Manufacturer's Statement of Origin

[Dougster]

Doug, The easiest way to title something without an MSO or title is to have someone from a non title state give you a bill of sale. In Missouri, we can title something with a Non-Title State Bill of Sale. It will have to be notarized, and hopefully you have a relative that lives in another state. Check it out, it should work.

Interesting thought. The problem is that there is a pretty clear paper trail out there from the MA dealer to the MA original purchaser to Moi! It would be a pretty transparent ploy. And, hopefully, unnecessary.

I'm going up to one of the larger RMV offices today or tomorrow to again plead my case re: registering the 4110 for public road use. This time I am armed with the new information that Mahindra does not issue MSOs in case that point comes up. Keep in mind...so far it hasn't.

Although... thinking about it from a humorless, uncaring career RMV employee's point of view... it's not going to impress anyone there that this manufacturer... Mahindra... doesn't feel its products deserve the most basic document most states require for titling & registration.

Dougster

 

[LarryRB]

before you go, take a picture aof the 4110 sitting next to a car,,, at least they can now see the size and not keep thinking you're trying register a lawn tractor

 

[Dougster]

before you go, take a picture of the 4110 sitting next to a car, at least they can now see the size and not keep thinking you're trying register a lawn tractor

Hi Larry - It's not so much that they think I'm trying to register a Craftsman lawn tractor... and I've shown them plenty of pictures. It just makes them point out the lack of a windshield, rear view mirrors, front turn signals, 20 MPH max speedometer, etc. and ask how I could possibly drive safely on public roads or pass state inspection? Trust me... when a vehicle is not listed in their computer, in their view it doesn't exist... at least not for road use.

First and foremost, this derives from a problem with quirky Massachusetts law... which, in a nutshell, doesn't speak to registration for road use of tractors by other than farmers, loggers, municipalities and certain qualifying owner-contractors. I do not qualify. I've discussed this endlessly elsewhere in this forum and shouldn't start again for fear that I'll get banned!

BTW, the one person I've spoken with who was once successful in this regard actually managed to register a tractor smaller than mine.

Dougster

 

[Tim_in_IA]

Dougster,

I know you said not to ask why you need this. But without knowing this I really wonder why going to all this work is required for you? Do the road workers have to register cement machines or blacktop rollers? What kind of work are you doing on or near the roadway? Are you ditch mowing? Or are you just driving from job to job. How would a cop know you weren't farming? I think why is kinda relevant. It sounds like you haven't had responses from mahindra so they may be wondering the same thing. Why do you need this?

 

[Dougster]

Dougster, I know you said not to ask why you need this. But without knowing this I really wonder why going to all this work is required for you? Do the road workers have to register cement machines or blacktop rollers? What kind of work are you doing on or near the roadway? Are you ditch mowing? Or are you just driving from job to job. How would a cop know you weren't farming? I think why is kinda relevant. It sounds like you haven't had responses from mahindra so they may be wondering the same thing. Why do you need this?

Hi Tim - I'll try to make this brief. Yeah, no responses at all from MahindraUSA. Have to admit that sometimes I feel like they don't even exist (or care that I exist). Great tractor, non-existant company! Thank God for the dealers and this forum!

Most yellow construction machines aren't registered up here. Virtually no compact tractors are registered. Farm plates are very strictly regulated and I do not qualify. You must have a minimum amount of land and be actively farming it on a commercial basis. I live in a suburban residential neighborhood. No way I qualify... although it didn't stop me from trying!!!

My desire to register for road use has to do with the fact that my extended neighborhood (72 homes) is having its roads, sidewalks, shade trees, etc. completely torn out and reconstructed over the next year. There will be a *ton* of related private party work for me here, but no easy way for me to trailer to these properties with all the reconstruction work going on and local cops doing their traffic control thing. The solution seemed simple enough: register my tractor for public road use; however, state law does not address private (non-farmer) ownership of tractors and their occasional need to cross or travel a public road. Hence my frustration and quest for a legal, workable solution.

Dougster

 

[Tim_in_IA]

Dougster,

The first thing that popped in my mind was since this was a temporary and local issue, could you visit with the local police and maybe get a temporary waiver and keep it on the tractor in case you actually got pulled over? Or something similar from the troopers, dot, etc?

I didn't know you needed farm plates. That is crazy. Nothing like that in Iowa. Just hazard lights and the slow moving triangle . Good luck on a resolution!

 

[Dougster]

Dougster, The first thing that popped in my mind was since this was a temporary and local issue, could you visit with the local police and maybe get a temporary waiver and keep it on the tractor in case you actually got pulled over? Or something similar from the troopers, dot, etc? I didn't know you needed farm plates. That is crazy. Nothing like that in Iowa. Just hazard lights and the slow moving triangle . Good luck on a resolution!

Oh you have no idea about over-regulation!!!! You folks out west have still got it made in the shade! But I want to be clear: The few farmers left in Massachusetts are not forced to obtain or use farm plates. They could have a tractor (or similar) on their own land indefinitely with no plates. Farm plates (and the insurance to obtain same) grants them significant additional privledges at relatively low cost, including switching them to different vehicles including cars and trucks! Qualifying farmers can still cross roads and travel short distances on public road without them. The fact is that farm plates are quite a good deal if you can get them! Just like dealer or repair plates... you could have ten different vehicles for street use and only pay for one plate! Hence the strict standards and regulations on issuance of such plates.

Yes, we have discussed here on TBN that I should probably just cut a deal with the local cops. In the end, it may be all I can do.

Dougster

 

[Keith_B]

Oh you have no idea about over-regulation!!!! You folks out west have still got it made in the shade! But I want to be clear: The few farmers left in Massachusetts are not forced to obtain or use farm plates. They could have a tractor (or similar) on their own land indefinitely with no plates. Farm plates (and the insurance to obtain same) grants them significant additional privledges at relatively low cost, including switching them to different vehicles including cars and trucks! Qualifying farmers can still cross roads and travel short distances on public road without them. The fact is that farm plates are quite a good deal if you can get them! Just like dealer or repair plates... you could have ten different vehicles for street use and only pay for one plate! Hence the strict standards and regulations on issuance of such plates.

Yes, we have discussed here on TBN that I should probably just cut a deal with the local cops. In the end, it may be all I can do.

Dougster

Dougster, have you checked to see if you even need a plate to operate on those roadways? I cannot find anything on the Mass DMV site ( Massachusetts RMV - MA RMV Registry of Motor Vehicles Guide - DMV.ORG ) that addresses registering anything other than things like a passenger car, commercial vehicle, trailer, motorcycle, or boat.

Here is something I found that may be applicable to your situation, it is a Mass law: M.G.L. - Chapter 90, Section 9

A tractor, trailer or truck may be operated without such registration upon any way for a distance not exceeding one-half mile, if said tractor, trailer or truck is used exclusively for agricultural purposes, or between one-half mile and two miles if said tractor, trailer or truck is used exclusively for agricultural purposes and the owner thereof maintains in full force a policy of liability insurance which conforms to the provisions of section one hundred and thirteen A of chapter one hundred and seventy-five or for a distance not exceeding three hundred yards, if such tractor, trailer or truck is used for industrial purposes other than agricultural purposes, for the purpose of going from property owned or occupied by the owner of such tractor, trailer or truck to other property so owned or occupied.

Looks to me like you could have a 300 yard limit.

 

[Dougster]

Dougster, have you checked to see if you even need a plate to operate on those roadways? I cannot find anything on the Mass DMV site ( Massachusetts RMV - MA RMV Registry of Motor Vehicles Guide - DMV.ORG ) that addresses registering anything other than things like a passenger car, commercial vehicle, trailer, motorcycle, or boat. Here is something I found that may be applicable to your situation, it is a Mass law: M.G.L. - Chapter 90, Section 9 A tractor, trailer or truck may be operated without such registration upon any way for a distance not exceeding one-half mile, if said tractor, trailer or truck is used exclusively for agricultural purposes, or between one-half mile and two miles if said tractor, trailer or truck is used exclusively for agricultural purposes and the owner thereof maintains in full force a policy of liability insurance which conforms to the provisions of section one hundred and thirteen A of chapter one hundred and seventy-five or for a distance not exceeding three hundred yards, if such tractor, trailer or truck is used for industrial purposes other than agricultural purposes, for the purpose of going from property owned or occupied by the owner of such tractor, trailer or truck to other property so owned or occupied. Looks to me like you could have a 300 yard limit.

Yeah, been through this all before. I have practically memorized these provisions of Massachusetts law. In fact, I have occasional nightmares about them! I think I had figured once that 300 yards would at least get me to 12 of the 72 properties.

It was no great surprise that I did not qualify under the "exclusively for agricultural purposes" provisions of the law... which is essentially defined as commercial farming. Landscaping-type work is specifically excluded from the state's definition of agricultural purposes. But then the question was... Could my assorted and various services loosely be considered an "industrial use"? And while not owned by me... Could I be considered to be occupying those neighbor properties... at least temporarily?

But according to the various state agencies and cops I've spoken with, that aspect of the law is intended to apply to trucks, trailers, forklifts and similar vehicles used in a commercial or industrial setting... essentially to cross a road from one company yard or building to the next in a commercial or industrial-zoned area.

Close, but no cigar.

Dougster

 

[Keith_B]

Dougster, one problem I see is that Mass makes no provisions for registering or tagging a tractor. What can they cite you for if you are out on the road and get pulled over? It can't be for lack of registration/tag if they do not allow it to be tagged or registered. The law I read mentioned a vehicle had to be capable of travelling more than 12mph to be registered, your 4110 should be able to top that. If it is then only the matter of a windshield, then make one and stick on it that can be taken on and off for road trips.