I bought a scooter on eBay. The seller is located in Missouri, but the vehicle owner is in Arkansas and I am in Illinois.
I want to make sure both the seller and I do all the correct steps, and he appears to be inexperienced in this.
What is the state that the vehicle was sold in and that state it was bought in? because there are different steps for the buyer and the seller depending on the state.
What documents do I need to get from the seller / fill out? What does the owner need to do?
I think you need to talk to the DMV of the state where you will be wanting to register (and title, if necessary) the scooter. They are the ones you will need to supply the correct documents. This most certainly will not be a first-time question for them. My guess is that they have a FAQ on-line that will answer your questions.
What really matters is what does YOUR state require for registration. Or does your state even require a license plate on the scooter?
My state does not require insurance and tag/title for a 50cc scooter. Check with YOUR state.
Does the scooter come with a title?
Missouri is a title state. If there’s a Missouri title there’s a section on the back that the owner fills out and signs. It needs to be notarized as I recall. The selling price and I believe mileage is also listed.
GaryM
I’ve bought motorcycles out of state.
Assuming you’re not planning to ride it back home, it’s pretty simple. You pay for the bike. The seller signs the title over to you, and gives it to you. You put the bike (or scooter) in the back of a pickup truck and drive it home. You take to the title to your Department of Motor Vehicles, along with proof of insurance, and they will give you a registration, and send you a new title, issued by your state.
That’s assuming all states in question issue titles for scooters, there are no liens on the scooter, or unpaid tickets. And what’s up with the seller being in one state and the owner in another? They’re not the same person? They’re not even in the same state? That would set off a few alarm bells for me.
When you say that the seller is in Missouri and the owner is in Arkansas, is the seller not the owner? What’s the relationship between the seller and the owner, because you can’t sell something if you don’t own it.
Salespeople that are employees sell things they don’t own all the time. But it’s a bit unusual for an owner of an item to employ a salesperson on eBay.