Trailer registration & Pennsylvania's screwed up laws!

[trccc]

When I went looking for a used (abused) popup to use as a donor, I wanted to make sure that it had a title. Along with many of you, I have heard the horror stories from my state relating to getting a trailer titled. So when I found this camper, I confirmed that the guy had the title. Yep, no problem. And he was in Delaware to boot, so all he needed to do was sign. So I get down there to pick it up and find out that yeah, he had a title. The PA title from the previous owner! They had gone to a notary like you must in PA but he never finished the transfer to Delaware. Now I had a signed off, notarized PA title. That's as good as nothing to me.

To get the title transferred to me, I would have to have the previous PA owner apply for a lost/damaged title. Then wait for him to get it and transfer it to me. But I don't know him from anyone. What if he decides to report it as stolen? Or just that he wants it back? Or... Never mind the expense - lost title application, transfer fee, notary fee, travel to where the former PA owner lives (about 80 miles away.) All this for a $150 junk pop up with an 1800 GVW and no brakes! I'd have more than that in getting a good title. Yeah, right, that'll happen.

Enter Maine Trailer Registration. About 10 days ago I sent in a homemade registration application along with my check for $32.50. The plate & registration came today! That's all I really cared about - having a plate on the stupid thing. Why does PA need to make things so difficult?

[mary and bob]

Don't feel too bad, you're not the only one having problems with PA's DMV. Over on the fiberglass rv forum, a PA resident just bought a Uhaul camper in North Carolina, and has the NC title. But when he went to his notary and she linked into PA DMV it came back that one number in the VIN is wrong, but won't say which one. Besides that, he can't find all the numbers on the trailer that are on the title, and when the numbers are run through NC's DMV by the seller it comes back OK. I told him to look into the Maine registration option, it may be his only option to avoid a major hassle.

[CarlLaFong]

I post on a number of boards for cars, bikes, etc. There is a common thread that runs through all of them. The idiotic and Draconian laws and rules set up by the DMV in Pennsytucky. It's almost as if they don't want your money. California may be the Land of Fruits and Nuts and has Governor Moonbeam, but our DMV is very easy to deal with by comparison.
I had an MGB with a muddy title, a partial lien sale and some other issues. I took everything to the DMV, the lady went through everything, had me fill out a few Statements of (semi) Facts. She then said I would have to get the last owners signature on one, final, form. I told her that I had no idea who she was or were to find her. She said, "I thought I saw her outside, in the parking lot." Wink Wink!! I sez, "I believe you're right." I went out, had "her" sign it and, voila, a check was written and I walked out with a plate and the temporary title. The real deal came in the mail a week later.

[Wolffarmer]

I post on a number of boards for cars, bikes, etc. There is a common thread that runs through all of them. The idiotic and Draconian laws and rules set up by the DMV in Pennsytucky. It's almost as if they don't want your money. California may be the Land of Fruits and Nuts and has Governor Moonbeam, but our DMV is very easy to deal with by comparison.
I had an MGB with a muddy title, a partial lien sale and some other issues. I took everything to the DMV, the lady went through everything, had me fill out a few Statements of (semi) Facts. She then said I would have to get the last owners signature on one, final, form. I told her that I had no idea who she was or were to find her. She said, "I thought I saw her outside, in the parking lot." Wink Wink!! I sez, "I believe you're right." I went out, had "her" sign it and, voila, a check was written and I walked out with a plate and the temporary title. The real deal came in the mail a week later.

Randy

[Kody]

I have never had trouble like you guys have had when registering a trailer or car. We simply sign the appropriate forms from the court house or MRD and off we go. When I have built a new trailer, I only had to have it weighed and then an identification plate was handed to me after signing a Stat. Dec to say that I built it. I had to engrave the serial number shown on the rego. and then screw the plate onto the frame of the trailer so it could be read. A standard registration plate was then handed to me or posted in the mail to be fastened to the rear of the trailer. That was about 10 years ago and I don't think anything has changed. If a car is being transferred, the owner selling the car has to sign the transfer papers or the car yard dealership has to sign them. It's a piece of cake. Maybe you need to change to a fewer number of States like us, we have only seven of them. It sure makes things easy especially when you want to buy a fishing license and travel 1000 miles to the fishing spots. Yep, things are better here.



Kody

[Roo Dog]

Kody,

Yeah getting our Teardrop registered here in Western Australia was a walk in the park.
Get a permit from the Shire Office to move it.
Get it weighed
Get it inspected with stat dec in hand to say I was the builder.
Back to the Shire Office with the paperwork.
Pay the man. Nice lady actually.
Nail the number plate and rego plate on.
Job done. Smiles all round.

Too easy.

RD

[hugh]

Wow, here in Manitoba when I built my trailer all I had to do was say I built it from used materials, otherwise you bring bills in for the new steel, etc so they can charge sales tax. And then tell the insurance person the weight rating of the axles. That,s it. We have a provincial run car insurance monopoly here, they are the only insurers for all things vehicular in Manitoba and like all things gov,t run they just seem to get bigger and more intrusive all the time but it does work out OK for trailers.

[Roo Dog]

Just for info.

Annual registration fee for our Teardrop is AUD $50 and annual comprehensive Insurance for AUD $7500 is AUD $150.
American Dollar is slightly below the Aussie today by about 5 cents.

RD

[len19070]

Enter Maine Trailer Registration. About 10 days ago I sent in a homemade registration application along with my check for $32.50. The plate & registration came today! That's all I really cared about - having a plate on the stupid thing. Why does PA need to make things so difficult?

The Pennsylvania Department Of Transportation is on "Drugs"

"Never have I worked or tried so hard to give someone money for nothing"

I have been using the Maine Registration Solution for a few years now.

I've used it about 13-14 times, never a problem and neither is transferring a Maine Registration to PA.

Glad to hear it worked for you.

Happy Trails

Len

[legojenn]

I like the method we use in Quebec. It's not often that I like that the way that the provincial government does business, so I assume that they will change it in the future. I was going to have a trailer built for my build. So, I went into the Government Auto Insurance office. They wanted to know how much the trailer weighs and what is the weight capacity of the tires. $67.00 later, I have a lifetime plate for a yet to be built trailer.

[legojenn]

I have never had trouble like you guys have had when registering a trailer or car. We simply sign the appropriate forms from the court house or MRD and off we go. When I have built a new trailer, I only had to have it weighed and then an identification plate was handed to me after signing a Stat. Dec to say that I built it. I had to engrave the serial number shown on the rego. and then screw the plate onto the frame of the trailer so it could be read. A standard registration plate was then handed to me or posted in the mail to be fastened to the rear of the trailer. That was about 10 years ago and I don't think anything has changed. If a car is being transferred, the owner selling the car has to sign the transfer papers or the car yard dealership has to sign them. It's a piece of cake. Maybe you need to change to a fewer number of States like us, we have only seven of them. It sure makes things easy especially when you want to buy a fishing license and travel 1000 miles to the fishing spots. Yep, things are better here.



Kody

I thought that you had six. What's the new state?

[mary and bob]

Len, can you elaborate more on transferring a Maine registration to PA. A friend on the FiberglassRV forum is having a terrible time trying to license his newly acquired Uhaul camper in PA. Apparently there is a VIN number error somewhere, with one digit being wrong, and they won't tell him which one. Are all the trailers you registered in Maine listed as homemade. Thanks. Bob

[Roo Dog]

Legojenn,

Seven if you include the Northern Territory which sort of comes under the Federal Governments wing or did.
A big lump of land with not a lot of people in it. I spent a few years there back aways.

RD

[len19070]

Len, can you elaborate more on transferring a Maine registration to PA. A friend on the FiberglassRV forum is having a terrible time trying to license his newly acquired Uhaul camper in PA. Apparently there is a VIN number error somewhere, with one digit being wrong, and they won't tell him which one. Are all the trailers you registered in Maine listed as homemade. Thanks. Bob

I've done it several ways Bob. Some as old trailers, some HF as new and some Homemade.

When someone, in my state PA. buys a a trailer from me, with a Me. registration they have 2 options.

1. re register it in ME. Very easy.

2. transfer it to there state....States rules vary. But when you go into your state and transfer with current documentation from another state, you don't have to start with Adam & Eve and work your way up!

AAA has told me that all states recognize other states documentation.

Have your friend contact Maine. There very helpful.

viewtopic.php?f=38&t=43004&hilit=+painless

Happy Trails

Len

[mary and bob]

Thanks Len, he has contacted Maine already. We were wondering about transferring it to PA later, since he is a PA resident.