WA lost title help

hey guys been a while! im looking at a 73 courier. runs and drives etc BUT the guy has no title. and not in his name. but hes willing to write a bill of sale with his i.d. number etc

ok so, is there some sort of work around to get the registered owners name?i know its a privacy issue so i cant just go looking up names and all that so what do i have to do to file a lost title?? my friend said i can do a 3 year temporary registration and drive it, is that true?? he also said i need to do a sheriff inspection, anyone know the cost and what it consists of??

i tried to call the sheriffs non emergency number and the operator told me to call the dmv, try to call the dmv and couldn't get through

ive tried searching google and all that but cant really find anything on the subject.. so if anyone has done this before please let me know


if it comes down to it i guess it will be a parts truck and i can find a shitty one with a title lol

You need the title, I would hate to see you go through the same thing I went through. Luckily like you are saying I was able to find a parts truck with a title that I could move the parts over to.

You need to take the vin number to the dol (washington uses department of licensing for vehicle registration, department of motor vehicles is for actual drivers license) and get an affidavit in lieu of title. That will haver the last registered owner info and they can tell you at the dol what you need to do with the affidavit. It's pretty simple I've had to do it before (former wa resident)

i thought you can only get an affidavit if your the registered owner??

well its only $200 and it runs and drives so i think it will be worth the hassle i might just do it and if shit hits the fan its only a $200 loss

It's $10 or so for the affidavit. You have to send the affidavit registered mail and the old owner either signs it, or if it's not claimed from tte post office within 15 days it gets sent back to you and you take it, un opened to the state patrol inspections to have the vehicle inspected and give them the un opened affidavit and they give you the paperwork to get it transfered to your name. But you need the vin number to get the affidavit from the dol. Oh and you have to make an appointment to get it inspected...

you get the lost tile paper work send a registered letter to the legal owner if they dont respond turn in the paper work you sent (unopened) they will give you a 3 year registration after thee years they send you a title

and yes it needs a vin inspection

its alot easier if when you get the legal owners name and address to have them just sign a lost tile affidavid then they will just send you a title

take the vin # into the DMV tell them what your trying to do. They can look up and see who owns the truck, if it is still registered..etc.. When was the last time it had tabs on it? if it is still in the system then you wont have to get it inspected. You will probly have to get a 3 year temp title, which is no big deal. And as long as no one claims ownership within that time it is yours free and clear..And fyi...you can sell the truck with a temp title,,the buyer just takes the reposiblity of the temp title...And i wouldnt even involve the guy who has it now, if his name is not on any paper work, then he has nothing to do with the truck. He just has pocesion of it. Tell the DMV it is an abondon truck...Good Luck

Still in the system or not to get the temp title in his name with the affidavit he still has to take it thru state patrol inspection to get ownership changed. I've been thru it. He has to mail the affidavit off registered mail. He can't just claim abandoned vehicle. You can only claim abandoned vehicle if it's on your property.