Certificate of Title / Registration for Small Tractors

lp333 · Oct 14, 2009

Some members have indicated that Kubota BX tractors, among others, do not come with a Certificate of Title and do not require Vehicle Registration in many States. Can someone provide links to DMVs, or other official sources, that actually confirm this to be the case for small tractors across the country?

BruceWard · Oct 14, 2009

Did you buy your BXs new? Did they come with titles?

bpattie · Oct 14, 2009

just did a quick internet search and did not find anything indicating that tractors required a Certificate of Title. I know that in Colorado it is not available. But States being States and this being a State issue what I have mentioned may not be true in every State. But again in the quick search I did I did not see any. Check with your state DMV, but I would expect that if your State did and you bought the tractor in State, especially if was a dealer you would have received one. Unless your BX is hot

bp fick · Oct 14, 2009

A tractor is considered personal equipment, personal property, not a motorized vehicle for either road way, (plates/tags/reg) nor a watercraft (stickers/reg) nor a motorcycle or ORV (also tagged, if used on State ORV trails.

Thus, it is no different than your lawn mower, chain saw, or snow blower which have none of these things either. Nope, here in Michigan, there is no title, registration, nothing.

Bill of sale. This is as it should be. All the things mentioned above may be of some assistance in terms of law enforcement and legalities, but they are also just another form TAXATION or revenue stream.

My $.02 Have a nice day.

savedbyzero · Oct 14, 2009

Here in Cali nothing is required from the DMV...it's a good thing too, because we allready have the smog police down our throats starting next year with our diesel trucks. Not sure what I will do with mine...got it turned up some, and it'll block the sun, if'n I want it to...

jb62901 · Oct 14, 2009

Not required in Mi also.. John

radioman · Oct 14, 2009

don't need title in NYS either. just need the SMV in the back when going on the roads since the BX can't go over 35mph.

Bird · Oct 14, 2009

Can someone provide links to DMVs, or other official sources, that actually confirm this to be the case for small tractors across the country?

Proving a negative can sometimes be hard to do.

There's nothing officially saying you do need a title, so you don't need one. And there's nothing saying you do not need a title, just as there's nothing saying you do not need a title for your TV, lawnmower, or other personal property. But who knows when some state will get the idea of titling tractors?

LBrown59 · Oct 14, 2009

This subject has been hashed over and hashed over and hashed over again and again. Did I mention This has been hashed over before?

Do a search -see more than will ever be posted in just this one thread.

lp333 said:
Some members have indicated that Kubota BX tractors, among others, do not come with a Certificate of Title and do not require Vehicle Registration in many States. Can someone provide links to DMVs, or other official sources, that actually confirm this to be the case for small tractors across the country?

TripleR · Oct 14, 2009

In Missouri, there is no way to get a title for any tractor no matter what size, all you will have is a Bill of Sale or the paperwork you get with a new machine. We have seven tractors from 1953 to a 2009, no titles, just be sure you have your serial numbers in case someone decides to snag it.

JOHNTHOMAS · Oct 14, 2009

Not titled in Ky.

lp333 · Oct 15, 2009

Bird said:
Proving a negative can sometimes be hard to do. There's nothing officially saying you do need a title, so you don't need one. And there's nothing saying you do not need a title, just as there's nothing saying you do not need a title for your TV, lawnmower, or other personal property. But who knows when some state will get the idea of titling tractors?

Bird, thanks for your helpful reply. I assume that proving a negative is the basic point underlying other replies by bpattie, bp flick, savedbyzero, radioman, jb62901, JohnThomas, and TripleR. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to shed light on this obscure subject.

Today, I did spent time on the NY DMV web site. Given that a tractor is a type of motor vehicle, I had expected to find a mention of requirements (or NON-requirements) of such things as title and registration for tractors. However, I was surprised that I could find nothing about tractors.

Jeff H · Oct 15, 2009

Department of Agriculture | Motor Vehicle Laws and Regulations Impacting Farmers

veresjwv · Oct 16, 2009

Not titled in Ohio or N. Carolina

lakeside · Oct 16, 2009

It really depends on the state or province. There's another thread on a similar subject, search for "street legal". In the province of Ontario a tractor doesn't need registration or plates to travel on the shoulder of a public road. Yet, in the province of Quebec you can't even cross a public road without a registration and plates.

Although law enforcement in some jurisdictions may turn a blind, if you run across a police officer having a bad day or even scratch a car on a road you may be facing some pretty hefty fines.

Best, call or visit your local DMV's web site and check. You may not like the answer but better to be informed about your specific state/provincial laws than be fined.

BotaBX24er · Oct 16, 2009

In SC, tractors (like ATV's or lawnmowers) is considered personal property for insurance purposes. However, it is not an approved motor vehicle for transportation on public roads, thus not requiring registration. Good in the sense that I don't have to pay taxes on it

.

LBrown59 · Oct 16, 2009

veresjwv said:
Not titled in Ohio or N. Carolina

Living there I can see where you'd know about NC.
But how did you know about Ohio.?

JOHNTHOMAS · Oct 16, 2009

LBrown59 said:
Living there I can see where you'd know about NC.
But how did you know about Ohio.?

Interesting that you would ask that LB. You frequently give answers concerning all models of Kubotas and admit you only own BX's.

Maybe as you answer when asked how do you know all about B's when you don't and haven't ever owned one you say you read about it. Maybe he read about it or researched it.

LBrown59 · Oct 16, 2009

BotaBX24er said:
In SC, tractors (like ATV's or lawnmowers) is considered personal property for insurance purposes. However, it is not an approved motor vehicle for transportation on public roads, thus not requiring registration. Good in the sense that I don't have to pay taxes on it .

Also most unapproved motor vehicles are not permitted to be operated on public roads.

LBrown59 · Oct 16, 2009

JOHNTHOMAS said:
Interesting that you would ask that LB. You frequently give answers concerning all models of Kubotas and admit you only own BX's. Maybe as you answer when asked how do you know all about B's when you don't and haven't ever owned one you say you read about it. Maybe he read about it or researched it.

Or was it once lived in Ohio?
Just askin no harm ment.