UT Title Question

[Diablo4130]

I bought a cherokee for a daily driver out of UT in a non running state and have been working on it so I haven't registered it. Well its now running and I have a friend at work needing a daily and camping type vehicle. I no lover need it because I take my service truck home at night.

Here's the problem. When I drove to Salt Lake and bought it the seller insisted that he had to watch me sign the title in front of him. So in order to buy this thing I signed the title thinking no big deal. Well now its 2 months later and I want to sell it to help out a friend and not have to register it first.

Does anyone know if I can sell it to him and give him the title without me having to register it first? I just don't want to register something and sell it the same day.

Any input is much appreciated.

 

[Kevin B.]

When I bought my 4Runner from Tacoman99, the title was in the previous owner's name, not his. Neither of us knew that the previous owner had titled it in Idaho and not Utah, or what a PITA that would turn out to be.

Because the title wasn't in the name of the person I bought the truck from and there was no prior registration in Utah, the DMV flung red tape everywhere to make sure I wasn't pulling a fast one. I had to fill out a couple pages of paperwork, take a grip of photos of the truck (and then make photocopies of the photos), make a sworn statement, provide contact info for Tacoman99, have an officer come by for a vin inspection, and then wait a month and a half (while the DMV checked stolen vehicle reports and contacted the previous owner on record and generally acted like the DMV) until they'd issue me a title.

Because you are out of state, and there's a paper record indicating that the truck was sold to you, the Utah DMV will throw an utter hissy fit if the truck isn't in your name when your buddy goes in to transfer the title. Do him a favor and get the title in your name first. Yes, you'll have to pay a couple bucks in taxes, quit being a cheapskate.

 

[Chevycrew]

I don't know about utah, but some states have a spot right on the title for a 2nd or third reassignment. That way it can be sold exactly as you describe.

 

[Unimog]

Either way, I think you will be ok if you have bills of sale for each transaction. I've found our DMVs to be pretty reasonable as long as you can show what happened with legal docs.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

I just did this on a Mercedes I bought in Wyoming. The previous owner had lost the title. He still has not sent it to me.

I filled out all the DMV forms, took pictures, showed a bill of sale, paid sales tax, and had a vin inspection.

It went well. I turned it all in on Friday. I should have a title in 2 weeks. The vehicle had not been registered since 1998.

I had to give a written statement. This is what I gave them and the title lady at the DMW was laughing pretty good. She said that was the best story ever and granted me a title.

 

[Cascadia]

As we all know I go through vehicles pretty fast. I have had several that I never took in and registered and sold again and also a bunch that were also sold twice without registering it. I have never had any issue with that. It's always just been a normal situation. They can't make you pay taxes and register your vehicle if you don't want to keep it.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

I didn't have to register mine. Its not going to be on the road anytime soon. I just wanted a title for it.

I still need a 350 V8 and th400 to stick in my old Mercedes

 

[jeeper]

There is a second spot on the title below where you signed to reassign to someone else. No biggie.

 

[Diablo4130]

Thanks for all the help guys. I never even looked to see if there was a second line. I was just used to looking at NV titles and knowing if you're the person who signed it, it had better be registered in your name.

I'm nkt sure on why the seller was so adamant about watching me sign the title in front of him. Maybe so I wouldn't bring it back when I found piston slap when it got warm.

Thanks again guys.