I am sorry if this is in the wrong forum. I made a bone head rookie mistake 2 days ago. I paid cash for a craigslist boat, motor, and trailer and missed a few things on the paperwork. This was a second owner motor that was initially purchased online from out of state. The original owner never titled the motor and then sold it to the guy I got it from using the certification of origin document that came with the motor. You see where I am going with this don't ya? Well now I have the hot potato.. Now for the kicker.... I spoke to someone at TPWD that told me that I need to report it to them properly then they would take the motor and I would be out of luck. Why does the state I used to love punish the victim? I offered to pay for the delinquent taxes and fees so the State would get what it is missing and I would have the motor I paid for in good faith. The damned bureaucrat got angry at me and told me to call back tomorrow but to talk to someone else. He was no help at all. And that's all the whining I'll do about it. What I need is a fix for this situation. Funny thing is the boat and trailer both transferred clean and quick.

So here are some of the $$$ v.s. motor questions. Is it worth the trouble or the cost to try? The motor is a very lightly used (25 hours) and garage kept 2017 Suzuki 20 HP 4 stroke. I would have to spend around $3200 for a new one if you can even find them due to the pandemic. And this one looks and runs like it just came out of the box. I could really use some good ideas. Maybe file for lost title? I just don't know.

One note..... Please keep any recommendations or ideas legal for the state of Texas. I'd hate to get screwed by them again on the same motor.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Do you have the certificate of origin in hand? Is the back signed?

Yeah, that MSO is your get out of jail free card right there.

From what I can tell, you are saying TPWD is ok with the chain of title (i.e., they don't believe it was stolen), but they plan to take the engine from you based on failure to register / back fees due??? If you are the first to register it, how does TPWD know that it is owed fees - i.e., for all they know it could have been run/used out of state and you are just now bringing it to Texas; or, it was never used (e.g., it just sat on the trailer in someone's yard, and I am not sure you HAVE to title/register something that just sits (but not sure on that). In short, if the chain of title is established, I am not sure what "back fees" are due. BTW, regarding chain of title - I am assuming the COO is signed by the original seller to the 2nd owner, and from the 2nd owner to you? Has TPWD or anyone found the motor to be titled to anyone else, braking the chain?

If you have the MSO it’s a untitled new motor.
That with a bill of sale will get your title.

it depends on how many folks are on the mso sound like he got it for a wannabe boat dealer flipper that didnt put it in their name before the op purchased it.

Thanks Pat,

It was not a new motor. Neither of the other owners titled the motor. Parts of the MSO were already filled in so I could not say it was a NOS motor. I guess the previous owners did not want to spend the $27 to title it. But good news.... I was talking to a person at TPWD this AM (a manager in the Law enforcement branch). They told me that they had spoken to the person that I got the motor from and they requested a form from him. Once they receive the form (hopefully today) They will do a skip or is it a skif? I couldn't hear which.... But they said I could then title the motor and it would be 100% legal in Texas. Then I'll receive the actual title in about a month. Man this had me upset

Also since the first bill of sale says I paid one price for the motor and boat together, I don't have to pay taxes on the motor. Since I paid the taxes for the full amount when registering the boat. Yay!

I think I'll go fishing to take my mind off of it and calm down..... I'll use my kayak rather than the boat until the motor clears.

Nice boat Pat,

Glad to hear its working out for you. See it all too often with boats around here. People buy them then find out about title issues after the fact.

ssmith,

You are filling in blanks with conjecture. It was a simple 1st buyer bought a motor for a boat he already had from an out of state boat dealer that also sells on the internet. Buyer #1 sold it to buyer #2 using the MSO as the title. #2 never titled the motor in his name either. I'm buyer #3 and I wanted to do everything legally and when I did..... things went haywire.

But that is all in the past and things are moving the right direction finally. Thanks for your response.

What a difference a day makes!!!

it is a skip they generally go back an collect penalties taxes an registration from the person you got it from to get it straightened out.

My question is, why do you need a title to the motor? I've owned several small outboards that were never titled. The only thing that will ever get checked by law enforcement are the TX numbers(registration) on the boat. Unless you're planning on selling it to someone that's gonna borrow money to buy it (lien) an outboard title is unnecessary.

you should just need a bill of sale. the MSO. a picture printed out of the serial number tag.
print the proper form from TPWD.

or take it all to your nearest boat dealer and let me them do it.

because texas is now a title state on every single outboard there is.

You've twisted yourself into quite the knot. Relax.
Paper pushers want paper to push. Give them what they want, and they are happy people.
YOU know it's used, but since you're holding the MSO, nobody else knows it's used. You bought a motor in a box with a MSO, which is absolutely as good as a title, you want to use that MSO to properly title it in Texas, here's the paperwork, here's my money, give me a title.

The point I was trying to get across is that unless you planned on trying to sell it, who'd ever know or care if it was titled. Never heard of an outboard being checked for a title?