Buying boat in South Carolina

[OffTheBeatnPath]

Looking to buy a used boat in SC and transferring ownership to GA.

The current owner has had the boat under a year and says he bought from a family friend, has no bill of sale but has title in hand.
Only original owners name is on title. Spoke with DNR and they said I'll need a bill of sale from the time the original owner sold to current owner - and a bill of sale from when I purchase.
If the current owner can not get a bill of sale from when he bought it, or his name on the title is it even worth the hassle to buy or is there a solution once I bought the boat?

 

[JustUs4All]

If the person you spoke with at DNR spoke the truth you would have a difficult time registering the boat in GA and it might be more trouble than it is worth.

However if there is a valid SC title in the current owner's name the rules must be different in SC. You might want to research whether it is possible to register the boat in your name in SC then transfer it to GA later.

 

[notnksnemor]

If it was a very good price, that may be the reason.

 

[K80Shooter]

On items like that I give little to nothing for them. You never know what problems you'll find, up to and including the boat being stolen. Make sure to point out all the problems that you can run into, several times. As you are about to leave then make him one final dirt-cheap offer.

I purchased a 4,000.00 (like new) trailer for 800.00 once under the same conditions. I did have a bill of sale from him to me, but it was never registered under his name. I took it straight to the sheriff's office and had them run the vin. Everything came out good.

If, and only if it can be proven that the boat is not stolen, the current owner needs to furnish a bill of sale from him to you, then have him furnish the bill of sale for when he purchased it. If it was truly purchased from a friend, then no problem.

Hint: do not watch him fill out the "other" bill of sale.
If he won't do it, then leave it be.

 

[Gator89]

Looking to buy a used boat in SC and transferring ownership to GA.

The current owner has had the boat under a year and says he bought from a family friend, has no bill of sale but has title in hand.
Only original owners name is on title. Spoke with DNR and they said I'll need a bill of sale from the time the original owner sold to current owner - and a bill of sale from when I purchase.
If the current owner can not get a bill of sale from when he bought it, or his name on the title is it even worth the hassle to buy or is there a solution once I bought the boat?

So, current possessor of boat never has titled it in his name.

The "seller" could title it in SC then sell it to you quite easily.

But you will not get it titled in any state until there is proof the original owner sold it to the current possessor.

Is the seller trying to get rid of the boat because the tags and registration are expired and money is due?

 

[OffTheBeatnPath]

Definitely a good price for what it is, but not outrageously low priced.
Told me he just never got around to putting title in his name, selling because he was given a boat by a family member and didn’t plan on using it no more.
Said he was going to call him this afternoon and get a bill of sale from when he bought it.
Hopefully he can.
DNR told me I could get some sort of affidavit and they run the hull #.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

The man with the boat is likely trying to dodge paying personal property taxes by not putting it in his name. He got it from a family member and is running their registration until it expires. Tell him you have to have the correct paperwork to register it in Georgia, if he won’t….then walk away. Sc is pretty slack with their paperwork, I have been thru it several times but on the same hand title & registrations is very helpful in SC.

 

[OffTheBeatnPath]

The man with the boat is likely trying to dodge paying personal property taxes by not putting it in his name. He got it from a family member and is running their registration until it expires. Tell him you have to have the correct paperwork to register it in Georgia, if he won’t….then walk away. Sc is pretty slack with their paperwork, I have been thru it several times but on the same hand title & registrations is very helpful in SC.

Yep. Told him I have cash n hand but need the right pw to register it.
Only thing he’d even have to title is the hull.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Yep. Told him I have cash n hand but need the right pw to register it.
Only thing he’d even have to title is the hull.

Motors are titled separately in Sc and should have a sticker mounted on the outside cover.

 

[specialk]

Tell him to come up with a BOS and you'll pay cash, if not find you anothet boat....

 

[OffTheBeatnPath]

Tell him to come up with a BOS and you'll pay cash, if not find you anothet boat....

Yep that’s what I told him