Depends on your particular state’s requirements. Some states require titles, others don’t.

Yeah – in Minnesota, motors aren’t titled; and they don’t care much about titles for older boats. I’ve licensed two boats (1957 and 1974) that I bought in Wisconsin without anything but a written bill of sale, and one was done on a napkin at a garage sale! Minnesota is picky about trailers because they are used on highways. I bought a trailer out of Wisconsin (Wisconsin doesn’t license boat trailers so there was no paperwork to be had!) , and the napkin receipt wasn’t enough, but then an older gal at the registrar’s desk overheard us and gave me a form to fill out saying it was homemade – I told her it wasn’t but any VIN or serial number was long gone. She said to fill out the form as if I’d made it and she issued me a title and license.

Now that some of these newer big motors can cost up to $20 grand, maybe some of those should be licensed/titled??!!
Dave