Registration nightmare--Texas

[dsotto]

We've been told a billion different things and finally brought everything to register and they said they need the title signed over. But we bought the kit from NT. And I called NT and they said they don't sign the titles. And they said we HAVE to register it as a travel trailer and anyone that has normal trailer plates will get a ticket if pulled over. So basically they are telling me I can't register the TD because we don't have proof of ownership . Any advice?

[Homebrewer25]

I just registered an NT 5x8 in Tennessee, so this may not apply.

Did you take in the Manufacturers Certificate of Origin?

I bought the trailer kit in March, and waited over a month and still had not received the MCO. I contacted NT and told them I never received it, and they sent me a new one (or the one they were supposed to send) along with a copy of the invoice. I took both to the DMV.

The DMV had a hard time finding the manufacturer to specify. Finally they determined the code for the manufacturer was CHNA. That's a bit funny because once they selected CHNA it specified the year of manufacture as 1989. I could have gotten registration for about $20 a year, but I opted for the permanent plates for $119. I registered this as a utility trailer (TN doesn't require plates on utility trailers, but I said I needed it because I may take it out of state). The plates say Semi on them, but they told me it didn't matter.

Hope this helps.

[Aguyfromohio]

I can only tell you about how it went for us in the state of Ohio. Way easy. BMV here in Ohio only required a weight from certified scales. Since we were in the lightest weight class at 1,450 lbs they issued a title and tags as a home built trailer made from scratch. Presented the certified weight at the desk; filled out the paperwork; paid the money, and walked out with a license plate.

[dsotto]

I just registered an NT 5x8 in Tennessee, so this may not apply.

Did you take in the Manufacturers Certificate of Origin?

I bought the trailer kit in March, and waited over a month and still had not received the MCO. I contacted NT and told them I never received it, and they sent me a new one (or the one they were supposed to send) along with a copy of the invoice. I took both to the DMV.

The DMV had a hard time finding the manufacturer to specify. Finally they determined the code for the manufacturer was CHNA. That's a bit funny because once they selected CHNA it specified the year of manufacture as 1989. I could have gotten registration for about $20 a year, but I opted for the permanent plates for $119. I registered this as a utility trailer (TN doesn't require plates on utility trailers, but I said I needed it because I may take it out of state). The plates say Semi on them, but they told me it didn't matter.

Hope this helps.

Have the cert of origin..everything. they need the title signed over and the price of the trailer so I can pay to have it titled (but I can't find the receipt) and the weight ticket and tons of fees.
They're saying I can't register it without all that. And if I manage to get registered as just a trailer it will be impounded if we get pulled over.

[Homebrewer25]

I just registered an NT 5x8 in Tennessee, so this may not apply.

Did you take in the Manufacturers Certificate of Origin?

I bought the trailer kit in March, and waited over a month and still had not received the MCO. I contacted NT and told them I never received it, and they sent me a new one (or the one they were supposed to send) along with a copy of the invoice. I took both to the DMV.

The DMV had a hard time finding the manufacturer to specify. Finally they determined the code for the manufacturer was CHNA. That's a bit funny because once they selected CHNA it specified the year of manufacture as 1989. I could have gotten registration for about $20 a year, but I opted for the permanent plates for $119. I registered this as a utility trailer (TN doesn't require plates on utility trailers, but I said I needed it because I may take it out of state). The plates say Semi on them, but they told me it didn't matter.

Hope this helps.

Have the cert of origin..everything. they need the title signed over and the price of the trailer so I can pay to have it titled (but I can't find the receipt) and the weight ticket and tons of fees.
They're saying I can't register it without all that. And if I manage to get registered as just a trailer it will be impounded if we get pulled over.

Wow!!

I'm glad that TN is so lenient. Good luck.

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[Sparksalot]

Maybe the easy way is start by registering it as a utility trailer using the MCO only. Not title is issued for a 1500# utility trailer.

Afterward, built the tear and covert it to a titled travel trailer. You by then should have ownership chain established with the DMV.

[dsotto]

So we ended up going to a different place and they just registered it as trailer. I mentioned that we can move the bed in and out and carry other stuff in it as well and then they wanted to do travel trailer (same price and everything so totally fine). Then went to have her order the Texas state park plate and said it didnt come in travel trailer, only trailer. I was bummed but oh well. And we check out and as we paid says "you're going to get your plate" and registered it as trailer without saying that instead. So now question is, do other people have it registered as trailer? Or does it NEED to be travel trailer? The first crochety lady said that it will get impounded if we get pulled over and it's not 'travel trailer' specific.

[working on it]

We've been told a billion different things and finally brought everything to register and they said they need the title signed over. But we bought the kit from NT. And I called NT and they said they don't sign the titles. And they said we HAVE to register it as a travel trailer and anyone that has normal trailer plates will get a ticket if pulled over. So basically they are telling me I can't register the TD because we don't have proof of ownership . Any advice?

• Maybe things have changed over the last few years, but my trailer was easy to register.
• I bought it at an automotive swap-meet for $50. It was in pitiful condition, and the tongue was bent, and the previous owner didn't know what it was made for originally (at 50" x 60" perhaps a motorcycle trailer?), but I had him sign a bill of sale (no title). It did have the remnants of a manufacturers' sticker on the tongue, though, but it was basically un-readable.
• I partially rebuilt it, for a nephews use towing his ATV, but he bought one before I could give it away to him, so it sat in a swampy area in my rear yard, and deteriorated more, for 20 years. But, I had already registered it, by taking a picture of it and the MFG's sticker, also presenting the scribbled bill of sale, and got a license for it as a "cargo/utility" trailer. When I resurrected it, and enlarged it to a 4x8, I scrapped the old tongue (and the original MFG sticker went with it, recycled by a friend when I wasn't there). So, when I re-registered it after 20+ years, I took a photo of it enlarged, and with shiny new fenders and flooring, took the old license plate with me. I did hit a momentary snag when the first clerk said it wasn't enough info, but I asked the head clerk to look at it, and she found the old paperwork, and voila, it was done.

• 

  original (after 1st rebuild) trailer carcass.jpg (147.71 KiB) Viewed 1347 times

• 

  cargo trailer re-built.jpg (124.17 KiB) Viewed 1347 times

• Technically, it is still a "cargo/utility" trailer, since a "travel" trailer must have plumbing inside, and mine doesn't...the accoutrements can be considered cargo, and I intentionally installed cargo-handling D-rings, E-track and straps, and bungees everywhere, just so a nosy inspector/cop could be shown that it can still haul "cargo".

• 

  still can carry cargo inside.jpg (275.65 KiB) Viewed 1347 times

• Many Texans build their teardrops/squarebacks on top of trailers licensed as "cargo/utility", and never get hassled. I don't think most have added interior toilets (that seems to be the sticking point that identifies it as a "travel" trailer), but many have. One builder simply cheated, and used the old registration off of a scrapped trailer on his home-built...it doesn't seem to matter as long as the state gets the revenue, and the registree isn't stealing/transforming trailers. Try going to a different tax office (with more reasonable people), take a photo of it bare-boned (before you added the cabin) with you, and the purchase receipt (and any identifying paperwork/owners manual that came with it, and you could get it done.

[dsotto]

We've been told a billion different things and finally brought everything to register and they said they need the title signed over. But we bought the kit from NT. And I called NT and they said they don't sign the titles. And they said we HAVE to register it as a travel trailer and anyone that has normal trailer plates will get a ticket if pulled over. So basically they are telling me I can't register the TD because we don't have proof of ownership . Any advice?

• Maybe things have changed over the last few years, but my trailer was easy to register.
• I bought it at an automotive swap-meet for $50. It was in pitiful condition, and the tongue was bent, and the previous owner didn't know what it was made for originally (at 50" x 60" perhaps a motorcycle trailer?), but I had him sign a bill of sale (no title). It did have the remnants of a manufacturers' sticker on the tongue, though, but it was basically un-readable.
• I partially rebuilt it, for a nephews use towing his ATV, but he bought one before I could give it away to him, so it sat in a swampy area in my rear yard, and deteriorated more, for 20 years. But, I had already registered it, by taking a picture of it and the MFG's sticker, also presenting the scribbled bill of sale, and got a license for it as a "cargo/utility" trailer. When I resurrected it, and enlarged it to a 4x8, I scrapped the old tongue (and the original MFG sticker went with it, recycled by a friend when I wasn't there). So, when I re-registered it after 20+ years, I took a photo of it enlarged, and with shiny new fenders and flooring, took the old license plate with me. I did hit a momentary snag when the first clerk said it wasn't enough info, but I asked the head clerk to look at it, and she found the old paperwork, and voila, it was done.
• original (after 1st rebuild) trailer carcass.jpg
• cargo trailer re-built.jpg
• Technically, it is still a "cargo/utility" trailer, since a "travel" trailer must have plumbing inside, and mine doesn't...the accoutrements can be considered cargo, and I intentionally installed cargo-handling D-rings, E-track and straps, and bungees everywhere, just so a nosy inspector/cop could be shown that it can still haul "cargo".
• still can carry cargo inside.jpg
• Many Texans build their teardrops/squarebacks on top of trailers licensed as "cargo/utility", and never get hassled. I don't think most have added interior toilets (that seems to be the sticking point that identifies it as a "travel" trailer), but many have. One builder simply cheated, and used the old registration off of a scrapped trailer on his home-built...it doesn't seem to matter as long as the state gets the revenue, and the registree isn't stealing/transforming trailers. Try going to a different tax office (with more reasonable people), take a photo of it bare-boned (before you added the cabin) with you, and the purchase receipt (and any identifying paperwork/owners manual that came with it, and you could get it done.

That's great to know. We said the plumbing thing and the DMV does not have that in their manual. The statues of Texas says that a travel trailer has that requirement but according to the DMV it's a travel trailer and wouldn't even listen to the no plumbing part even when we showed them since it's not on their end. They even got the regional office involved. And that was the person who was adamant about it getting impounded when we got pulled over.
My new concern is now that it's registered, that it's registered incorrectly and we're going to get in trouble.

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[dsotto]

New update
Called the deputy on duty for the State highway patrol and said the area is so gray that they don't care and not to worry. He sees them registered either way and that it's only a big deal for the big RVs but since registration cost is the same by weight and what not the state doesnt particularly care.

[coyote]

Good for you! Okla., I had a choice of registering it as a "trailer" or since it was a utility trailer, I could run with no tag. I chose tag. Traveling enough, I don't want to be stopped and questioned. (Got stuff to see) I then had a choice of a life time tag $70.00 (I think), or the annual $7.00 tag. (simple math, but at my age/past life style....I chose the annual ) Coyote

[KTM_Guy]

In Arizona law is simple. If you can sleep in it, it’s a travel trailer. Can’t do life time plates need to buy yearly. Fee is based on age and value (keep recipes). My idea was to tell them I scrounged most everything and it cost $1000. Insurance is based on value the DMV puts on it. Catch 22. If my tear gets totaled I would want to get enough to rebuild it. I’m still a few months away from getting plates.


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[M C Toyer]

I am a Texas resident. I have bought, built, owned and/or sold dozens of trailers from 6 - 24 foot in length, single and tandem axle, some new, mostly used. I probably have 6 -10 around the place right now that I use for work, home chores and recreation. A couple may have had a Texas title or Manufacturers certificate of origin at one time. Most had only a hand written bill of sale or receipts for some of the materials.

Without exception all that are presently in use are licensed as "home built" without a title. I carry liability insurance for my tow vehicle but not any collision or comprehensive on the trailers. The largest is the fully self contained camper in my avatar with hot water, shower, toilet, fresh, gray and black tanks, full kitchen, air conditioning, and onboard generator. I have never had a problem with the DPS or local police agencies though I have been stopped at various times for inoperable trailer lights and even missing or non current license plates. I do not recall ever paying a fine and have never had any threat of impoundment though a time or two have had to demonstrate the lights were repaired or the license brought current. The annual registration fees are steep - about $50-60 depending in the county of residence. Since I never applied for a title I have not been charged sales tax, the assumption being that home built means I paid tax for the materials.

This works fine for my purposes and budget. I can see where if a person wanted to specifically license as a travel trailer and have a full title, insurance, or planned to sell the trailer the extra steps might be worthwhile.

[Staryder61]

Just registered my utility trailer, with title. Mine was a little different. I had the trailer built. It came with a title to transfer.
Then came the explanation of building a camper on the trailer. Was told that with now having the trailer registered and titled.
It would be easier to transfer over, to a home built camper. She said to always title the trailer to start, it makes it all easier later..
Would have to get a weigh ticket and take pictures, take these back to registration office and make the transfer..
They would help me with the form needed to make the transfer..
Hopefully it will be that smooth...

[2bits]

I am in Texas and and I speaking only of Texas. I personally know more than a few people who just register as a utility trailer and also people with full size travel trailers that run them as utility trailers for years and years with no worries. I didn't read it on the internet, this is people I personally know (including me). There are alot of regulations that you can sift through but as you have experienced, you actually have to twist the state's arm to follow their own rules when in the end as the Sheriff dept says no one cares. There is alot of fear mongering is out there but fear not, I have yet to hear a story of anyone's personal experience of a police officer pulling someone over for having a valid license plate that says Trailer instead of Travel Trailer. I am glad you settled on the right call.