06/28/2023
TITLING 101
A few words on titling I thought may be appropriate given the large number of calls we are receiving.
Some of the various terms involved with the titling process will be briefly described here. This is going to be relatively basic, but hopefully informative.
What do you get as far as registration paperwork when you buy a truck from Govplanet? Govplanet will eventually supply you with an SF97 form, which is simply a transference from the government to Govplanet/Iron planet. This allows them to sell the vehicle and indicates that the rightful purchaser of vehicle has the right to obtain a certificate of title for that item. At the time you receive the SF97, you will also receive a reassignment of the SF97, which is a notarized piece of paper which indicates Govplanet/Iron planet is reassigning that right to title to you the buyer. The process to obtain the SF97 from Govplanet varies, and tends to be very long. This period of time can be anywhere from 2 to 6 months, as of recently. Previously, this period was even longer. During that period of time, you can possess the vehicle as the buyer, but you cannot drive it on road as you have no ability to title it or have any type of plate or registration.
Govplanet also offers a title option, I believe through the state of Montana. They charge you a fee and you will eventually get On Road Montana Title (if this is still the process that is utilized). This takes many months, perhaps up to 6 to 12 based on the feedback I have received. In my opinion, you are better off taking the SF97 and pursuing the Montana Title on your own and/or using a consultant such as us, as the process will be much quicker.
If you choose the SF97 over the title, once you receive the SF97, there is no guarantee, and in fact, most states will not give you a title based on an SF97.
At that point you are stuck if your state is one of the many that will not honor and SF97. However, you do have options including Montana Title through an LLC as already described . This is not as straightforward as it seems, and the buyer must be aware. I would recommend proceeding with caution and to utilize the services of experienced professionals.
Depending on what state do you reside, you may be able to take that Montana road title and transfer it into a title in your state.
You might save a few dollars doing it yourself, but you will
invest a lot of time and energy, as well as headaches and frustration figuring the process out.
Another common situation is people who want to purchase a Humvee, but do not live in a state which will allow on road titling. Florida, California, Michigan, among other states, will not give a normal on road title for a Humvee. Does this mean you cannot purchase and drive a Humvee? No, it does not. But once again, you have to understand the process. The best option is to utilize a Montana LLC, this will allow you to get title and registration legally in the state of Montana. The vehicle is actually owned by your LLC, which makes it legal for you to drive the vehicle in your state while still maintaining your drivers license within your home state. This will not affect you getting insurance. This process has been in use in the state of Montana for many years, primarily involving expensive exotic vehicles and RVs. There are multiple services online, which perform this service. We recommend Montana LLC services owned by John Stoppler. We have titled many Humvees in conjunction with John and generally speaking, the process has been flawless. Once again, you can attempt to do this on your own, but I would absolutely caution you not to do so given the complexity and nuances of the process.; utilizing a professional service is absolutely worth the investment.
Lastly, I will make a comment about my home state Florida. The state of Florida, for the last four years, officially has not titled Humvees for on road use. If you have a non-altered Humvee, such as no rhino lining or off-color, no custom wheels, and tires or other substantial modifications, you can get a retired military tag by going to your regional DMV office. For instance, we are in Port Charlotte Florida and our regional office is in Palmetto Florida, so this is not the local DMV but a regional office. You must schedule an appointment with them. They will inspect your vehicle and provided it meets requirements of not being substantially modified, you will receive a retired military tag and registration. However, be advised that based on the wording of the statute, this allows you to trailer your vehicle to and from an event, such as a parade, or show, drive the vehicle only in the parade or show, and then literally place it back on the trailer and return home. So for all intents and purposes, this is a useless tag/title option. Are there people who have been able to subvert the system and get on road titles for Humvees in Florida? Yes, of course. As with all bureaucratic situations, there are at times work arounds. This is a very dicey option and there are no guarantees with this process. Also, keep in mind that if someone sells you a vehicle in Florida and has existing on road title, by no means does it guarantee that you will be able to transfer the title. It is very possible when you go to the DMV to change the title into your name that you will be told you have to get the retired military tag, and that the current title was issued incorrectly/in error. How do we know this? We have received literally dozens of phone calls with this exact scenario from various distraught Humvee buyers.
One final point. We have been informed by a few Humvee owners who had their units on road title in Florida, that when it came time for registration renewal, they were told to pursue the retired military tag. There are some owners who have received correspondence from the state, indicating their active registration and title would be invalidated in 30 days, for the same reason.
For those of us who deal with Humvees on a daily basis, it is critical that we provide you with accurate and adequate information and data. Please feel free to contact us at Street Legal Exports with further questions. We can assist you with the Montana Title process, and we may be able to assist you with other titling needs. Do not hesitate to call us at 941-815-1695 or 705-347-2356. We are located in Port Charlotte, Florida. Please check out our website at streetlegalexports.com and or call us regarding our inventory, as we have several units available for sale.
