License Plate Info

[firecadet613]

I might be buying a Jet Ski on Friday morning and then continuing on for a week long vacation.  The current owner does not have plates on the trailer.  How long is it before you have to register and get plates on it?  I'm going to be gone on this vacation for a week and the trailer will have no plates, I'm assuming a dated receipt of purchase will be enough?

 

Thanks,

 

Joe

[RyanbabZ71]

just wondering how much you are buying the jet ski for?

 

Does he have another?

[chevy4x4trucks]

Don't tell him until after you've taken possesion of it, you can't trust that guy

[RyanbabZ71]

especially when i have a few grand sitting in a rainy day fund  

[firecadet613]

nah just one...I'm getting a steal for it though.  Got my Dad ready to pitch in some money I just need $1000 first and it's mine.  Wanna go in 50/50?

 

Joe

[Kania2k1]

Na already got 5 of 'em.  You could probably get away with it for a couple of days.  Provided it's a single trailer.  Ours hold 3 at a time, so it's considereably larger than a single.

[Shaners]

The trailer should have a title with it.  Whenever they do the transfer of title work at the notary they should be able to issue a "temporary" tag.

 

If he doesn't have a title for the trailer, then it may be a shady deal and the jetski may not actually be his.

 

In PA all licensed vehicles/trailers should have a title no matter how small.  I would hate to buy the jetski and then apply for a lost title so that you can do the registration and paperwork, and then have the VIN number of the trailer come up a stolen...  

[MarkD]

It is entirely dependent on the state.  SC does not require trailer tags(at least for most light trailers).  I would ask a cop in your town.

[firecadet613]

I know in IL you need license plates on a trailer, I'm just unsure about in Wisconsin where this is located.  

 

Kania2k1- Do JetSki's have a title or is it just the registration info?

 

Thanks!

 

Joe

[firecadet613]

Shaners- What exactly is a notary and do I need to use one?  I've never purchased anything used from a person before, only a dealership.

 

Joe

[CMNTMXR81]

A notary public is someone who notarizes or "Verfies" that you, Joe are the one signing.

 

As to Illinois, I have had the 18' flatbed for 2.5 years now and have never had it questioned.  It almost makes me regret paying the $78 a year to renew it.   :angry:

 

Prior to that I had an ATV/snowmobile trailer that I had for several years and never licensed it or anything and didn't have any problems.

 

Having a bigger, heavier trailer will elicit some attention from the law enforcement community, but a small one like that won't even get a second glance.

[Shaners]

Joe,  in PA even a 4-wheeler has to have a plate on it these days.  Your jetski (in PA) would require numbers on the hull for registration.  In order to get those numbers you would have to have proof of ownership.  I don't know if Jetskis have titles but I do know that newer dirtbikes and 4-wheelers do (at least in PA).  So in my opinion I'd go to a notary and get a proof af sale from both parties involved.

 

My $0.02

 

(and in PA all trailers are required by law to have a license plate and it must be lit at night along with working lights at all times... )

[firecadet613]

Well I did some calling around today while I was at work.  Turns out in Wisconsin where this ski is located they do not have titles only registration information which the seller has.  Also in Wisconsin plates nor registration information is required on trailers under 3,000lbs, in this case the single jetski trailer.  It's gonna cost me $22 to register it here in Illinois w/ the DNR for 3 years, almost nothing.  The DMV wants a ton more to register the trailer.  It is looking really good right now, the seller has to get back to me tonight with some more pictures then the final obstical is my Dad, he will loan me all of the money for it except he wants me to get a thousand bucks on my own which is going to be next to impossible for me to do by Friday.

 

Wish me luck!!

 

Joe

[firecadet613]

Well I'm finally back from my vacation.  I really got back on Saturday afternoon, but I have been spending a lot of time at sea-doo.net forums recently  :0 .  My vacation went great.  I was up in the UP of Michigan with all of my Dad's family, we rented out 11 cabins at a resort right on a lake.  Two of my cousins had their two boats up there, one of my uncles brought his ciggarette boat up and I had my Sea Doo.  The purchase of it went flawlessly, picked it up on the way to Michigan.  I got it in Wisconsin for $3400.  It's a 1997 Sea Doo XP.  It moves!!  It has 110hp and weighs about 600lbs.  I got a single Karavan trailer with it.  I've decided not to register the trailer, my neighbors trailer always gets his plates ripped off when he puts his boat in the water so f* it.  Also my cousin just recently got a new $35K Malibu ski boat and he hasn't put plates on his trailer and won't, even though it's required in Michigan.  I also got stopped by a Michigan State Trooper on my way back home (Nice cop, let me off, just took my name, no paperwork or anything ), and he did not notice the plates, but he was checking my Doo out!!  Yesterday I took it up to Silver Lake Wisconsin, it's a nice decent sized lake, I think that's my lake.  I might be heading up there today before I have to be at work at 4.  I met a fellow SD.net member up there who's got a nice ride, we were ripping it up.  Also stopped & talked to a guy who just bought the same boat as I did a month ago for $4000, so I'm happy, now I know for sure I got a steal!!

 

Joe

[bscottb]

It is entirely dependent on the state.  SC does not require trailer tags(at least for most light trailers).  I would ask a cop in your town.

It is true that SC doesn't require tags on light trailers but if you travel into NC you better have the title with you.