The guy who gave the car to me is a pretty close friend. So can I just have him write me up a bill of sale, we both sign it and show em the keys and that should be enough correct?

The car was last titled in '97 I believe, but the car has gone through alot of people since then that have never once titled it. So we're really not sure who the legal last owner of the car is.

I just know it's in my possession and I'd like to look into getting a title for it. I have the keys and I can have a bill of sale from my friend and that's about it. Well, I can also put the vehicle under my insurance policy also if that'll help get a title for it. I'm not so much worried about a tag at the moment since it's just sitting in a garage. Just want it for when I go & sell it.

 

a bill of sale is only going to work if its from the person the state shows last owned it. Otherwise you could steal a car, have your neighbor write up a bill of sale, and now you legally own it.

Basically, there is a "grey" way to get the car legalized. Buy yourself a Hemmings Motor News from a magazine stand. In it, you will find various places that will put a lein on the car and get the title in their name. They will then transfer ownership to you. I think it costs less than $150 to get it done.

 

I think there is a national law that says that if you can prove purchase...via receipt, then you're immune from prosecution for stolen items. Otherwise anything you buy, the person who sold it to you can just say "Well, he didn't pay" and you could be charged. This has been the loophole in many stolen item sales on eBay. It isn't cool, but I'm sure it works.

It's pretty shady just paying cash with absolutely no bill of sale. It's illegal too. You can't get the car registered or insured if you don't provide a bill of sale to prove that you purchased it. I don't know about any abandoned vehicle law... by those rules, you can just lurk parking lots or alleys to see where cars are and pick them up... breaking into them is illegal. Check the carfax to see who the last registered owner was...if you can that is. If that doesn't work, go to the DMV and see who the last person to own the car is. Find them, and get them to write up a bill of sale for you. That'll be the only proof that you own the car. You don't want them showing up at your door one day just to say "I'll be taking this back now."

But I do agree, it is a really gray system regarding used cars.

 

if you have a friend in Alabama (I'm pretty sure its bama) they have very loose title laws and it's easy to get a new title/ clear a title from a cod to a rebuilt/ and all that kinda of sketchy stuff

 

any sale of items over $500 requires a written contract (i.e. - bill of sale)

as far as abandonment law it must show no one has paid issurance, renewed tag, etc for x number of days/months/whatever. its like when someone ditches a car on the side of the road or on your property

 

Pretty much what Alex said. Goto the DMV explain the situation, and there shouldn't be any issues, unless it was reported stolen.