Easy, Painless and Cheap way to Register your Trailer

[kinto]

i'm still in the building stage, but getting tags for mine was super easy here in missouri. i bought a 5x8 utility trailer from northern tool and just had to show the certificate of origin and bill of sale to the dmv (along with a little cash) to get a title and license plate. it was a bit more this year due to sales tax and title cost, but here on out should be about $20 every 2 years to renew the plate.

just to be sure i even called the state troopers to inquire about a possible need for inspection etc and the cop said, "it's a 5x8 trailer?"

"yes"

"you can put whatever the hell you want on that"

"ok!"

[glenpinpat]

in ontario if it is a single axle registration is 35.00. this is good for as long as you own the trailer and you never have to reregister it. If it registered as a home built then you pay no sales taxes. Things change greatly when you have a 2nd axle. All trailers must have lights at night and all must have brake ans signal lights.

[Tumbleweed_Tex]

Here in Texas…

Walk into the local “license plateâ€

[wired]

I am looking at purchasing a TD from a builder in another state. Anyone have experience trying to register something like that in CA?

[len19070]

Just a little reiteration here.

Many States are very easy to to register in. My, and I'm sure many others are not.

Many of my Pennsylvania friends can tell some absolute Horror Stories....and some can tell you it was no problem?????

Maine Registration is a viable option for problem registrations.

The first time I did it, and I have done it often the original owner was Dead! As was his son who he had left the trailer to. I was dealing with a Grand daughter.

After explaining this to PA. I was told I had to still get there signatures and they had to appear before a notary.....eeeeeewwwww.

The clerk obviously didn't know what she was talking about but these are the people you encounter.

Now there was a very long and expensive process involving Lawyers/Judges and a lot of Notary's and Days and days and days of absolutely LOST time, Miles and miles of driving....totaling Thousands of dollars.

But!

A Maine registration...$21 and 6 days can "legally" eliminated this.

It all depends on how you ask the question and who you ask it of, what the answers going to be.

Happy Trails

Len

[Bodyman]

In Oklahoma my daughter’s teardrop license was ninety-sum dollars a year because it had previously been titled as a travel trailer in Iowa. For that reason and because she uses it only a couple times a year she hadn’t licensed it for four years.
This spring I had her sign the title back to me and registered as mine back in Iowa. They didn’t care that the OK plates were not paid up and here tags are only $12. In Iowa a utility trailer is $20.
Randy

[len19070]

Just another Horror Story from somebody from Pennsylvania....Not Mine.

Well...today was a sad day for my pocketbook!
Title transfers for an out of state vehicle are made nearly impossible for Pennsylvania residents!!!
I jumped through all the hoops that Pennsylvania told me I had to;
1) go to notary (in my case, AAA) to get Title Transfer Application.
2) go to gravel yard (yep! That's where I had to take my little girl! No one else in this county can do it!!!) to get the TD weighed, and the TD/car weighed.
3) take proof of weight to a third place (the mechanic) to get the TD inspected (even though she just was, in NY)
4) THEN...drive all the way back to the first place to submit the APPLICATION...that, theoretically, can be denied by the state.
Congatulations! I just spent $600 (MORE) to find out I have a 1600# trailer! Funny...it weighs 1450.

[Gracie'sMommy]

It just keeps getting better!!!
I got notice today that I have been "denied" again-- this time, because the gravel yard they made me go to weighed the trailer at 150# more than they NY registration says it weighs.
YAY! More money wasted!!!!
Can I just stop the process in PA, or am I forced to continue with it, since the state now has ALL of the original paperwork for the trailer???
Ridiculous!
I wish I'd known about Maine before I stated with PA!

[samsberr]

I don't know if it is a good thing or not, but all we have to do in Oregon to pull a trailer that is less than 1600 lbs, is to hook it up and go. No license, don't even need insurance, but for 12 dollars a year, I couldn't pass the insurance up, and has full coverage.

Hey Traveler...
We were just in your neck of the woods last weekend...
Beautiful park and river...Kinda got turned around on some of those
back roads while riding our bikes...

quick question...where you getting your insu. for 12 bones a year...

Thanks
Steve
Pendleton

[kzhorse]

Did any of you go ahead and get a title for a new trailer when you got your tags?

[Shadow Catcher]

Because ours is a travel trailer in Ohio, and we have to have a Certificate of Origin to get a title, guess what I have yet to receive. The things are sold by among others the American Bank Note Company in packages of 25 at a fairly hefty price. Ryan at Lefty Original's gave me one to send to Eric so I can finally get the trailer title other wise I would have had to pay a lawyer to get and get a court order for the BMV.

[Chef_Stan]

I have been wondering about this. I live in CT and I am happy to register my HF trailer as a utility trailer then pay the appropriate registration fees and taxes associated with a 1500GVW utility trailer. But what happens when I add a camper on top of it? How do I insure that? I am going to build it so if something happens that is my fault I would fix it. However if someone hits me or a tree falls on it then what?

My dad has a older trailer that he bought form Home Depot, I am sue I could use his plates if it is too much of a hastle. I am thinking more from the insurance/liability standpoint.

Stan

[working on it]

I just joined this forum yesterday, starting to build a modified weekender/minihopper on a carcass of an utility trailer that I never used, but was registered and licensed, and allowed to sit and be scrapped for parts for 15 years.. Final teardown/rebuild has barely begun, but have already invested over $250 in new parts. The only old parts remaining from the previous (utility trailer) incarnation are the axle tube, springs, and rebuilt coupler. Tongue, frame, hubs, tires & wheels, and entire upper structures will be completely different. My question is: if I can't find my old registration (been looking for a week), and the trailer plates and all traces of the way it was are long gone, DO I apply for registration as all new construction, or can the state find my old one? The original manufacturer's sticker is completely unreadable now. I would like to hear from all, Texans especially, to see what to do. I can always resort to having a MCO made by a trailer dealer I know through contacts. Opinions?

[Rick G]

Az. was happy to register my tear. but wanted a bond posted for $150. (cost $21.00 ) due to the fact that I had no title for the boat trailer I built it on. reg was around 20.00, I believe.

[absolutsnwbrdr]

Looking through my MAINE paperwork right now.

Its a bit confusing as to what I'm supposed to fill out where. Guess all motor vehicle paperwork (no matter the state) is the same. Has anyone else done a new registration and new title on a new Harbor Freight Trailer?

Forms I have:
yellow "Use Tax Certificate"
"State of Maine Vehicle Registration" (form MVR-1)
"Application for Certificate of Title" (form MVT-1)

I'm guessing I need to fill out whatever I can, and send these forms to Maine, along with the trailer "Certificate of Origin", a copy of the sales receipt, and a check for $33 (title) + $21 (2 year registration).

Sound about right?