Registering an "out of state boat" and trailer in MA.,

[South of Heaven]

Can someone shed some light on this situation for me; I know there's a big CT faction on NESR too.
I just bought a boat from a Ma. guy but it was registered in CT until 2016 (can't remember the month off hand). The current boat CT registration that he showed me was a different "format" than any MA registration that I've ever seen before. Basically the bottom of the reg is perforated and it turns into the bill of sale for the new owner. The PO is gonna mail that reg back into CT and then the boat will no longer be registered to him. Here's my question(s):

1. Is that Bill of Sale good enough to show to MA DEP to prove that the boat was registered? It does have the old CT reg ID numbers on it.
2. Then I have to pay the sales tax online? What if the state values my boat at a higher rate than what the Bill of Sale price is? I know MA is keen on doing that. Lol. Why not pay the sales tax at the RMV like for cars?
3. I'll also bring he etching of the Hull ID and other requirements as per the MA DEP website.

I just really wanna get all the required docs/processes in order first before I go to downtown Boston to the DEP headquarters and get turned away for missing something. Why the hell is registering a boat so much more involved than a motor vehicle? And why the hell are we still required to still make "hull etchings" in 2015??

Out of state trailer question:

My trailer was also registered from out of state. Florida. I have the bill of sale for that too; it's a similar style to the CT boat reg/bill of sale format. I'm hoping that registering the trailer will be easier. I can just take the bill of sale, pay the taxes at the MA RMV and be done with it. The PO took the plate and is gonna return it/destroy it, whatever.
Thanks guys!

[Falko]

I went through this a number of years ago.
The boat - Pay the sales tax on line for the amount you paid for the boat. The DEP usually doesn't get their panties wadded like the RMV over values and such because boats can vary greatly in value due to condition. You need the bill of sale and the previous registration if you don't have the title. If CT is a title state for boats, you'll need that.

The trailer - you need the previous registration and the bill of sale. I had a horrible time with this when I did mine because the trailer was a repo and I had registration only the bill of sale from the repo lot. I actually had a registration in my name from MI where I purchased it, but that wasn't good enough for MA. Dealing with the DEP was 10x easier than the RMV. It would seem the DEP actually hires competent people where the RMV hires retard relatives of the retards already working there. Another thing on the trailer, do NOT title the trailer and keep the GVW under 5k. I title mine at 5k and pay $100 a year to drive my trailer twice on the roads.

Best of luck to you.

[Pigman]

Reg it in NH and use it in MA......I did it for years with my Jet ski as a MA resident never had an issue

[South of Heaven]

I went through this a number of years ago.
The boat - Pay the sales tax on line for the amount you paid for the boat. The DEP usually doesn't get their panties wadded like the RMV over values and such because boats can vary greatly in value due to condition. You need the bill of sale and the previous registration if you don't have the title. If CT is a title state for boats, you'll need that.

The trailer - you need the previous registration and the bill of sale. I had a horrible time with this when I did mine because the trailer was a repo and I had registration only the bill of sale from the repo lot. I actually had a registration in my name from MI where I purchased it, but that wasn't good enough for MA. Dealing with the DEP was 10x easier than the RMV. It would seem the DEP actually hires competent people where the RMV hires retard relatives of the retards already working there. Another thing on the trailer, do NOT title the trailer and keep the GVW under 5k. I title mine at 5k and pay $100 a year to drive my trailer twice on the roads.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks. I just called the PO and he scanned a copy of the top portion of his CT registration and sent it to me. As per the MA DEP a "copy of the registration" should suffice.
Can you elaborate on the what you wrote about "GVW" and "5k lbs"?

[xxaarraa]

[Ductard]

Reg it in NH and use it in MA......I did it for years with my Jet ski as a MA resident never had an issue

Ok..I was actually just about to start a thread but I have an issue that's close enough to this that I think it makes sense to discuss it here.

I just bought a toy hauler, I have the signed VA title from the PO and a bill of sale.

I left work early yesterday and headed to the RMV, calling my insurance company on the way to get an RMV-1 form drawn up, figuring this would be easy, 'cause I just did it for my enclosed trailer less than a year ago. I was wrong.

Here are the problems / questions:

1. VA title has "Empty Weight" listed, no GVW listed (there's a spot for it, but it's blank). I think there's a plate with the weight listed on the trailer, but it's currently 4 hours away at NYST, where the trailer will likely live.
2. The insurance company (GEICO) said they will only add a trailer up to a certain weight on the policy (I think 2,999? lbs GVW). I asked what to do, they said call another insurance company.

They also got hung up on the fact that I only have a sedan listed on the policy, I said I'd be borrowing a friend's truck the few times the thing would move...which I think they were OK with. I asked "what about RV insurance?" so they transferred me (not sure I want to go this route, as the toy hauler is a 2002, and probably not worth getting full coverage on. When they found out the trailer was going to be housed primarily in NY, they suggested I register it there as there were "more options" in NY vs. MA.

More questions:

3. Anybody have insight into the MA vs. NY registration? Does that mean the vehicle would also be titled in NY even though I'm a MA resident, or do the title and registration not have to be from the same state?

4. What about other states? Insurance requirements (NY included in that question)? I see NH mentioned, would that be 100% legit, or would it be bending the rules?

5. Do I get RV insurance? I'm not sure I want all the coverages that come with that, depending on cost (basically it's like a homeowner's policy)...but if I don't get it, and I get into a regular old auto accident where I damaged someone's property or injured someone, would the insurance company try to say the trailer wasn't insured properly and try to dip out on paying the claim? Would it change anything if the accident did something like rupture the blackwater tank, and my flying poo somehow ruined someone's new beemer? Would they say that's not a "normal" trailer thing and I should have had RV insurance?

[Falko]

Thanks. I just called the PO and he scanned a copy of the top portion of his CT registration and sent it to me. As per the MA DEP a "copy of the registration" should suffice.
Can you elaborate on the what you wrote about "GVW" and "5k lbs"?

They check the weight rating of the trailer. Any trailer over 5k pounds gross weight has to be titled. If you can title it under 5k, then do that. If the weight is given on the registration, you have to go by that weight. I didn't have that and they asked me what it was. I stupidly said 5k pounds.

[sedanman]

Register all of your trailers in Maine. It's easy and cheap. Google "how do l register my trailer in Maine". One fifth the cost of doing it in NY.

[Ductard]

Register all of your trailers in Maine. It's easy and cheap. Google "how do l register my trailer in Maine". One fifth the cost of doing it in NY.

I'm definitely going to look into that. I'm currently even assessed an excise tax on my utility trailer every year from the city of Somerville :-/

I came across a thread on a boatowner's forum that mentioned registering in Maine. Seems like a lot of people have problems with the 2,999 GVW limit for Geico in MA. People switching insurance companies for their cars to go with any of the other companies that don't have that restriction.

[Ductard]

Register all of your trailers in Maine. It's easy and cheap. Google "how do l register my trailer in Maine". One fifth the cost of doing it in NY.

Any chance of an issue with an insurance company covering (damage caused by) the trailer if it is registered in a different state?

I suppose not, since if I hooked up a friend's trailer, to my tow vehicle (regardless of state) I believe my insurance would cover.

However, I wonder if Geico's refusal to provide an RMV-1 for a trailer over 2,999 lbs in MA means they won't cover (damage caused by) a trailer of that size....guess I'll have to call them and find out.

[sedanman]

I don't know about insurance in MA. In NY the tow vehicle is liable for any damage caused by the trailer. Comprehensive coverage is available but not required.

[Rambunctous]

When dealing with the RMV this should shed some light on the situation. http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~nathanaf/pow...out_status.pdf

[Garandman]

Register all of your trailers in Maine. It's easy and cheap. Google "how do l register my trailer in Maine". One fifth the cost of doing it in NY.

Maine will give multi-year registrations as well. Such a PITA for boats where all MA trailer reg end in December. If I get a utility trailer in NH I think I'm going to get a 5 year reg in Maine and be done, one shot.

[carsick]

When dealing with the RMV this should shed some light on the situation. http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~nathanaf/pow...out_status.pdf

Spot on- "we propose that individuals who lack status
while possessing power may act on the resentment stemming from
their lack of respect by demeaning others."
I've seen it frequently in other state government employees and municipalities. It's not just disregard, it's malice.