Should I title my new tractor?

[Anonymous Poster]

HI,

I will take delivery of a Kubota B2910 in a week or two...

Since it costs as much as a car...my gut feeling is that I should title it like a car. I understand it is possible to do that here in Pennsylvania.

The other option is to just take the certificate of origin, what ever that is...not sure what value that has...

I guess if I title it I could put a plate on it and drive it on the road to a neighbor's home if I wanted to.

Title fees probably cost about $100 or so...

What should I do?

Puzzled in Pittsburgh...kind of...Bill

 

[chim]

What is your goal? I figured as long as I had a receipt for the tractor, that's all I'd need.

With the way the government screws up everything they touch, why get them involved?......................chim

 

[Darren]

I suggest you get a copy of the applicable PA laws. Especially those that deal with operating a tractor on the highway. I doubt you need a license to run on the highway but there may be restrictions like daylight hours only.

If you title and register the tractor and then the state considers it a motor vehicle you may to have the tractor inspected every year. Personally I wouldn't want an inspection station screwing with my tractor. It's hard enough for some of them to do the job on regular vehicles. I had an axle "come out" once after an inspection when the mechanic forgot to install the pin that locked the axle nut on.

You're basically opening yourself up to extra grief in my viewpoint. If you get the state to consider the tractor a vehicle, does that mean you need insurance? You can't get an inspection without an insurance card. My advice is to keep the state out of it.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Chim asks what my goal is?

I did not think I had one, other than to do it right, whatever that might be...but after thinking about it I realized that I do have one goal, that is:

To lead a happy, healthy, active life until I reach at least 100, and then to move on peacefully in my sleep...

...but getting back to reality...

I don't know. I buy a house, I get a deed. I buy a car I get a title...I buy a hand saw I get a receipt...I buy a hamberger I get a hamburger...

This B2910 I am buying is a big purchase for me. Guess it "feels" like it should be on the side of the see-saw where the house and cars are.

Just don't feel the same about the tractor purchase as I do when I buy something at the hardware store.

Maybe all I need is the receipt. I just don't know. But after the deal is done, I would rather not have a lot of those "Why didn't you....???" questions that make senses.

You know, "Why didn't you title you tractor when you bought it? if you had you could..."

OR

"WHY in heaven did you ever title that tractor? Now you have to...and...and..."

So guess that about sums it up. I do have a friend that has a small farm and several tractors here in Western PA and if I can ever get him on the phone I will ask his opinon as well. He has been doing the farm thing on the side while working for fourty years or so...

Gee...100 years old doesn't seem that far away...better make that 120...

Thanks for the input, I do appreciate it a lot. Helps to get the mind focused!

Bill Macher

 

[powershop]

Hi Bill: I'm from Pa also, and can't think of a reason to title a tractor. It will not pass state inspection (no 4 wheel brakes,no high beam headlites) no no no the list can on forever. Plus i don't think it is possible to title it. My homeowners insurance covers the tractor so why? Plus when you sell, the new owner will have to pay sales tax, leave the state out of it. A bill of sale was fine with me. Just my two cents.

 

[chim]

Macher, great goals you have there. What I meant was "Is there a special reason you want it titled, for some specific use/licensing?" Buying a tractor like we use, as I understand it, is not much different from buying a big riding lawn mower. I have seen license plates on some TLB's, but the majority were the blue "Municipal Use" plates. Sorry I wasn't more clear on that. I can understand your concern about the unpleasantness of discovering you unknowingly goofed on some obscure section in a dusty law book.

There are a lot of laws and interpretations around, and they often seem to be in conflict. A couple years ago, I purchased and installed a "BERETTA" windshield logo from a Chevy dealer. It was actually original equipment. The local Barney Fife pulled the kid over about a year later, indicating it was in violation of PA Code # such-n-such. I had a project going at the PA State Police Academy at the time, so I had the instructor there look at the offending windshield. He explained that anything above the "AS-1" line was OK. If you look at the glass, it is marked about 5 or so inches from the top with "AS-1" near the roof pillars. The logo was clearly way above any required vision area. We went to appeal at the District Justice's office, and were told if we remove it, there would be no fine, and basically the cop (who was facing harassment charges from his wife at the time) couldn't possibly have the wrong interpretation of the law. Although the DJ did indicate our position made sense, he also said that to interpret the law in our favor would essentially require him to rewrite the law. What a bunch of crap.

Wifey was searching for info on a "farm vehicle" as applicable to a truck (also in PA). She told me she thought there were requirements for tractors having 21HP or more that were run on public roads. I asked a dealer about this when I was tractor shopping, he said he wasn't aware of any requirements outside of flashers and an SMV sign.............chim

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks guys,

AT this point I suspect that I will not title the tractor. I will do some more digging before making a final decision, but...

I think the sales tax issue is a very valid one should I decide to sell the tractor for some reason.

IN PA the title and license plate are seperate issues, and you can title something without putting a plate on it, and no insurance or inspection is required. The title is more of an ownership document. BUT if you transfer the title, you do have to declare the value, and sales tax is paid.

I think things could even be more negative. Perhaps if a tractor is titled it becomes a vehicle that would not be covered by home owner's insurance. I would not be surprised in todays world.

I am leaning towards no title. The dealer told me it is possible to title it, but that this is not often done.

As always, greatly appreciate the help.

Bill Macher

 

[tdenny]

macher,

I would have to agree with all of the folks who say don't do it. I see absolutely NO reason to let the government know that you have something of that kind of value at home. They'll only want to tax you on its value later on.

 

[cowboydoc]

I think things could even be more negative. Perhaps if a tractor is titled it becomes a vehicle that would not be covered by home owner's insurance.

With my farm policy it would not be covered. Anything that has a title has to have a separate policy. Even my dang four wheelers, Mule and Gator aren't covered. I have to write separate policies for them because they have a title.

 

[Soundguy]

Does that include trailers too? Or vehicles for farm use only - no tag-

In Florida, we use the trailers 'origin' certificate to get our tags. The tax collector more or less treats it like a title. Also, we can sign an affidavit to have a vehicle used for farm service.. no tag.. but still has a title, and can be use for on road service later, after you get a tag. I take it your insurance company is a bit of a tightwad then?

Soundguy

<font color=red>I think things could even be more negative. Perhaps if a tractor is titled it becomes a vehicle that would not be covered by home owner's insurance.

With my farm policy it would not be covered. Anything that has a title has to have a separate policy. Even my dang four wheelers, Mule and Gator aren't covered. I have to write separate policies for them because they have a title.