Anyone have experience registering a trailer?

I recently bought a Harbor Freight trailer from someone local. He built it about 2 years ago but never used it so he sold it to me. He no longer has the receipt but we drafted up a bill of sale. The trailer has the VIN# placard on it. Do I just make an appointment with DMV to get it inspected with the bill of sale or do I need to bring in anything else? Thanks in advance.

 

It's been a while but I dont recall having to bring the trailer to DMV. Just fill out the form and pay the man.

 

Depends on your state but most you have to take to Sherrif to verify the vin #. Here it was a $5 fee. Then take to dmv or county clerk

 

Got it. I'm reading and hearing different things. Someone mentioned that I had to bring the trailer there for them to do a safety check or something.

 

Are you saying your trailer has a blue and silver VIN sticker from the DMV? If that's the case, it should be easy but you will want to take the trailer with you in the off chance the DMV wants to verify the VIN.

 

@BartMaster1234 has one of these I believe in addition to a nice utility he picked up. He might have additional info to add.

 

Depends on your state. California doesn’t require some trailers to be registered.

I’d call your local Dmv office and ask.

 

He's in CA.

 

Even better. I’m not too familiar with registering a trailer with no paperwork, I’ve always had titles with my trailers. But I know the process is simple for home made or factory new trailers.

 

I registered mine as special construction. Special Construction is home built. I chose a fairly slow office thinking I’d be in and out. It took half the fucking day. Between the wait to get in line to the paperwork review. Then I had to wait for the VIN verification (to see there was no VIN and to confirm dimensions).

Somewhere along the line, I was sent back to one line because they couldn’t read the form.

All in, it was a pain in the ass. More than it needed to be but I got the plate then and there.

 

Why not call the DMV? A bunch of people could tell you stories about what they did, but rules and laws change all the time.

 

Agree.


Also, not sure about California, but Texas has a pretty easy website to find all that information, and what's needed for a homebuilt vs a VIN'd trailer.

 

Respectfully, even the dmv doesn’t always get it right.

 

The process is on the internet and everything!

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handb...entification-pti-certification-reg-4017-form/

 

I'm actually going through this right now.

My wife and I bought a travel trailer at Camping World in Reno, NV a couple weeks ago. Since it was purchased out of state, I have to have the VIN "verified". I called my local PD, they referred me to the California Highway Patrol. I called CHOP, they told me they do not do VIN verification at the request of a consumer. You must go direct to the DMV. If the DMV has any concern or question about the validity of the trailer or VIN, they can then refer it to the CHP for them to do much more in depth investigation/verification, but that is the only way it might end up in the hands of the CHP.

There are a couple forms you likely will need to fill out, or at least bring with you to the DMV. DMV web site instructions say DO NOT FILL OUT the REG31 - DMV will do that. REG31 (Verification of Vehicle) and REG343 (application for Title or Registration).

Look around here https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/

 

I think it is possible to use this new fangled thing called the Internet to find information in the public records.

 

Spot on. But sadly especially here there will be 300 more posts of advice and this post will be ignored.

 

Yes. All trailers to get a PTI plate you bring to dmv. I’ve been through the process. Make a reg appointment and bring the trailer. They basically need to match the vin on the trailer to the vin on the paperwork.

If they can’t do that I’m not sure what happens.

 

I should have updated this thread. There was some confusion at the DMV because the lady at the door kept saying that I had to fill out the self construction form when I told her that it was not needed. At any rate, when I got to the counter, the lady said that she isn't correct. They did the VIN verification and I had to pay use tax on the trailer and some fees and got my plates the same day. They didn't even check that the lights worked or not. Took about 3 hours in total. The VIN verification took 2 hours...because DMV. Just glad to have my tags.