Uh oh .....Need ideas How to proceed ?

[AustinBoston]

Birol,

I would warn you against taking advice from anyone who doesn't live in Massachusetts.  It is a different kind of state.  I know, I lived there for 43 1/2 years (at least 25 years too many).

Some states may allow you to pull a trailer without tags, but I don't believe you can do that in Mass. (In Mass., they're called plates.  Nobody there knows what you are talking about if you say Tags).

In addition, if you have a vehicle without liability insurance, they will seize it on the spot and you will watch them tow it away.  You won't get it back until you have proof of insurance.  Guess how many insurance agencies are going to sell you insurance in Massachusetts when you don't have a Massachusetts address.

They do not honor the transfer laws of other states.  Although constitutionally, they are supposed to, do you want to be the challenge case that pursues it all the way to the US Supreme Court?  It would cost millions of US dollars to do so.  I didn't think so.  They most certanly do not honor the transfer laws of other countries/provinces.

Another problem is that without a Massachusetts address, they can't refer the correct city or town for vehicle excise tax.  You have to pay that to the town you live in to keep a Mass. plate (not to get one), but you don't have a Mass. address!

Proceed cautiosly on this.  Consider driving thru Connecticut to New York in order to avoid driving in Mass.  I'm not joking.  Once you have legitemate plates, It's a great place to visit.  But make sure you have your T's crossed and your i's dotted when you do.

Austin

[birol]

It doesn't look good ! here is the answer from Mass. RMV :


Thank you for contacting the Registry's website with your question.
In order to tow the trailer the trailer must be registered.  I suggest
you contact your Department of Motor Vehicles to see if you can register
the trailer in Canada then bring the number plate to Massachusetts and
attach it to the trailer before you drive back to Canada.  If that
doesn't work you can have the trailer brought to Canada on a flat bed
truck.  I don't think you'll be able to register it in Massachusetts
because:
The trailer must be insured before it can be registered and it may be
very hard to find a Massachusetts insurance company to issue a policy
for only a trailer to a person who does not have a Massachusetts
license.
If the trailer has a gross vehicle weight rating of over three thousand
pounds it must be titled and the title department will not mail a title
outside of Massachusetts.
If you have further questions regarding this matter, please feel free to
respond to this e-mail message


Our MTO said they won't license the trailer without the customs papers already.

I am wondering if it would work if someone purchased the trailer  got the license plates and then sold it to me .......the trailer would have license plates .....and I would be able to drive it ...

AB, I asked the best about it Can't blame me for going to the source I took your advise

Any chance I could get temporary plates say in new York for this Trailer ? tell them what is going on ? would they entertain such a request ? I could do that as soon as I cross the border.

[Firefyter-Emt]

Briol, Tom is right. In Mass you will HAVE to have plates. If you are pulled over in Mass. at the very least, the camper will be towed to the nearest impound lot at a $75 tow and $20 per day storage untill you can show leagaly prof you can tow it on the road (yes, the day it get's towed is a $20 storage fee too $95 min.) Also, in Mass. you trailer does not have liability insurance. It must follow a Mass insurance policy on a car. They will say you must provide plates from your home state. Also. in Mass, a trailer 2k and under will not need a title. I understand you may need one in Canada, though. This may be as quick as 2-6 weeks, they are getting better. It used to take 2-4 months for one to show up. I hate to say it, but be reeady for a wait. IMHO, now... I would seriously look into how much it would cost to rent a u-haul with a car trailer to pick it up. Or some other way you could put it on a flat bed trailer. I am unsure how it would work to rent a car in Canada, drive down to the u-haul place in Mass, leave the rent a car and bring the truck back and leave that there in Canada.Might be a cheaper option. Got any good friends with a big truck & flatbed trailer?? Maybe look into compaines that can load it on a trailer and haul up to you??

[Firefyter-Emt]

LOL.. didn't see Briols reply above me... Looks like I was almost 100% correct!

BTW, if you end up needing the title mailed within Mass. Me parents still live in Mass, it could go there.

Where in Mass is the trailer? You may be able to go thru CT as well. I know the trailer will need a vin check, But we have Temp plates.. I wonder what insurance would be on it, say if the trailer plates were in my name with your van towing it. Then apply for a title from CT (We don't need one for under 3k so we dont need a Mass title to get temp plates for CT.

[birol]

Trailer is in Millis, only 16 miles from CT ! I could just whip it by, there but with my luck  I would get caught. Does CT issue temporary licenses ? Do you think you could get one  for it ? I would pay all of your expenses. Then I would just tow it Through CT and NY like AB said.  I don't even think that any STate would issue me temporary licenses as I am not a USA resident. Insurance would not be a problem as my insurer always provides covereg till I can get licenses for vehicles, they have a ten day ransition period .....

I am so disappointed after getting my hopes so high

I will also hammer the MTO tomorrow to see if they can issue temporary license for it on a bill of sale !

LOL.. didn't see Briols reply above me... Looks like I was almost 100% correct!

BTW, if you end up needing the title mailed within Mass. Me parents still live in Mass, it could go there.

Where in Mass is the trailer? You may be able to go thru CT as well. I know the trailer will need a vin check, But we have Temp plates.. I wonder what insurance would be on it, say if the trailer plates were in my name with your van towing it. Then apply for a title from CT (We don't need one for under 3k so we dont need a Mass title to get temp plates for CT.

[MommaMia]

First thing is first.  The seller needs to get that title.  I know that in MA trailers under 3000lbs don't require a title... But Birol, you need one to get it into Canada.

CT does have temporary registration.

Requirements for Obtaining a Temporary Registration
A temporary registration may be obtained for the purpose of a safety inspection and/or emissions test at any DMV Branch or Satellite Office . Please see Safety Inspections Performed at DMV for inspection information.

To obtain a temporary registration, you will need to provide the following information:

If currently titled, the Title Certificate of the former owner must also be presented, filled in, and signed on the reverse side, reporting sale to new owner.
Bill of Sale (form H-31).
Application for Registration and Certificate of Title (form H-13).
Your current Connecticut Insurance Identification Card, which can be obtained from your insurance company. The insurance card must be in the name of the registered owner(s) of the vehicle. If vehicle is being leased, the insurance card may be in the name of the lessee.
Identification will be required to register a vehicle. Please see list of Acceptable Forms of Identification. Photocopies of identification are acceptable if the registrant does not appear in person.
You should go through the safety inspection and/or emissions test within the first ten (10) days, in case repairs are required, because temporary registrations are not renewable.

You will have to pay sales tax at the time you purchase the temporary registration unless you meet the sales tax exemption qualification. Connecticut sales tax is 6% of the purchase price.

A vehicle exempt from sales tax by a family or business relationship cannot be registered if the transferor (seller) owes delinquent property taxes on the vehicle, in which case a tax receipt would have to be shown, or if the vehicle is listed as suspended. The same applies for the person registering the vehicle.

Note: Vehicles cannot be registered if delinquent property tax or parking tickets are owed or if the registrant has had his/her registration privilege suspended.

The following is a list of temporary registrations by type, duration, and fee:

 Motorcycle 10 day $7
 Camp Trailer 10 day $7
 Camper 10 day $11
 Passenger 20 day  $14  
 Commercial 10 day $25
 Commercial 10 day $46 (with a carrying capacity of over 3 tons)  

http://www.dmv.org/ct-connecticut/dmv-vehicle-registration.php



I would talk with the seller.  He, being a MA car salesman, most likely knows best what to do.  Otherwise, it looks like maybe having Lee make the purchase and register it in CT should work. Then you would purchase it from him.  That is if Lee is willing to do that.  

Technically, to register it in CT you are supposed to have proof of CT insurance.  That would mean Lee would have to get insurance on it for a few days, which I am sure B would reimburse for... as well as the CT temorary registration fee, CT title fee,  Sales tax needs to be paid at the time you register too.  

But about the insurance... and I know this from experience... we lived in CT until last Aug.  When you show proof of insurance, the proof for your tow vehicle suffices for the camper.  In CT, once the camper is hooked up to the tow vehicle, it is covered by the tow vehicles policy.  This was what we did and our tow vehicles insurance co., USAA confirmed it.  We registered 2 different trailers, one a utility trailer and one a pu, this way.  So Lee wouldn't have to add anything to his auto ins policy.

[MommaMia]

BTW.... don't get down that you'll end up not getting the camper.  I see NO reason why you won't get it.  All of it is do-able.  One way or another.  It's just means you may have to WAIT a couple-few weeks before you get it home.  Hopefully the seller will let you leave it there for a while, or Lee can hang onto it for you.  I know that Seller wanted balance paid in 5 days or something but if it's got no title yet and won't for many days I'd think he would be flexible on the pick up timeframe.

[birol]

To be honest, I am just about to throw the towel in ....

I am sure Lee is a very nice person, but, will he be willing to and have the time to register the Trailer on his name and go trough the temporary registration thing. he would most probably be required to go get the trailer from Millis Mass, as I wouldn't be able to get it. Or could he just do all the stuff and I would pass by him and get the temporary registration and go to Millis and get the Trailer and drive through CT and NY ? I am sure the selling place would have no problems sending the title and bill of sale to him ....

It is a lot to ask of him to do that .......

[birol]

He will go for the title on Monday and will have it by Thursday ..... He is very sure of that. He sold a lot of cars to Canadians, but all of them were carried by flatbed trailers to the border ..... For a reason

I asked him if he would buy it himself and get license plates and sell it to me personally that way it would have plates and I could just drive it away ....

I think this won't go through though. IT became too complicated  

BTW.... don't get down that you'll end up not getting the camper.  I see NO reason why you won't get it.  All of it is do-able.  One way or another.  It's just means you may have to WAIT a couple-few weeks before you get it home.  Hopefully the seller will let you leave it there for a while, or Lee can hang onto it for you.  I know that Seller wanted balance paid in 5 days or something but if it's got no title yet and won't for many days I'd think he would be flexible on the pick up timeframe.

[MommaMia]

To be honest, I am just about to throw the towel in ....

I am sure Lee is a very nice person, but, will he be willing to and have the time to register the Trailer on his name and go trough the temporary registration thing. he would most probably be required to go get the trailer from Millis Mass, as I wouldn't be able to get it. Or could he just do all the stuff and I would pass by him and get the temporary registration and go to Millis and get the Trailer and drive through CT and NY ? I am sure the selling place would have no problems sending the title and bill of sale to him ....

It is a lot to ask of him to do that .......

Lee and Andrea had already mentioned going with you to get the camper.


If Lee would be willing to go the extra mile for you.....

Lee would have to "purchase the camper" (with your money that you send to him) from the dealer, getting title in Lee's name.  

Getting a temp registration in CT is simple.  He doesn't need the trailer there to do it.  Once he gets the temp plates you meet him in Millis to pick up the camper.

Once the camper has temp CT plates on it, you CAN legally drive it in Mass.

Lee would then sign the title over to you, give you an official bill of sale (which he can pick up at DMV).  Hook the camper up to your van and you are on your way.


THIS IS DONE ALL THE TIME!!!!!

[MommaMia]

I asked him if he would buy it himself and get license plates and sell it to me personally that way it would have plates and I could just drive it away ....

(

No it wouldn't.... Plates would be removed when the vehicle was sold to you.  Plates don't go with the vehicle.

[birol]

C,

You make it sound simple ! he doesn't even have to go to the dealer ! I would pay the dealer and tell  him to have it sold to lee and send all the papers to him. Once he gets the temporary license, I go and get the license from him and he sells it to me, I get the title also right ? and I go and put the temporary plates on it and drive home!

Hmmm, what do you say Lee ?  I will pay all of your expenses of course and then make it up to you    and I get to see the Cutie pie maybe

Where do Lee & Andrea live again ?


Fingers crossed .....

Lee and Andrea had already mentioned going with you to get the camper.


If Lee would be willing to go the extra mile for you.....

Lee would have to "purchase the camper" (with your money that you send to him) from the dealer, getting title in Lee's name.  

Getting a temp registration in CT is simple.  He doesn't need the trailer there to do it.  Once he gets the temp plates you meet him in Millis to pick up the camper.

Once the camper has temp CT plates on it, you CAN legally drive it in Mass.

Lee would then sign the title over to you, give you an official bill of sale (which he can pick up at DMV).  Hook the camper up to your van and you are on your way.

[birol]

Then same thing would happen when Lee sells it to me though ?  I was thinking I would mail the dealers plates back once I cross the border.

No it wouldn't.... Plates would be removed when the vehicle was sold to you.  Plates don't go with the vehicle.

[MommaMia]

C,

You make it sound simple ! he doesn't even have to go to the dealer ! I would pay the dealer and tell  him to have it sold to lee and send all the papers to him. Once he gets the temporary license, I go and get the license from him and he sells it to me, I get the title also right ? and I go and put the temporary plates on it and drive home!

Hmmm, what do you say Lee ?  I will pay all of your expenses of course and then make it up to you    and I get to see the Cutie pie maybe

Where do Lee & Andrea live again ?


Fingers crossed .....

Yes... it is that simple.  It's done all the time.  Just make sure that Lee gives you a proper bill of sale with all the info that Canadian customs will require... and HAVE LEE GET IT NOTORIZED!!!  Also, make sure that Lee fills out the title properly.  There are spaces to fill in on the back when Title is transfered from one owner to the next.


That is.... IF Lee will do it!!!  All this talk about him doing it and we don't even have confirmation yet.  But I remember how accomodating they were when you were planning to get their camper.  I just can't imagine that Lee wouldn't help make this work for you!  Right Lee???

[MommaMia]

I was thinking I would mail the dealers plates back once I cross the border.

I highly doubt the dealer would let you take his plates.


The temporary CT plates are cardboard.  You don't turn those in anywhere.  They have an expiration date written on them.  They'll do to get you to the border.