H e l p ! ! !

[keakar]

I am telling you how I "think" the process works but you will have to call each dept to confirm it.

you can file a "claim" for ownership and they will attempt to contact the registered owner and if they or their family doesn't want to claim it then they (DWLF & DMV) will issue new papers for it in your name. I think they take it from you (because you have no proof of ownership they treat it like it may be stolen property) and hold it in their possession until ownership can be established.

I know thee is a process for it and the processes may be different for the DMV for the trailer vs the LDWF for the boat.

call them both and explain whats going on and ask how to file a claim of ownership on it.

what you are doing is filing a claim for the abandoned property you now have in your possession and must wait something like 90 days "after" the registered owners have been sent a notice that you are trying to claim ownership.

at any time in this process if the registered owner or their family (if the owner is deceased) can claim it and you must give it to them.

as you can see from what little I know about all this its a process that could easily have you spending several months trying to sort out but IF you have the time there is a process to get paperwork on it.

if its in good condition, often the family of a deceased owner often will want it back so they can sell it for what its worth so you are going to be spending months and it all depends on the other party not wanting it back (for free)