Bad News...Vermont Registration/License Plate(s)

[SLDMRossi]

Sorry to the be bearer of bad news, but the allowance for Out-of-State owners to register/license vehicles with Vermont plates is going to be severely tightened...effecti ve Monday, July 3. To do so, a new Vermont "Out-of-State Registration Certification" form will have to be submitted (and signed by an authorized, home state DMV representative) which states: "I am certifying that the state of ____________ does not require residents to register their vehicles in our state."

I can't imagine any home state DMV representative ever signing that!

I learned this today when I went and got a VT plate for an MZ Baghira...which would no doubt have required a couple of trips to CT DMV to do likewise. A woman who I somewhat know behind the VT counter said..."you just made it in under the wire." And the discussion went downhill from there. There are still a lot of unknowns, but it appears that existing Registrations will be grandfathered. But if you try to transfer an existing, live plate to another vehicle the same form will be required.

The action is the result of too many unscrupulous operators trying to get plates for Salvage Title vehicles through an easy and more accommodating Vermont process. Not a few of us enthusiasts trying to get wacky motorcycles registered when places like Connecticut (in my case. at least) say...sorry, it's not in our computer.
 
Oh well, all good things come to an end...

Steven Rossi
Connecticut-Rhode Island MGNOC State Rep.
(248) 470-5788

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

Here's the form for anyone curious.
https://dmv.vermont.gov/document/out-of-state-registration-certificate

It seems like this would not impact the very common use of the "vermont registration loophole" which is that there are companies based in Vermont that will basically register your vehicle to themselves as a company that is based in VT, then sell/transfer the vehicle "back" to you at the cost of the registration + fees so you walk away with a Vermont registration from the "seller" of the vehicle to be given with a bill of sale at your own state's DMV to apply for a title to the vehicle.

[steven c]

Well that stinks. I guess the Benelli will never make a Tiddler.

[Cam3512]

I’m surprised it took this long.  I’ve done VT twice over the years.  No WAY I’m walking into a NJ DMV with that! 

[Perazzimx14]

That will rule out Pennsylvania. If you are a resident of PA you registration has to match.

[wrbix]

Here's the form for anyone curious.
https://dmv.vermont.gov/document/out-of-state-registration-certificate

It seems like this would not impact the very common use of the "vermont registration loophole" which is that there are companies based in Vermont that will basically register your vehicle to themselves as a company that is based in VT, then sell/transfer the vehicle "back" to you at the cost of the registration + fees so you walk away with a Vermont registration from the "seller" of the vehicle to be given with a bill of sale at your own state's DMV to apply for a title to the vehicle.

A friend asks: “ got a link for these companies?” Please.

[twowheeladdict]

Just buy a summer place in VT.  Problem solved. 

Seriously, I have never heard of registering in a different state, and also never heard of a DMV saying, "Sorry, its not in our system."  Learned something new today and glad I live in the south. 

[AJ Huff]

When I moved to Iowa I had to prove my ambassador existed and was not a trailer. VIN in the DMV said it's a trailer not a motorcycle. Five digit VIN. It was already titled in my name with a GA title.

I understand the VT registration attraction for an old bike with no title. What are you going to do? I seem to remember another company, not in Vermont, that "buys" the bike from you, takes care of the title, then "sells" it back to you. Or something like that. Might be the only option for old titleless bikes now.

-AJ

[bigbikerrick]

FWIW, my 76 convert has a 5 digit VIN #,and when I went to transfer title from Texas to Arizona, it came up as a "trailer" in their computers.
Rick.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

When I moved to Iowa I had to prove my ambassador existed and was not a trailer. VIN in the DMV said it's a trailer not a motorcycle. Five digit VIN. It was already titled in my name with a GA title.

I understand the VT registration attraction for an old bike with no title. What are you going to do? I seem to remember another company, not in Vermont, that "buys" the bike from you, takes care of the title, then "sells" it back to you. Or something like that. Might be the only option for old titleless bikes now.

-AJ

https://www.saintsengine.com/services/title-service/

[Turin]

They titled my 850T was titled by the frame #. When it was expunged from the DMV system in Arizona, I had to go back with my title and registration. They gave me a new Title that said TRAILER. Agh! drove the bike back the next day to prove it was not a trailer. Grrrr.

[Deno]

I have a Norton framed Suzuki engined cafe bike that came out of GA. CT would not register it no matter how much I tried. Finally had to give in and register it in VT. Just renewed the registration for another two years.

[Scout63]

I’ve done the Vermont thing several times.  When the registration comes up, I title it Massachusetts.  The annual cost is $20/year in MA instead of $40 in VT.  Also, in MA I can renew registrations all at once online. I’m going to miss the ease of VT title curing.

[Perazzimx14]

I have a Norton framed Suzuki engined cafe bike that came out of GA. CT would not register it no matter how much I tried. Finally had to give in and register it in VT. Just renewed the registration for another two years.

But once its registered in you nae you be able to take that registration to your home state where they will register/title it in that state in your name. That was the thing with VT they did not issue title on vehicles after a certain age and they would let anybody register vehicles in their state. Once you got a VT valid registration that proved you are the legal owner and you then or in cases like pennsylvania have to register/title the vehicle where you decale residence. 

[cliffrod]

With a valid VT registration on a vehicle too old to title in VT, your local dmv should allow you to transfer into your state as a legally owned vehicle.  Depending upon state law, a proper clear title from that state will generated in the process.  Back before the VT mail-in process became popular, I registered several old bikes with no paperwork before moving from VT to SC in 03 specifically to produce titles for them here in the real world. 

The number of people who live elsewhere but keep a VT tag on their old machine is bs.  For example, If you move to VT from TN, take your TN-titled V7 Sport to Montpelier to register it in VT and actually surrender your TN title, hope the clerk is yankee-cordial enough to say “we don’t need that title here-you can keep it” and lets you keep it vs taking it and shredding it.  But even if you keep it, a valid VT registration will allow you to get a registration (& title if issued) in a subsequent state.  I’ve moved in and out of VT numerous times.  Never had any problems moving a VT registration with no title into a later state and getting a new tag and title because VT only produces a registration after an LEO confirms VIN is not reported as stolen..  VT DMV does not provide any title on older vehicle, even for state residents.

No matter, SC DMV recently instituted a new one-time IMF (Infrastructure Maintenance Fee) of $250 to transfer a vehicle title into state.  It’s presented as a response to the influx of new residents swamping roads, which they are in this area.  Housing Development to accommodate all these new people is insane in recent years.  many local back roads are now handling more traffic than the much larger main roads did just a few years ago.

After having no means to title an untitled vehicle in SC,  SC DMV now offers a process to title such vehicles.  It isn’t as fast, easy or as cheap as VT.   but by the time you add the $250 IMF to the normal title process & fees to migrate that VT registration into SC like I’ve previously done with numerous bikes, it’s more cost effective to just do it all here in SC. 

Not sure how other states do it, but folks may want to see if they can do the process in their respective state. I never imagined it would be possible here in SC and likely would have kept numerous bikes had I known this was going to happen.

Edit- while checking with DMV, you will likely find that a vehicle is required to be registered in the owners state of residence.  VT used to require that registrations be transferred into state within 30 days of claiming residency.  SC has/had similar guidelines. In the modern age of tag readers and well-connected computer systems, Having a registration declared invalid and subsequent issues with insurance, bench warrants, credit report, etc are no joke.  Btdt via a clerical error through no fault of my own.  I expect the new VT requirement is as much a means to address this residency/nonresidency situation as anything else.  If you get a VT tag to create a title, just move the registration to your home state asap.   

[chuck peterson]

I have a brother in Burlington who’s happy to be a co-owner..just drop the bike and paperwork for a week or two….

 

[Roebling3]

With all the electric cars - and a zillion more due - a close friend said; "We were born at the right time".
I was informed last year of the changes. I've had 3 MC and one trailer registered in VT for many years. Nice folks. Every one.

[Groover]

Glad I got my one title a few years ago for a TV175 Lambretta. I liked the green plates on that for a minute.

[SoFloV100S]

I titled and plated two bikes in VT over the years that  could never have been registered in NJ. One was an ItalJet 180 scooter and the other a DRZ400E. Both had "For Offroad Use Only" on the MSO's. VT didn't care one iota!