A title can be pretty important. Take, for example, if you were driving a vehicle that has been stolen from someone else and the police stopped you, you could certainly land in legal hot water.
It does not even matter if the car is yours and you have never stolen, not having a proof of ownership which is what a title is, can be bad. After all, having a title can help you get insurance as the title show’s that you own the car.
Without a title, it can be nearly impossible to have an insurance policy taken out in your name.
Now you might think to yourself, that is just a car, so it is very normal to have a title but what about your towing vehicle, particularly your popup camper?
Having a title for your car that tows your camper is not nearly enough. With a popup camper, it is the same principle, ownership.
You would like to have proof that you do indeed own the popup camper and this cannot be done unless you have a title.
Not having a title could prove disastrous for you. If the popup camper gets stolen or moved from where you parked it, you cannot legally prove that it is yours or that your property was stolen, even if it strictly does belong to you.
Just as with any vehicle, not holding a title for your camper could hamper your efforts to insure it.
While getting insurance for your popup camper is not legally required, it can still be a smart thing to do.
What to do if you buy a popup camper that does not have a title?
While it is not recommended you ever purchase a vehicle with no title, it is something that happens. Perhaps, you were unaware that your popup camper required a title, therefore you didn’t consider that thought when you purchased it from a private seller.
It is already been done, there is no point trying to fight that fact. What is important now is that your popup camper gets a title.
- To this end, you can email or call the previous owner. Given that you were recently sold the popup camper by them, you are bound to have all the essential contact information on hand.
- Ask about the whereabouts of the title. Perhaps, it is likely that the private seller forgot to add the title alongside the sale in their excitement. If this is the case, it can be seamlessly rectified. All you have to do is arrange a meetup somewhere and have the document exchange hands. It could even be possible that they mail the title to you.
- In certain instances, the private seller might never have titled that particular camper. If this is the case, you will have to attain a bill of sale.
- A bill of sale in its own right does not prove that you own a vehicle, however, it is a piece of important information to have just as the VIN or vehicle identification number, as well as the popup camper’s description, is.
There might be a probability that the former owner did have a title and lost or misplaced it. If this is the case, you can request that they search for it. In the event that they turn up with nothing, then you aren’t out for the count yet.
Things to do if the title is misplaced or lost?
It does not matter if you or the private seller lost or misplaced the title, the fact remains that it is gone.
This, however, does not mean that it becomes forgotten. There is a process involved in recovering a lost title. You simply have to follow the steps below.
- If you are interested in getting a lost title for your popup camper, you will need the Vehicle Identification Number or Vin. It is for this reason that you require a bill of sale when a title cannot be found at the point of exchange.
- Your popup camper’s VIN has to be seventeen characters long. In the event that your VIN comes up short, you will have to go back to the private seller and get a correct VIN.
- To do this, you will also require the license plate number of the popup camper, as well as proof that it has been insured. This insurance prof shows that the popup camper is actively being used.
- Once all this information has been gathered, you should head to the Department of Motor Vehicles office in your state to apply for a substitute title.
- Should you ever require a copy of the aforementioned title, you will still have to head over to your local DMV to get it. You will also need the information above.
- Getting a replacement or new title does incur a cost. This could be anything from as low as $9 to as high as $150. The amount you pay typically depends on the state you are in.
- To be sure you have the right price, it is always recommended that you call up the DMV in your vicinity prior to your appointment to get more information concerning the fee. Thankfully, at the majority of DMV offices, payment can be made with cash or card.
- When at the DMV, you will be asked to fill out a form for the title. This might be in form of a special request, given that you are interested in titling your popup camper.
- When this information has been filled, it is then verified by the DMV clerk. Once this is done, you pay the required fee and you are clear.
- You will have to wait for a couple of weeks before the title is mailed to you.
Would you have to update the title every year or at any other time?
The great thing about having a title is that once it is yours, you can keep it for as long as you want, at least until you decide to sell the popup camper. You do not have any reason to update it.
This is also why it is important to ensure you get the title from the private seller that once had your camper. Doing this ensures that you do not have any legal issues in the future.
Conclusion
In order to demonstrate that you own any vehicle, you simply need to have a title for it. Just as a driver’s license shows that you can drive, a title for your popup camper shows that it is indeed yours.
When purchasing your popup camper from a third party, always ensure that the title is included in the sale. This can help you down the line. If you are unable to get a title from them, ensure that you get a bill of sale.
A bill of sale can prove useful if it turns out the private third party seller lost the title. If this is the case, you can apply for a replacement title, however, it will cost you a bit of money and time.
