Help with Registration in California

[Hennesseystealth]

I talked to the DMV but they still leave some things cryptic. Here is the list of what I think I need to do to register my home built TD.

1) Go to a weigh station and get a certificate of weight (if over 1500#, get brakes)
2) Fill out forms 5036, 343, and 256

What was cryptic was their comments that I needed to have the vehicle inspected by the CHP and then a shop authorized to inspect tail light wiring.

I can see the CHP to inspect the lights, but the shop thing seems very strange.

Anyone gone through this in the past couple of years that can help?

Thanks!

[tony.latham]

I talked to the DMV but they still leave some things cryptic. Here is the list of what I think I need to do to register my home built TD.

1) Go to a weigh station and get a certificate of weight (if over 1500#, get brakes)
2) Fill out forms 5036, 343, and 256

What was cryptic was their comments that I needed to have the vehicle inspected by the CHP and then a shop authorized to inspect tail light wiring.

I can see the CHP to inspect the lights, but the shop thing seems very strange.

Anyone gone through this in the past couple of years that can help?

Thanks!

Grant Whipp of Lil' Bear has probably built more teardrops (in California) than I've seen. I'd give him a call tomorrow if you don't get another response on here.

http://www.teardrops.net/teardroptrailerparts.html

T

[Hennesseystealth]

Grant Whipp of Lil' Bear has probably built more teardrops (in California) than I've seen. I'd give him a call tomorrow if you don't get another response on here.

http://www.teardrops.net/teardroptrailerparts.html

T

I bought my windows from Grant. I'll try that on Monday but he doesn't answer the phone but a couple of times per week. 80% retired.

[SteveE]

From my understanding you only need to have the CHP inspect a vehicle is if it has an engine. I built a dune buggy and before I could get the green sticker I had to have the CHP inspect it and assign a VIN number to it. You are building a trailer. My brother in law had it done and just had to go to the DMV and not the CHP.

Check out this link.

http://td.roughwheelers.com/DMV/

Steve

[Midget]

Over the years we have registered a few vintage trailers with the California DMV. We found that no two offices are the same nor persons behind the counter know exactly what to do. Sometimes it's very simple and other times it is a real headache. The Benroy woody we're building will be the first one we've made from scratch to go in. I'm anxious to here how things go.

Bob

[ctstaas]

Hi Midget, Two CA DMV trailer reg, stories. I built a UT from a Chevy PU less the cab and motor I found abandoned and expected to have to jump through twenty hoops. I had no sales or transfer info and they didn't ask one question of where I got it from or nothing. I couldn't believe it! When I took my TD in for registration I said," I need to register my home made camper trailer". Max asked,"How much did it cost to build". I replied $1000 and he said,"Good answer". Click, click, and sign this and $20 later we were off to the parking lot. He saw it was a TD and said,"Cool". I opened the hatch and cabin and he was impressed. He advised my to grind the paint off my tongue before applying the VIN sticker. He also advised to stamp the VIN # on both the tongue and underneath In case it gets lost.
I hope it goes that easy for the rest of you also.
Enjoy, Chris

[doug hodder]

I've done 6 scratch built tears and canned hams and registered them in Ca. It may depend on your local DMV, but I've taken in a copy of all the receipts and gave them their own copy, had the trailer sitting on the street outside the DMV so that they can go look at it and sticker it with a registration #. Make sure you get the temporary tow permit so they can't bust you on moving it illegally. I just tell them that it needs to be registered as "special construction" (for make) and camper (body type). My DMV has never requested an exact weight or to have it inspected, but asked me what it weighed and I just gave them a number that was under the 1500# required for brakes. Make sure you have all the dimensions and weight thought out so that you don't look like you're making it up. They will want a copy of ALL the receipts that went into it and cook up a number for your time to build it as well. I broke it out so that they had materials and labor cost. On the last canned ham...$39 and 30 min and I was done with it. Also, make sure you get the PTI plate on it, good for 5 years. Your local DMV may vary. I've been in enough that they ask me "what'cha build this time". Just my experience with it. Doug

[dmb90260]

If you have the option, I recommend trying to get it registered in a more "rural" area rather than LA or SF etc. Those areas seem more amenable to 'unusual and home made trailers and not so rule bound. I went through this with mine and they stalled and delayed (probably unintentional) long enough to stretch my approval past the start date of Schwatzeneggers' "road tax" and cost me over $300. If you are very concerned about getting it done look for DMV VEHICLE REGISTRATION EXPERTS or such. They do this all the time and will have contacts at DMV and know the laws better than you ever will.
Good luck.

[Hennesseystealth]

If you have the option, I recommend trying to get it registered in a more "rural" area rather than LA or SF etc. Those areas seem more amenable to 'unusual and home made trailers and not so rule bound. I went through this with mine and they stalled and delayed (probably unintentional) long enough to stretch my approval past the start date of Schwatzeneggers' "road tax" and cost me over $300. If you are very concerned about getting it done look for DMV VEHICLE REGISTRATION EXPERTS or such. They do this all the time and will have contacts at DMV and know the laws better than you ever will.
Good luck.

Yes, I live in the Bay Area but the build site is my daughter's house in the central valley. So, I will definitely be taking it to the "farmville" DMV. My daughter says their local DMV never has a line and the people are actually friendly and helpful.

[Redneck Teepee]

If you have the option, I recommend trying to get it registered in a more "rural" area rather than LA or SF etc. Those areas seem more amenable to 'unusual and home made trailers and not so rule bound. I went through this with mine and they stalled and delayed (probably unintentional) long enough to stretch my approval past the start date of Schwatzeneggers' "road tax" and cost me over $300. If you are very concerned about getting it done look for DMV VEHICLE REGISTRATION EXPERTS or such. They do this all the time and will have contacts at DMV and know the laws better than you ever will.
Good luck.

Yes, I live in the Bay Area but the build site is my daughter's house in the central valley. So, I will definitely be taking it to the "farmville" DMV. My daughter says their local DMV never has a line and the people are actually friendly and helpful.

Not sure where at in the central valley but I make the trek to Sonora about 40 minutes for me. The DMV is never crowded, very friendly, knowledgeable, always a pleasure as it should be... unlike the bigger city DMV's where they spit venom.

[nrody]

Go to the DMV website and print this section out. Take it with you to the DMV so they know where to look it up. You should be able to get PTI plates. If the trailer is home built the dmv will issue a vin tag to adhere to your trailer. They may be able to do the VIN inspection at the same time. If the trailer already has a vin number you need to take the vin verification form with the trailer to the chp. Our local chp requires an appointment so check with your local office. Also note the vin verification form should be filled out as completely as possible to avoid rejection back at the dmv. You might ask the dmv for two copies of the form. Ask them to highlight the fields they require, then have the chp fill in the corresponding fields on the 2nd form. Some DMV's will not accept highlighted forms. Most important get names of who you speak to and who to bring the forms back to at the DMV so you don't get the runaround. And if this does not work ask for a supervisor. The regular workers get their knickers in a twist but it does help sometimes. Good Luck!

Camp Trailers (CVC §242)

A camp trailer is a vehicle:
designed to be used on a highway,
capable of human habitation for camping or recreational purposes,
which does not exceed 16 feet (192 inches) in overall length from the foremost point of the trailer hitch to the rear extremity of the trailer body and does not exceed 8 feet (96 inches) in width.
Where a trailer telescopes for travel, the size shall apply to the trailer as fully extended. Any tent trailer is a camp trailer.
A camp trailer is not a trailer coach.
Camp trailers are registered under the Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) Program. See Chapter 14, Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI).

[nrody]

Go to the DMV website and print this section out. Take it with you to the DMV so they know where to look it up. You should be able to get PTI plates. If the trailer is home built the dmv will issue a vin tag to adhere to your trailer. They may be able to do the VIN inspection at the same time. If the trailer already has a vin number you need to take the vin verification form with the trailer to the chp. Our local chp requires an appointment so check with your local office. Also note the vin verification form should be filled out as completely as possible to avoid rejection back at the dmv. You might ask the dmv for two copies of the form. Ask them to highlight the fields they require, then have the chp fill in the corresponding fields on the 2nd form. Some DMV's will not accept highlighted forms. Most important get names of who you speak to and who to bring the forms back to at the DMV so you don't get the runaround. And if this does not work ask for a supervisor. The regular workers get their knickers in a twist but it does help sometimes. Good Luck!

Camp Trailers (CVC §242)

A camp trailer is a vehicle:
designed to be used on a highway,
capable of human habitation for camping or recreational purposes,
which does not exceed 16 feet (192 inches) in overall length from the foremost point of the trailer hitch to the rear extremity of the trailer body and does not exceed 8 feet (96 inches) in width.
Where a trailer telescopes for travel, the size shall apply to the trailer as fully extended. Any tent trailer is a camp trailer.
A camp trailer is not a trailer coach.
Camp trailers are registered under the Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) Program. See Chapter 14, Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI).

[Hennesseystealth]

Interesting, you are the only one that agreed with DMV that I need to go to the CHP. Still not sure what the CHP is going to look at or tell me.

[nrody]

CHP will do the Vin Verification if it can't be done at the DMV. Every DMV runs differently. Some will do the vin verification some wont. I had my U-Haul camper trailer vin verification at AAA but then had truouble with the form because the guy from the DMV that gave me the form highlighted the fields to fill in and AAA did not like that.

[deleted]

I think you're getting really good advice! Just wanted to throw in do not ever go to the DMV in Los Gatos to register a trailer. 2 visits that totaled 5 hours to get mine registered there. They had NO CLUE what they were doing since mine wasn't a typical, commercially produced RV. Though on the bright side no CHP visit required. They checked the VIN and inspected the trailer right there.