put my name OR my wife's name for the buyer's name. Got ready to leave, realized she hadn't notarized the title, and despite having my mom's name and my dad's name on it, only my dad had signed it. So she notarized it. I asked if my mom had to sign it, she says no, it's not necessary.

Get back to Ohio, and the girl there says "what's this you OR your wife? We don't recognize OR, so she has to come with you.". Ok, not a problem, I can come back and have her sign her name too. "Oh, your mom didn't sign it, she has to sign it.". Oh, great. "Oh, you have to have the VIN verified since it's an out-of-state title. Can you drive it here?". Heck no, the car is not running, I just had to have it shipped here. "Well, can't you just tow it here so we can verify it?". Um, no. Turns out you can have somebody from the BMV do a VIN verification for a non-running vehicle. After sending the titles back to Arizona for my mom to sign them, I put in a request for the VIN verification. Hadn't heard anything for a couple weeks, so I stopped by the nearby Ford dealer, and talked to the service advisor. Yes, he can do VIN inspection, and totally understands that transporting the car would be difficult, so he was willing to come to my house to do the VIN verification. Great! Right after I had him scheduled, the BMV finally calls, and they can come the next day. Mentioned that I had just arranged to have the Ford dealer do it, and he freaked out saying how he'll pretend he didn't hear that because apparently they aren't allowed to do that. Fine, you can come do both vehicles. He shows up, doesn't even look at the Lincoln's odometer, just writes "Inoperative" on the odometer reading. I asked him about that, since the odometer is functioning, although it has rolled over at least once. "Oh, it doesn't matter since the car isn't operable.". Um, okay. After he leaves, I realize he didn't put my last name on the certificate, so I carefully wrote it in.

Go to the title bureau today, and I get somebody else. This guy immediately notices the OR between the two names, and again says Ohio doesn't recognize OR. Yes I know, that's what they said last time. My wife is here today, just put both our names down with AND. Then he gets to the VIN inspections. "Hey, what's this 'inoperable'?" Ugh, how did I know that would come up. Yes, the mileage on the old title is correct, no, I don't know why the BMV guy didn't look at the odometer and wrote "inoperable", but he insisted it wasn't important. Apparently, it is important. So, the title guy was satisfied that the mileage on the old title is correct, I've confirmed it, but the actual mileage is beyond what the odometer can show. Great! Then he notices that the fields where the printed names of my dad and mom are are blank. "I'll have to check with the guy in charge if you can just put the names on there.". Uh oh, another glitch. Turns out they were OK with leaving them blank, so I was finally able to walk out with two new titles.

I could only think of the line from the movie Apollo 13:

View attachment 227493

Actually this is sounding like almost EVERY place of business I walk into lately. Wife went in person to pay the city water bill on our home. This is the 4th place of residence we have lived, in this town for 50 years. Someone at the desk gave her all kind of grief over the fact that the water account seems to be in my name only. So what if it is!? Anyway , I went in person to pay the next one, yesterday. I was greeted by this woman at the window who has been there over 30 years and has been RUDE all of that time. I mentioned what happened to the wife and how do I correct this. Well she came unglued and went on a wild spree about no one who works there should have said a word about that to wife. Then she goes on about it must have been wife's fault somehow? I told her , she simply came in to pay the monthly bill and ask NO QUESTIONS. This woman would not accept my story and then after all of her huffing and puffing about it is of no consequences, that I must go in person with the wife and both of our IDs to have us both placed on the account! An account I told her we have had and have even moved 4 times in those 50 years so I find it hard to accept it has only my name on the account. It just appeared she is one of those who likes to argue for the sake of it. She did not need to give me speech and lesson and then tell me it does not matter but then how to correct what does not matter. Ugh. YES it is a GOVERNMENT run operation. Our Post Office is an even worse place to deal with as of late.