Boat Registration

rich356

Member
exMember
Joined
Apr 3, 2007
RO Number
25751
Messages
249
I'm hoping that someone can help me with this. I bought my boat in IL (where it still is in sotrage), and I'm moving it to New Buffalo, MI on May 11th. So I need to register it in MI. Does anyone know if you need a title to register in MI? I have the bill of sale and documentation certificate that I just got back from the Coast Guard, but I'm not sure if IL requires a title because I didn't get one when I closed. Could be an oversight, but I'd like to get the registration done in MI within the next two weeks. Thanks for the help! By the way, went out Saturday for a brief cruise on my brother-in-law's 350 Mariner. It was great to be back out on the lake!
 
Thanks Rod. Unfortunately it's confusing though. The link you gave me says that for a new registration in Michigan you need the title OR bill of sale. I just called the Michigan DMV, and they say I need the title for a boat this large. So I guess I'll have to get the title from the seller that I bought her from. Nice of the broker to handle this when we closed on the boat!
 
OK, so now I think I know the deal with this. Since my boat is documented, I don't need a title because the documentation trumps the title. You have to surrender your title when you document the boat (the previous owner documented the boat as well so she doesn't have a title). Of course, the people at the Michigan DMV are confused about this, but I'll get them clear on it!
 
Just to close this thread out, I just registered the boat. Got to love aying that sales tax! In case anyone else is ever wondering, as long as you have the bill of sale and documentation certificate you don't need a title. With documented boats you also do not need to put numbers on the hull. Just the registrationg sticker.
 
I agree, and if I knew how to do that I'd be really happy. Funny thing about it is that they ask you what you paid for the boat at the Michigan DMV. The sales price does not appear on the bill of sale. So I asked the person working there how they knew I was telling the truth about what I paid for it. She made a vague reference to checking with the Coast Guard, but I wonder if they really do check.
 
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