Boat title help

[EasyGreen]

So I purchased a used boat from someone, he had the titles and all. We filled out the bill of sale, moved the titles to my name, and had it notarized and payed all the taxes due. So I sent it to DNR to get the title to my name, well they sent the bill of sale and titles back to me with some highlighted stuff that I missed, no big deal. I send it back to them, same story.. it comes back WEEKS, even months later with highlighted stuff missing. Long story short, this has happened 5 TIMES. They highlight one thing at a time instead of highlighting everything that I missed the first time. The last thing they wrote was that I needed a signature from the guy I bought it from (luckily for me he was off duty. He’s in the frickin army and I caught him perfect timing)  Right now it is at the DNR office, nearly 2 months has passed since I’ve sent it. I am extremely pissed and every time I try to call the DNR office nobody ever (and I mean EVER) answers. In about a month, it will have been a year. After 60 days with the boat in your possession, you cannot take it on the water without a title and registration in your name. It has been sitting in storage ever since. Im almost tempted to ask the guy to keep my money and take the boat back, all he would have to do is request the title back in his name. Has anyone ever been in this situation before? Im stuck. I don't know what to do.

edit: I am in South Carolina

Edited June 16, 2021 by EasyGreen

[chefchris]

Things I’ve done. I’m in Rhode Island so not sure if this is doable in SC 

apply for new titles completely.

get a new bill of sale from the original owner with today’s date, reapply or use the boat etc 

go to the office direct (May not be possible or too far away) 

apply for new registration 

[dheath2]

I went through something along the same lines with a trailer. Except that had to go through the dmv in NC which took forever. Buying that piece of junk and the boat it hauled was a mistake I’ll never make again. Long gone now!

[Volfan]

Boat was easy in NC. Just looked up on the website what i needed and sent to the DNR in Raleigh. Make sure you have everything needed before you send it. It’s hard, but it’s on you. The trailer was a different story because it was on the same Bill of sale as the boat. Lady at the DMV couldn’t have been ruder about that and how I’d have to pay taxes on the whole sum vs just the trailer. I had a notarized bill of sale, the signed over title, original bill of sale, and a kidney on ice just in case. Her last words to me were ‘I’ll submit it but I don’t think you’re going to get a title for it...’

[EasyGreen]

Update: They have sent it back once again, after being in their possession for over 50 days, saying the check I sent them was expired. No dip it expired, if you wait that long. The check was good for 90 days, and it was the one leftover from the last time they sent it back which was still good for 35+ days. I’m taking my butt straight up to the DNR office on Wednesday and they will fix it or Im screwed. I’ve got $2000+ in this and its been sitting in storage since day 1, almost a year ago. Has anyone ever got their title through them directly instead of mailing it? Lemme know how it went if you did

edit: Unfortunately I’m just going to get rid of it. For every teaspoon of fun add a cup of pain in the butt. Don’t know if i’ll be a boat owner again after this experience

Edited June 26, 2021 by EasyGreen