Washington State Patrol Inspection for title.. anyone gone through it?

[Rambow]

It appears that in Washington if the vehicle hadn't been re-registered in the last xx years, it falls out of the computer and it is then treated like a vehicle with NO title.

Went in to the DOL today after finally getting the 1987 divorce property settlement information for the previous owner that showed he received the truck (the 1991 registration from the glove box showed he & his ex were both listed as owners)... and they told us that the VIN & Licence plate were not in the system (last registered in 1991/92).

They told me the next step is to take it to the State Patrol for VIN inspection- then they will grant registration & I'll receive the title 3 years after that.

Anyone ever gone through this process in Washington before?
Is it a big deal?
I was worried before with the title, because the registration showed it had the engine stamping listed as the vin instead of the body tag... but now I guess that will be ok since the old title is gone/moot.

Just wish i didn't have to wait 3 years for it to be legit. Not that i was planning to sell, but nice to have that option.

[oldcouple]

try another DMV, and use a bill of sale?

[Highsider]

Does WA have any provision such as CA having AAA Motor Club offices handling vehicle registration?
Seems they would be "more" willing to make an effort...saying it kindly.

[nvrdone]

Which dol did you go to? Ive found the one at crossroads mall in Bellevue is great because they deal with all the dealers in Bellevue / Kirkland area. Might be worth calling them.
When I brought my truck up when I moved from CA I had it inspected at the WSP office in Bellevue ( Factoria ). The inspector was a long time street rodder & I had no problems with the inspection.
Good luck

[topdown99]

had to go through it with my 72 Blazer... ended up having to fix a couple things and no big deal. cant remember how long it took it was years ago, but I do recall it taking a while. (just cant remember if it SEEMED like hours or WAS hours)

[lha1992]

Okay 3yrs to get a title? Yet you have the Vin an what not? Only thing I remember being the case for it taking 3yrs to get the title is if the vehicle has a branded title or is multiple pieces of many trucks thus it needs to be inspected an 3yrs to wait due to waiting if its stolen. But if you bought it from the last registered owners do a bill of sale or something or better yet an in lieu of title with the previous owner at a licensing place.

One truck I bought here the last owner couldn't find the title but he drove it regularly so we just went to a vehicle licensing place an did a in lieu of title since he was there an bam got registered an titled to me.

[Rambow]

The truck has not been registered since 1992. Its no longer in the system. Thats the issue.

If your buddy has a truck with current registration on it (or recently current) then its no big deal for him to file for the lost title because its still active in the DOL database.

We have a bill of sale obviously, but since the truck had not been registered in so long, and he doesn't have a title- they treat it as if you don't have a title, even thought WE know its still in his name and has not been sold, there is no way to prove that- which is why you have to go through the 'no title' process.

I'm talking to some friends of mine who have shops to see if there is a way to get a title through a storage/mechanics lein process, and speed things up.

[dicer]

I think another problem that can arise is during an inspection of TF trucks the serial numbers on the frame does not completely match the one on the A pillar in cab.
The series designation is not on the frame number. Such as 3A59XXXXXXX. I don't know how many inspectors know that.

[mr48chev]

I have never seen a serial number on the frame on one of these.

I use Cascade Licensing in Union Gap for all of my vehicle title and license work and while the owner and his help will never upon never help you get over on the system he is probably the sharpest title and registration guy I have ever come across and his clerks who have worked for him for a while are right up there.
They did a camper for the gal who gave it to me and me last year when we went down to transfer it with no title. I don't know how long it had been since it was licensed but the clerk put the lady's late hubby's name in the computer and it popped up every vehicle that was in his name. Ten minutes later we walked out the door and I had a new registration and plate in my hand.

The title may be out of the computer but you can bet your booties that it is still in the archives in the proper file in Olympia. Does he have the last old registration slip for the truck? And the plate? The registration slip should be enough to start things rolling.

Unless the truck is a scabbed together junker with sloppy welds on a subframe job the state patrol inspectors usually just check the vin and maybe the engine number. Then they go in and run it against stolen vehicles and who knows what. if it shows up clean they sign off on the paperwork and off you go to the license office. If it's a rebuilt wreck they take it in the back room and lock the door and put it on a hoist and go over it with a fine tooth comb though. I had that happen on a Camaro I had and he told me things I didn't know about it and that it had been wrecked pretty hard and been rebuilt once before.

myself I'd be digging for any documentation that the truck was in my name even if that meant an old insurance paper with the vin on it and my name on it. That may even be in the file cabinet or drawer with the papers that never get cleaned out.

[TNACUSTOM]

Originally Posted by Rambow

The truck has not been registered since 1992. Its no longer in the system. Thats the issue.

If your buddy has a truck with current registration on it (or recently current) then its no big deal for him to file for the lost title because its still active in the DOL database.

We have a bill of sale obviously, but since the truck had not been registered in so long, and he doesn't have a title- they treat it as if you don't have a title, even thought WE know its still in his name and has not been sold, there is no way to prove that- which is why you have to go through the 'no title' process.

I'm talking to some friends of mine who have shops to see if there is a way to get a title through a storage/mechanics lein process, and speed things up.

I just transferred mine it was in my dads name and he passed away seven years ago. I had the title and it hadn't been registered since 81 they said it would take about a week to put it back in the system. I went back in a couple weeks with the death certificate and my plate and they transferred it in to my name just got the new title the other day. I went the Cascade licensing in Union Gap WA

[mr48chev]

TNACUSTOM and I seem to be pretty lucky as we have a knowledgeable crew to deal with at the vehicle license office we both deal with.

When I transferred the title on my 71 GMC there the truck had not been licensed for over 15 years and was not in the computer system. What they did was contact Olympia with the information on the title and the clerks in Olympia had to dig the hard copy of the title out of the archives and put it in the computer. That took about 4 days before the state got it done but it was probably take a number and get in line while one or two clerks dug though the files in the warehouse in Olympia.

I'd still dig though every hiding place inside the truck looking for paperwork as an old registration would go a long ways towards getting things squared away. And a couple of years ago I did find the 'missing" title for a vehicle that "didn't have a title" in with the rest of the papers in the glove box after I had cut the rig up and flipped the body over (S-10 blazer) to get it in small enough pieces to take to the scrap yard. An hour later it was at my friend's wrecking yard in his crusher line waiting to be crushed and he had the title in his title stack.

[Fatherof3]

"take it to the State Patrol for VIN inspection- then they will grant registration & I'll receive the title 3 years after that"

I have done this twice here in WA. On a project you plan to keep the three years goes by quick.

Not trying to start an ethics quarrel but WA state tow companies seem to have it the easiest when it comes to getting paper work for no tittle and a friend with a tow company is a good thing

[mr48chev]

With the paperwork you have, I'd take it to the state Patrol and have it inspected.

Here is the truck, here is the signed bill of sale, here is the last registration slip we can find, here is a copy of his divorce settlement giving him sole ownership of the truck.

I don't think you will have trouble with that going though inspection and you should get a regular title rather than a 3 year title that doesn't require a bond in WA anyhow.

You might even take the paperwork to the local WSP inspection station and ask what you need to do to get it squared away. I'd try to catch them at a slack time of which there aren't many but they will look at the papers (at least the ones in Union Gap will) and explain exactly what you need to do.

The only guys I know of who sweat the inspection process are those trying to get over on the system or ones with rigs that have suspect workmanship. if you cut and welded the frame you had better be a certified welder as that has been a real issue lately.

[Softpatch]

the junk yard can do it in 16 days they have a AVR (abandon vehicle report) take that and
the truck to WSP inspection dept wait 6 week get a title free and clear did it twice
last time was 11-12.....Sp
.
.

[Fatherof3]

Originally Posted by Softpatch

the junk yard can do it in 16 days they have a AVR (abandon vehicle report) take that and
the truck to WSP inspection dept wait 6 week get a title free and clear did it twice
last time was 11-12.....Sp
.
.

Sure if it is their vehicle but how do you get a wrecking yard to give you the paperwork for a vehicle they are not selling you? I understand it is nice to have friends in the right places if that is what you are referring to.

[55dude]

the "bonded" title is what they are offering you and in 35 years and dozens of these you can sell the vehicle with a bonded title. i was told many years ago that these came into being for folks going to jail and spouses selling their vehicle! the state patrolman could have been just full of it!