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The aluminum 12 foot jon boat I received as a gift has been registered in another state in the past. When I went online and downloaded the application, it seemed like there would be no problems. On the boat registration forms, I specified that the boat has been registered in another state in the past end filled in the old registration number. The main problem is that the boat hasn't been registered for about 20 years and the original registration is long gone.
About 10 days after submitting the application to register my 12 foot jon boat, I received a reply from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stating that I must supply a copy of the past registration to prove the jon boat has been registered in the past. This was a problem because, as I stated earlier, the original registration paperwork was lost. I proceeded to call the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and explained the situation. I was told that I must contact the prior state licensing department and obtain either the registration or a valid letter proving the past registration number was accurate on state letterhead.
So I spent roughly 4 hours on the phone battling automated phone systems trying to get through to a human being. I was forwarded to different departments numerous times before I finally decided to hang up and call the same number back. This time I explained my problem in a more direct fashion and the representative was willing to help. She originally told me that the Division of Motor Vehicles does not keep records that old and she probably will not be able to help. I insisted that we should still try to plug in the numbers to see if anything comes up. I detected a little agitation in her voice but after several attempts she managed to match the old registration with the correct name.
I was instructed to call back an hour later so we can finalize the process. When I called back, I waited a half hour on hold and the phone got disconnected. Finally, when I called back again, she was able to provide me with the information I need. She was not able to fax me the proof that was required, but she said she will mail me out a form that I will need to fill out and send back with payment. At that time she could reply and send me the proof I need to successfully register my 12 foot jon boat.
That's where I stand at this moment. Even though my new 12 foot jon boat has all the proper identification numbers and the capacity plate, the process of registering this boat has many more obstacles than the 10 foot boat which had no credentials. I suppose the lesson to be learned is once you register a boat, make sure you do not lose or misplace any of the paperwork. And if you were planning on buying a used boat, make sure the seller provides you with everything you will need to successfully register the boat. Going through these hassles almost costs more in time that a new boat would cost.
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