NC Title & Registration w/out of state car info...

Funny!

 

I would still expect to hear from DMV for an inspection. I ended up taking my Buick in about a month ago after receiving a letter from DMV about inspecting it.

Not true. I have talked about this with the officers here. I think you got one that is just being a PITA. I had a customer that wanted to get the title square before he put any money in the car. So he got the same story from the inspector he got on the phone. The "License and Theft" office isn't to far from me. So I went and talked to them. They understood the isssue and agreed that it should be inspected and titled before any money wa put into it. He loaded it on a trailer and took it by their offices

 

I was told that it was common practice to come to your home (or where the vehicle is) to inspect it if needed (as in the case of a non running vehicle). Now, the inspectors may be busier in your area of NC and they may not have the time to come to you. Or this come to you deal may be a special acccomodation made by my local inspectors. I'm not sure.

If you think you are getting bad information, call Inspector Cagle. I know he knows the law and will be able to tell you what you should do in your locality, so long as you're in NC. He's only there three days a week (I forget which three), the rest of the week he's in another office. (704)786-8922

 

Welcome to the department of morons and vehicles. I had surprisingly little problems in 05 when I brought my truck up from Fl. I have had more problems with my newer cars. Just bring EVERY paper you have with you to narrow the possibilities of being sent away empty handed. It also helps to find a helpful and knowledgeable counter jockey.

I bought a 53 chevy truck at Auto Fair for my uncle. It came from Ga. with a bill of sale. I bought it as buyer's agent from a guy who worked for the seller, who had been relocated to england. My uncle tracked him down in England, spoke to him, wired money to the seller's agent, who signed the title over to me. I asked the guy at the dmv tent what we needed and he said to put my uncle's name and the sellers name, and let them mail the title and signatures back and forth. Apparently Fla put him through the dog and pony show, then had me find a police officer to come here and verify the VIN, then sign papers and send back to Fla. Now I have Fla. tags on the truck, Fla. registration, and a NC insurance policy. I hope to be able to deliver it to him the 3rd weekend of this month.

The DMV crackdown came from the head guy making favors for friends with glass cars and questionable titles.

 

They will come to the car even if it is drivable. When I got my 55 Delivery the NY paperwork was lost in a house fire that took the lives of the owners. I bought the car from the son of the owner with only a bill of sale. I had to do the Bonded title route for that car in 2002. When it came time for the inspector he called me and asked where the car was or if it could be brought to him. I told him it was drivable but that my schedule was not good for taking it to him. Took a few days extra before he got out to me but it was worth it to me. If they call me or send me a letter for an inspection on the poncho I will just tell them to come to my house and inspect it there.

 

Around six years ago,when I started my TrackT project ,I bought a title(NY) for a 26 T..I immediately transferred it to a NC title in my name..Now its six years later,my car is near finished and I'm getting nervous about stamping my frame with the VIN on the title ...from what I've been reading recently ,this may not be exactly legal..especially with a ground -up construction....and with NC cracking down on Titling/registration etc.,I just don't want some gun -totin' DMV officer haulin' my dumbass to the pokey....Any body got any suggestions/experience/SWAG's in NC with getting a VIN etc...
At this point, all I have is a NC title for a 26 Ford in my name....and an unfinished Track T project with no VIN stamped on the frame ...I haven't contacted the NC DMV yet, as I don't want to open a can of worms too soon..
Any info /opinions appreciated..
Stan

 

It is common practice, but these inspectors are also the guys that deal with dealers and thefts, so they can be busy. I know you can catch someone at the office between 8am and 10am M-F. Easier to trailer it down there than wait for them to get around to it. I've talked to just about everyone in that office at this point and it is the head office for the state. They have told me that the plan is to verify all antique cars that are registered in NC. Hell my Buick has been fine and on the road for a while when I got the letter to have it inspected, it even had a lock on my registration where I couldn't renew the registration until it was cleared by them. I feel pretty good about the info I have received and the easier I make it on them the easier they seem to make it on me.

 

It's a can of worms for sure. So I'm thinking you had nothing from the original car the title is for. In that case I can't really tell you to stamp the frame and go with it. When they inspect you could tell them that's the way you got it. But then again that's not legal. But they'll either let it go or give you a state issued VIN tag. It is definitely between a rock and hard place.

 

Zman: Can of worrisome worms at best...On Top of everything, one of the inspectors at my local DMV that I would have to go through, wrote me a citation 10 years ago for... " improper inspection procedure" when I did a NC inspection while working at a local dlrshp. It'd be my luck that he'd be the one to come inspect my car if I use the VIN from the title I have... He's a gun-totin' power freak to start with....so ,I may just take the safe ,legal,$$$, way and apply for a state-issued VIN....Fortunately, I have a folder full of receipts for the parts I've used ...
Stan

 

North Carolina sucks more than any other state in the union. I now have the only 1958 American Motors car in the world because the DMV didn't have a listing for Rambler on their computer,and it was either get a title as a 1958 American Motors or don't get a title. This in spite of having a NY state registration that clearly stated the car was a 1958 Rambler,and the other fact that American Motors didn't even exist in 1958.

They also confiscated and destroyed the original title on my 1937 Dodge truck that was bought new in Va in June of 1938 and had never left Va until I bought it. The DMV now sends inspectors around to physically verifty the registration and VIN numbers on ALL antique cars,and my truck was titled using the original engine number in 1938. Since it no longer has the original engine,the title was no longer good. I had to post a expensive bond and apply for a new title and registration. This is the 3rd year now of my temporary registration and I STILL don't have a title because of the dummies at DMV in Raleigh. The DMV inspector put a decal with new VIN numbers inside the door frame opening in my cab,but I can't get a title because of the goof in DVM in Raleigh. The last letter I got from them stated they could issue me a clear NC title for my 1937 Dodge truck,VIN number NCDMVXXXXXXX because they needed the new vin number to complete the paperwork. The SAME VIN number they put in the letter.

They also wanted me to explain to them why I didn't get a title from the owner I bought it from,despite me giving them this title and having them destroy is as invalid.

The next question was "Why don't you go back to the owner you purchased it from and get a good title from them?" For one thing,the guy now lives and works in China. For another,he spent the money I paid him for the truck several years ago,AND NC DMV notified the Va DVM that the title was now invalid,so I couldn't do that even if I could get up with the guy and he were willing.

And don't even waste your time calling the Raleigh DMV office unless you are fluent in Eubonics. Seriously. I have no freaking idea what was said to me.

Now I'm stuck and can't even sell the damn truck because I don't have a title for it.

I hate NC.

 

BTW,don't even waste your time buying a project car that doesn't already have a clear NC title that has numbers that match the VIN number and/or engine number that is on the car. This means if you buy a car or truck that was registered and titled using the engine number and there is no engine in the car,you won't get a NC title if you buy it.

Some states titled vehicles using the engine number,and some used the body number. Make sure you are covered before you spend the money because the DMV inspector WILL come to your house and physically check the numbers without you even having to call him. All you have to do is register it and apply for a new title. He will be there within 30 days with his camera and his notepad.

My 1931 Plymouth PA coupe is a all original car that I bought that had been in the same family since new,and had never been registered or titled anywhere but in PA,and the original 31 PA title came with the car. Didn't matter,they still sent a DMV inspector to inspect the car. Luckily,my car is so original it still had the original engine in it,and I had no trouble because my car had been registered and titled using the engine number. Mopars also had a body number that was different than the engine number,but for some bizarre reason unknown to me,Pa used engine numbers at that time. If the engine had been swapped for another 4 cylinder flathead Plymouth engine in 1932 or later,I would have been screwed on this one,too. NOBODY back then bothered to notify the DMV when they swapped engines.

I have no idea what to tell you guys that buy new frames for your T,A,and flathead Fords. Your new frame won't have the frame number stamped in the right places,and the DMV guy WILL nail you for that and you will have to apply for a new title for a homebuilt car. Your 1932 Ford,for example,will no longer be a 1932 Ford. It will be a 2010 homebuilt.

Did I mention that NC sucks?

 

You won't be able to get a title for your 1933 Plymouth unless it still has the original engine in it,either. Even IF you can get some garage owner to go through the hassle of applying for a new title,it won't be a title for a 33 Plymouth using your body number tag.

PROBABLY the only way to get around this is to build your car and then take it to another state and get a title from them that says it is is a 1933 Plymouth and uses the body number ID tag for identification,and then come back to NC and apply for a NC title using that document. You SHOULD be good to go as long as the title you turn in for a new one has your car identified as a 1933 Plymouth and uses the body ID number.

No guarantee,though. No matter what the local DMV inspector writes or recommends,Raleigh DMV can override him. If you happen to get a Raleigh bozo that thinks only engine numbers should apply to 1933 cars,you are still screwed.

 

The DMV inspector never came around to your house to physically inspect the car and check the engine numbers? If he hasn't,don't rest too easy because he WILL be by sooner or later,and if the engine number doesn't match the one on the title the state will pull the title and make you apply for a new one.

 

I went the bonded title route for a non-HAMB friendly 1973 Steyer Diamler Puch Pinzgauer. It's titled as a STEY and the neighbors probably agree with that one. Anyway, the Lil ol' Ladies at the License plate office were nice, the inspector was great and the bond insurance people were friendly, but who wouldn't be with the money I gave them. The inspector told me that a bonded title could take up to a year and in my case, former swiss army vehicle I bought in Georgia with a bill of sale but no registration, It would probably take the full year. Locally everyone was awesome with the only PITA being DMV Raliegh.

No title for 2 1/2 years. I didn't get the same answer twice. I was told that they had lost my paperwork, that I had never applied for a title, that that they had seen it and the check, title, was in the mail and just plain hung up on. I started remembering names and positions and asking to speak to supervisors. Walked it up the chain and then asked if I had to talk to the NC Inspector Generals office. No Shit, quick title one month later.

When dealing with people that you need and don't need you, be nice and try talking nice to the boss. Somebody somewhere might care, maybe.

Reading this thread brought it all back but its good to hear that th Model A doesn't need to be running to get inspected, Thanks ZMAN!

 

Funny thing is American Motors started in '54,so no you don't have the only one. And it's Ebonics, if you're gonna insult someone at least get it right.

Then leave. 40, 85, 95, take your pick...

You're welcome. Be nice and respectful to them and wonder of wonders things aren't so hard. Like I said it seems to be easier to bring it by to them rather than them coming to you.

 

[QUOTE=Dick's Beaters;4864870
No title for 2 1/2 years. I didn't get the same answer twice. I was told that they had lost my paperwork, that I had never applied for a title, that that they had seen it and the check, title, was in the mail and just plain hung up on.<<

Yeah,all that sounds VERY familiar. The Affirmative Action hires you get when you call on the phone either don't know how to look up their own records,or are too lazy to look them up,so they tell you the stuff is all lost and you need to reapply after tracking down all your paperwork again. This saves THEM from having to do any actual work,and if it costs you hundreds of dollars and days of lost work time,that's YOUR problem,not theirs.

>> I started remembering names and positions and asking to speak to supervisors. Walked it up the chain and then asked if I had to talk to the NC Inspector Generals office. No Shit, quick title one month later. <<

I have been trying my best to avoid doing this. I have a temper problem and don't tolerate fools very easily. I used to have a habit of picking them up and shaking them to get their attention,and this has caused me some problems in the past. Even at the VA hospital. You drag just one of them across a desk in order to modify his attitude,and you get a bad reputation.

I'm trying really,really hard to not do stuff like that anymore,and this means the DMV in Raleigh may be the last place I want to go unless I am heavily sedated first.

 

A Rambler is either a Nash or an American Motors product. And there was some overlap.

I have dealt with the so called "retards" in the raleigh office of License and Theft (which is the part of DMV that is in charge of this) and had no retards or problems understanding them. If you are just calling the main DMV offices on New Bern Ave. that's on you.

 

look guys I know that this stuff is difficult and I promise i am no more excited about this than you.

but saying ignorant negative things does not help you or any one else.

last time I checked sitting around complaining and being negative does not fix problems

how ever doing something proactive does.

if you don't like it call you local state reps and ask them what they are going to do about these situations instead of acting more ignorant than you probably truley are.

quit complaining and do something!

 

It's really not that hard to register a vehicle from out of state with or without a title. You need the correct paperwork (bill of sale + previous bill of sale and/or previous registration + money) and it's easy as pie. You can register and tag the vehicle with that info. Then simply get it inspected at your convenience (within one year of registration) and you get a title in the mail two weeks later.

Any other result and you're doing it wrong.

 

I wish you would tell the DMV inspector and the Raleigh DMV this,because I have been following their directions for almost 3 years now and still don't have a title.

Yeah,I do have a registration and tags and can drive the truck,but I can't sell it.

 

I feel for you, I really do. My inspector asked me if it was all original and when I said yes, he never even looked under the hood of my truck. All he cared about was the VIN plate on the A pillar. He took a picture and a pencil rubbing. And that was that.

 

It's either that or drive several hours to get to Raleigh,get a motel room,and then go there early the next morning.

Which is what I am going to have to end up doing before it's all over.

I shouldn't have to do all this,though.

 

The DMV inspector did lift the hood and check the numbers on my 31 Plymouth coupe,and it's all original. I have absolutely no problem at all with him doing this because car theft is a serious problem. What I have a problem with is the lack of common sense displayed by the state. My Plymouth is a rare car in the sense it still has the same engine it left the factory with. We all know that most cars 40 or 50 years old have had the engines changed once or twice as the old ones wore out,froze and cracked,etc,etc. We also know that nobody ever bothered to have their titles changed after doing this to show the new engine numbers.

The DMV has the ability to check the numbers on your title to see if that car has ever been reported stolen or if it has a lien on it. Why can't they do this search and then issue you a title if it comes back clean?

 

arthur i've just gotta say you must be dealing with the most hellish people at the dmv ever because you are throwing out TONS of wrong info. First i can atest for fact the you are wrong on the rambler quote since i have personally owned one while living in this state and it was titled correctly. secondly i have NEVER had a DMV inspector even mention looking at engine numbers. EVER and i've lived all across this state. getting a title for a non title car is possible. you bond it. yeah you gotta pay a bit more but i just use that as "dealing pressure" and avoid it when possible.

the biggest thing is finding a GOOD DMV office remembering the person that gave you the GOOD service and deal strictly with that person. I have yet to meet that person here in the hickory offices. I lived in Ahoskie(not to far from arthur i think) and had the best service in that office of any i've ever experienced. hell the inspector so so hard to catch they would just tell me to get a pencil rubbing of the vin and bring it in and they would sign off on it. Wilmington before that was a decent experience but i only dealt on 2 cars in the 6 months i lived there. Greenville before that and it was pretty close to the ahoskie experience.

is this state making it WAY more of a pain in the ass than it needs to be? you bet ya! i miss the good ole days in alabama of playing to see just how silly we could get with paperwork and still get a car registered. we did more than one with a bill of sale written on a napkin.

oh and you can appeal that "assumed value" but you can thank the years of cheapskates saying they bout a car for $1 for that coming into affect. sure everybody wants to fudge and save a few bucks and nc has always overcharged anyhow, but this would have been less likely to happen if those people would have said they paid $50-100 whatever.

the fact that the DMV offices are privately ran and have virtually no proper training for their employees cause 70% of the problems...ken....

 

Well Arthur you need to get your info right my bud. NY registered this car with the Body VIN. Mine all matches so there are no problems there. Even still it has the original motor in it anyway.

I have titled 6 cars in the last 2 years. All of them are pre 1965. Not a single one had a title before I got it and now every one of them does. Not once has an inspector come to the house or have I gotten anything in the mail from them. Hell the last one I did was a 64 Truck just 6 months ago that I sold 2 months ago. Neither me nor the new owner have had any inspectors call or letters in the mail. All my shit is legit and it has never taken more then a few months to get it done. You must be doing something wrong.

 

Just to clarify this... here only the License Plate offices are privatized. The License and Theft office are state employees. I would think that is the way it is there as well.