NY homebuilt registration question

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NY homebuilt registration question

Postby DaveInConesus » Sat May 19, 2018 8:45 am

I am going to use an old pop up as a donor vehicle. For a NY homebuilt registration the state wants receipts for the trailer materials. The donor pop up was last registered in 2012 and the owner has lost the paperwork. It was light enough to not be titles so it would have transferred on the registration if he still had one. The thing is scrap sitting behind his barn. Has anybody gone this route in NY? I am wondering if I should have the bill of sale be for scrap camper, a list of parts, or the actual serial numbered camper.

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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby HarryL » Sat May 19, 2018 11:43 am

I went thru a similar scenario a few years back, except I built the camper from scratch including welding up my own frame. It's registered and titled in New York state as a "home built". The process was very straight forward. I keep a copy of all my materials receipts for the build. When I was finished with the build I made a spreadsheet detailing materials, price, and sales tax payed. I also took pictures of the build as it was progressing and submitted them with the spreadsheet,receipts and appropriate DMV forms to Albany. After a while I received a response letter from the DMV indicating the the paperwork was in order and gave me a date and time for the inspection of the home built and where the inspection would be. The State inspection stations are regional, so you might have to travel a bit. Along with the paperwork they give you a temporary travel permit. The information packet that you had submitted to the DMV is forwarded to the inspection station, so they already know what your camper looks like!

The inspection was quick, easy and very friendly. They were more curious and interested than anything else. They'll apply a NYS VIN # sticker to your trailer and you'll be on your way. You than need to go to your local DMV and get it registered and plates. This is were the spreadsheet with sales taxes payed is important.

PS
When pulling the camper from home to inspection station and back, you won't have any plates on your camper. You'll get some strange looks. I got pulled over by a State Trooper on my way home from the inspection station.As soon as he stepped up to my truck window, I said " did you stop me for my trailer license plate"? He said yup. I indicated that I just had it inspected and was returning home. He asked me where the inspection station was. I also had all the paper work on the passenger seat in a folder. He had no further questions and sent me on my way. :)

I hope that helps.
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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby DaveInConesus » Sat May 19, 2018 3:02 pm

The concern comes on the receipts. If it says scrap trailer it might raise some eyebrows. I am thinking maybe a receipt for $100 worth of scrap trailer parts.

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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby mary and bob » Sat May 19, 2018 7:49 pm

It's been a long time since I registered a trailer in NY as Home Made. At that time I only had to have it weighed, and a valid weight receipt. When I registered our '46 teardrop, that had no paperwork other than a bill of sale, I had to declare that it had been in my possession for more than one year, and a weight slip, which I got at my local transfer station (dump). A little BS about the serial number convinced the clerk to register it as a 1946, and I knew the make was Modernistic. The seller could apply for a lost registration, but probably doesn't want to bother. For a pop-up camper I bought that had a lost Connecticut title, I had to get a form signed by the seller and notorized. The frame you are buying should have a VIN or serial number on it, which may aid in applying for a lost registration replacement. Sounds like otherwise it will have to go to one of the inspection stations that is specific for salvage inspections. I did that once for a car that had a salvage title. The inspection was around $200 for that.
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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby greygoos » Sun May 20, 2018 8:15 am

I have registered numerous home built trailers in NYS. If you keep the weight under a thousand pounds you dont need to have an inspection done by NYS DMV. You can go to any inspection station. Go to the DMV in person. I have always gone armed with all my receipts and only one person has even glanced at them. I have them stapled together and on a clipboard with my paperwork, license and credit card ready to go on top. Only give them what they ask for but have it ready. My assumption is that you are going to buy new tires, lights, wiring etc. Bring a copy of the bill of sale that is itemized from the seller, ie - 1 Steel Frame, 1 Trailer Axle, and any other parts that are usable. You will probably have to pay sales tax on the sellers items. You also need to bring a weigh slip. I go to the local municipal dump, there is no charge. At DMV in NYS you get a plate for a trailer, not an RV since you are not a certified RV manufacturer and a vin. Because it is under a thousand pounds you will not get a Title. The registration is transferable. You need to place the VIN on the tongue of the trailer. Go to Wallyworld or the mall and and use the dog tag machine to put the VIN numbers on. Fasten it to your tongue. Take your trailer to wherever you get your car inspected. They look to see your tire tread is good, you have safety chains and the lights work. They will give you an inspection sticker which is stapled to your registration and place a tag on your plate.
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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby DaveInConesus » Sun May 20, 2018 4:59 pm

greygoos - That is pretty much what I am thinking. Get a receipt for parts instead of for a trailer, strip it and put the deck on it. Then pull the wheels off my boat trailer (the current tires are shot), slap them on it and get it registered as a flat bed utility trailer. I will have the lights and everything else to rig it up as legal. Then I can start the build with no worries.

Looking at the proof of ownership rules makes it a real pain. I know that I have registered non-title motorcycles with an affidavit that they were owned for two years but I am not finding that loophole in the rules. I have a truck stop with certified scales about 10 miles from here so that part is easy.

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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby mary and bob » Sun May 20, 2018 5:52 pm

There are sellers on eBay that have blank VIN tags, and some will stamp the numbers for you. Number and letter stamp sets are not too expensive.
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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby DaveInConesus » Mon May 21, 2018 9:23 am

I got to talk to the DMV tech division this morning. The verdict was to put scrap trailer for parts on the receipt. Then do the homebuilt trailer thing of weigh, inspect, and register with a new VIN.

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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby LMarsh » Sun May 27, 2018 9:14 pm

Since your local I'll just through out my experience so far. I haven't registered my current build yet but I did weight it once so far in its unfinished state. I went to the Canandaigua DMV with a truck stop CAT certified weight slip but the DMV said that wasn't sufficient and that I should to go to a gravel yard and get weighed again. The truck stop did a tear weight with my teardrop and truck, and then just my truck. The difference obviously was the trailer weight and I actually had two slips. The lady at the DMV didn't like it. Maybe the gravel yard does it differently. I haven't gone there yet but I did call a yard in Victor and apparently they weigh homemade trailers all the time.
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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby greygoos » Mon May 28, 2018 5:30 am

Dave - I have some windows available if you are looking.
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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby DaveInConesus » Tue May 29, 2018 11:38 am

LMarsh wrote:Since your local I'll just through out my experience so far. I haven't registered my current build yet but I did weight it once so far in its unfinished state. I went to the Canandaigua DMV with a truck stop CAT certified weight slip but the DMV said that wasn't sufficient and that I should to go to a gravel yard and get weighed again.


I am planning on using the scales at the TA place in Dansville. Maybe they will let me unhook and get a weight. It is going to be a flatbed when it is weighed anyway. I am almost at the point of ordering some wheels and tires for it. I am taking the sander to the frame today.

Would it be possible to come up and take a look at your build? I am looking for as many ideas as possible.

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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby DaveInConesus » Tue May 29, 2018 11:39 am

greygoos wrote:Dave - I have some windows available if you are looking.


Where are they and what are they? I am planning a trip to a wrecking yard in Holland NY later this week to see what I can find.

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Re: NY homebuilt registration question

Postby greygoos » Tue May 29, 2018 2:31 pm

I am in Camillus, 10 minutes from Syracuse. I have a few different sizes. Will get exact measurements later if you are interested. The big one with the screens I sent to GPW in New Orleans for his foamie, that was 6 foot by 2 foot. The others are roughly 3 foot by 2 foot and 2 inches deep. I paid 15 bucks a piece and will give them to you for the same. I hope I am not doing something I shouldnt but here is my email. [email protected]. If you want to shoot me an email I will send a pic. I cant figure out how to resize them here
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