Questions on Boat Titles and Registering

[HotRod Hunter]

I have been talking to a guy about a boat and when I asked him if he had the titles to the boat , motor and trailer and this is what he said. “Its registered in Louisiana and we didnt have titles for motors then but I have registration for boat and trailer.” What am I to do ? As I understand it I have to have all 3 . Can someone clarify this for me . Or do I just run . Thanks

It’s an 06’ Boat .

[friscopaint]

I had same with a boat from Missouri, I just tagged the boat and trailer since you don't actually tag the motor like they do in Oklahoma. When you resell it there may be some hesitation just like you have

[slicktricker]

Talk to the folks at the registration office. They will tell you exactly what you need.
I've always believed the motor and boat are titled together.

[Walker]

Texas started titling motors.back somewhere around 1970. . Boat has a title and trailor has a registration.

[hogslayer78]

Texas started titling motors.back somewhere around 1970. . Boat has a title and trailor has a registration.

This. Boat and motor will both have separate titles. The trailer probably doesn't have a title and the registration can be transferred with a bill of sale

[dpg481]

Texas parks and wildlife says the engine and boat have to be titled to the same person per their rules, but there are plenty of motors out there that never get the ownership changed during a used sale so the buyer can save a few bucks.

[pervis]

It depends on what kind of boat. So like on my mid rig yes 3 titles, boat, trailer, and motor. On my ski boat (mastercraft) 2 the engine and the boat are one, the trailer is another.

[HotRod Hunter]

This has an outboard engine

[hogslayer78]

This has an outboard engine

There will definitely be 2 titles then, especially since its an '06 model.

[HotRod Hunter]

Can a new title be applied for or any paper work done or is it just a lost cause .

[TX_H-F]

Title on both boat and motor. The trailer can pass with a transfer of reg. I wouldnt buy it with out all the paper work. Here in tx its nearly impossible to reg your boat with out the title in your name. I once went to look at a boat and I agreed to buy it. I Had the guy let me look over the titles to match vins to the titles. Well turns out this guy tried to pass me a title for an 89 merc when the boat had an 01 johnson. The trailer was shady to because he had a plate on it but told me I cant have it because its his friends plate... I passed on the whole deal immediatly after driving 2hrs to meet this guy

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[hogslayer78]

Can a new title be applied for or any paper work done or is it just a lost cause .

If the boat and motor are in his name, he can get replacement titles quick. I just sold a boat and couldn't find mine on either the boat or motor. Tpwd offers 3 business days on titles but you have to pay extra. Its like $30 per title and about a month to receive, or $60 per title and have it in 3 business days. I had it sold already so we had to do the 3 day option.

[Hawkpuppy 1]

Call your closest TPW office and they will tell you exactly what you need. I dealt with this getting a boat from Arkansas and was easy. Amazing how many states only title a boat and nothing else....

[JasonS]

I live in LA now. I just bout a boat last week, 14ft G3 with trailer and 25 Yamaha.
Louisiana tittles the boat, trailer. I had a tittle/certificate on the motor as well. LA does not require the tittle to be transferred over to the new owner. So, my boat and trailer were titled to the guy(2nd owner) I purchased the boat/motor/trailer from. He was the second owner. I am the third owner. Since LA does not require title on motor, the second owner never put the motor in his name. The motor was in the first owners name. So I needed form 314, to explain situation.

Texas requires Boat be titled to new owner, the motor to be titled to the new owner at the TPWD. The trailer is done through the county.


The tax is 0.0625 I believe. I just spilt the total cost between all items, motor 2000, boat 1000, tax/fees to TPWD and trailer 500, paid to county tax assessor, for example.

So, there are forms on the TPWD website.
You will need:
Boat tittle, back signed
143, For boat title transfer
144, for motor title transfer
504 (take picture of boat ID numbers and motor ID numbers, better than a rubbing)
314 affidavit of fact. The seller needs to write that he was not required to title motor in Louisiana. And that he is selling the motor, boat to you.
You ID.

For trailer, need back of titled signed/filled out with price, date, ect.
There is a title transfer paper that the county tax assessor will process.

Hope all this makes sense. If it doesn't, just PM me.

[JasonS]

TPWD told me Texas started titling motors around 1994. Hence old motors will nto always have tittle. But, when they change owners, the require paperwork, and then the motor will be tittled at that point.