Registering in Texas

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Registering in Texas

Postby kramergwt » Wed Jul 05, 2017 4:34 pm

Hi,
After the project was delayed a number of years getting a house in CT ready to sell, then moving to Austin, TX, and finally settling in here I had a quick question for other Texas teardrop builder/owners. I used the trailer with just the floor attached as part of the move. To stay legal I registered it in CT as a utility trailer. I just registered it today in Austin and noticed the plate says "Trailer" on it. Will I be OK using that registration once it becomes a teardrop over the next few months? Technically the teardrop part could be considered a bolt-on payload. Just don't want the fuzz on my back.

Thanks,
Glenn
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Re: Registering in Texas

Postby working on it » Wed Jul 05, 2017 8:17 pm

kramergwt wrote:Hi,
After the project was delayed a number of years getting a house in CT ready to sell, then moving to Austin, TX, and finally settling in here I had a quick question for other Texas teardrop builder/owners. I used the trailer with just the floor attached as part of the move. To stay legal I registered it in CT as a utility trailer. I just registered it today in Austin and noticed the plate says "Trailer" on it. Will I be OK using that registration once it becomes a teardrop over the next few months? Technically the teardrop part could be considered a bolt-on payload. Just don't want the fuzz on my back.

Thanks,
Glenn
Sorta similar to your registration query, I also have "TRAILER" tags on my squareback TTT. I also carry "cargo" inside, partly to qualify my trailer as a non-RV. In my understanding, a RV in Texas, has to have self-contained plumbing, which mine doesn't, and is generally certified with a sticker from the manufacturer association. I've never had a second look from any cop, probably because it really doesn't fall into normal catagories, being small, and under 4000 lbs (the weight requiring inspections).
RV stickers.png
RV stickers.png (203.54 KiB) Viewed 774 times
manufacturer's stickers for RV sFrom another, earlier thread...
working on it wrote:
I'm in Texas, also, and I had no problems re-licensing my original "scrap trailer", 50" x 60", that I had bought for $50 at a swap meet (to haul home the $50 mini-bike I also bought from the same guy). It was a derelict, but I fixed it up a little, in case I would ever need it. I had a bill of sale only, and a partial VIN tag (pasted on), and had no trouble talking the clerk into transferring it. That was 25 years ago. The trailer sat in my far back yard, covered in weeds and on swampy ground, since then, until the day I dragged it out to start my TTT build, using it as my starting point. I loaded it on the back of my car-hauler trailer, and took it to my friend's shop, where we turned the derelict (now even more so, after rotting away for 25 years) into a larger frame. When I went to the tax office this time to register it again, I had no VIN or old tag to use (when scrapping the old tongue, the VIN pasted on it was burnt off by the torch, and it's license plate was thrown into a scrap heap a month or so before); and my wife had long ago thrown away the bill of sale and registration, thinking it was now just junk metal. I went to the tax office anyway, and took with me two pictures- before and after- to show it was the same trailer frame (protruding cross-beams were identical), registered at the same address to the same person, from 25 years prior.
The attachment starting point, as registered.png is no longer available
The clerk hesitated, even after she looked up my records in the state database, so I called over the older clerk (probably the supervisor), and explained my case. No problem! Gotta love the long-time employees (old, like me), they can make a decision on the spot. If that hadn't worked, we knew a trailer builder from racing circles, that could've fabbed a VIN and papers, if we'd asked, or I would've registered it in MAINE. I was Lucky to be a TEXAN. P.S. it's registered as a utility trailer; if I ever get questioned if it is "utility or travel", I'll open the doors to the cabin and point out all the cargo tie-downs in it.I probably will have something always strapped in anyway.
102804 e-track on the inside front wall of the cabin (transporting ice chests & water jugs)
105583 d-rings in the galley (bungee cords holding everything in place)
107315 d-rings under the mattress (when using the e-track, I fold back the mattress and strap it out of the way)
2013 HHRv "squareback/squaredrop", rugged, 4x8 TTT, 2225 lbs
  • *3500 lb Dexter EZ-Lube braked axle, 3000 lb.springs, active-progressive bumpstop suspension
  • *27 x 8.5-14LT AT tires (x 3) *Weight Distribution system for single-beam tongue
  • *100% LED's & GFCI outlets, 3x fans, AM/FM/CD/Aux. *A/C & heat, Optima AGM, inverter & charger(s)
  • *extended-run, on-board, 2500w generator *Coleman dual-fuel stove & lantern, Ikea grill, vintage skillet
  • *zinc/stainless front & side racks *98"L x 6" diameter rod & reel carrier tube on roof
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Re: Registering in Texas

Postby M C Toyer » Wed Jul 05, 2017 10:59 pm

kramergwt wrote:Hi,
After the project was delayed a number of years getting a house in CT ready to sell, then moving to Austin, TX, and finally settling in here I had a quick question for other Texas teardrop builder/owners. I used the trailer with just the floor attached as part of the move. To stay legal I registered it in CT as a utility trailer. I just registered it today in Austin and noticed the plate says "Trailer" on it. Will I be OK using that registration once it becomes a teardrop over the next few months? Technically the teardrop part could be considered a bolt-on payload. Just don't want the fuzz on my back.

Thanks,
Glenn



For what it's worth I usually have several trailers at any given time ranging from 4 x 8 single axle to 8 x 32 tandem axle. Some were previously licensed as travel trailers (one of those was a pop-up) but have been stripped to the frame and another was a 20 foot boat trailer likewise stripped.

I have built a variety of teardrops / campers (including the one in my avatar) on these frames while others serve as work and/or equipment trailers.

ALL were licensed as shop built trailers less than 4000# GVW. which avoids the necessity of annual inspection. This category does not require a title but you could transfer an existing title or register using the manufacturer's certificate of origin.

I have never been challenged on any of these in any circumstance including random roadside Highway Patrol inspections or permanent truck / trailer inspection stations in the several adjoining states.
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Re: Registering in Texas

Postby Redneck Packrat » Thu Jul 06, 2017 7:25 am

Yes. It IS a trailer, and it does belong to you (I presume) and you can back that up. No problem. It started its life as a trailer, and you modified it for a particular use. No biggie. Mine says "TRAILER" and I haven't got any plans to go open up a can of worms.
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Working on this, started 5/2017: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=68614

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Re: Registering in Texas

Postby aggie79 » Thu Jul 06, 2017 8:01 am

My teardrop has a "trailer" registration.
Tom (& Linda)
For build info on our former Silver Beatle teardrop:
Build Thread

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Re: Registering in Texas

Postby kramergwt » Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:07 am

Thanks everybody! Good to know. I was just curious if the "Trailer" plate was a dead giveaway for a wrongly registered teardrop. Looks like it's gonna fly.
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Re: Registering in Texas

Postby capnTelescope » Fri Jul 07, 2017 9:52 am

I regestered mine as a travel trailer, and got a certificate of title. Cops won't be able to read the fine print on the plate while you're moving, so stay with in the law and don't get stopped. I don't think you have a problem anyhow.
I'll burn that bridge when I come to it.

Brad
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Building the Bed & Breakfast
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