Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I'm currently in a planning/designing stage of a idea that I have in another thread in the non-traditional design but here I want to ask about the colorado law itself that may applies to my design.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=5913


Please let me know of any info that I may need or at least give me a pointer of where I could go to find out. I would love to find out if there are a restriction before build time so I won't have to redo anything and waste money/time.

Thanks in advance for any and all replies


[EDIT]
Oh if this is the wrong forum to put this thread in, could you point me to the right one?

some places to look
http://www.revenue.state.co.us/mv_dir/w ... l=titlereg
http://www.co.larimer.co.us/motorv/homemade.htm
http://www.sportutilitytrailers.com/tra ... ration.htm

Hi Will, I've read your other thread and so know that you're looking for a free to inexpensive used trailer (as I was).

My best Colorado specific advice is to avoid anything that does not have a title! Make sure the VIN sticker is intact and that the number on it matches the title, especially if it is an out of state title.

I know that will be hard 'cuz people that are selling a trailer cheap or giving it away have usually lost the title or never had one to begin with. Colorado requires even the smallest trailer to have a title and plates if you want to use it on the street.

You might be able to get a salvage title but it takes a huge stack of paperwork, lot of running around and a bit of extra expense. Enough that it might not be worth it - even for free.

And your mileage may vary on this advice, a lot seems to depend simply on which clerk you get at the DMV.

As for the trailer itself and any work you do on it, there's no kind of inspection if it's a Colorado title. Just take in the old title, hand it over, pay the fees. If they ask, it's a utility trailer.

As for driving it down the street - you need DOT approved lights and you need fenders. Other than that, as long as it doesn't look obviously unsafe, you shouldn't get pulled over.

Hope this is helpful and not too much of a downer. Wish I had one to give you!

Laura (in Denver)

I have gotten VIN#'s for 2 trailers in Colorado. One trailer was bought in TN (no plate needed there) is a basic utility trailer. I picked up paperwork from my DMV and had to have the trailer apprased at a trailer sales place, no big deal. The other is my TD. The TD frame was made by someone for me (not a trailer manufactuer). I titled my TD as a utility trailer and titled it before I built the body.Just take any and all receipts to the DMV and they will call it a "Home Built" and issue a VIN#. I had receipts for the: frame, lights, tongue jack, wiring, bolts, paint, axle, speings, tires, wheels. They seemed satisfied.

You are absolutely right! All you need is a bill of sale for a trailer - if it's from a state that doesn't require titles on small trailers. So I amend my comments to "a trailer from a another state if that state requires small trailers to be titled." And for brand new or 'kit' or custom built trailers all you need is receipts for the materials, but I got the impression that curiouswill isn't looking for a new or custom trailer. So take anything I said in the context of finding a used base trailer to build a camper on.

Where I ran in to a problem (And hey, maybe I just had really bad luck!) was with a used trailer that had a title in the past. In my case it was a trailer titled in California that had lost its VIN sticker. If you have an out of state title for any vehicle, they want you to get a VIN inspection - no big deal if everything matches up. Since I didn't have a sticker to inspect I needed:

An Appraisal, as you mentioned. $20
A title search. $2 and change
A special 'certified' VIN inspection that can only be done by the State Patrol. $20
A weight certificate, stating the trailer was under 2000 lbs. $8
The bill of sale, of course.
At the beginning I was also told to get a bond, but I didn't have to do that because of the low value on the appraisal.

It's supposed to be the same for any used vehicle or trailer with no title. $50 is big chunk to add to a trailer that's only worth $100-200. To me a title is worth it's weight in gold (ummmm - maybe silver) just to NOT have to argue with the DMV and to not have run around and wait in line at all those places.

Sorry I sounded negative or like it was impossible. It was just meant as a 'be careful'. It's only a little piece of paper if you have it but it's a big pain in the neck if you don't. And you do have to ask the people with ads - I was really surprised and a little irritated by how many sellers on craigslist never had a title or couldn't find the title and just weren't interested in getting a duplicate copy.

Laura

Will
Just visit your DMV with and info/paperwork you have and they will inform you of what you will need. Not a big deal.

Here in Ca...a title isn't required..just a registration...it's optional but I bought it on both tears...just in case I sell them out of state to make things a lot easier for whoever buys one...small price to pay to make it a smoother sell in the end...Doug

hiya,
for what it's worth, i informed the dmv that i built the trailer myself from parts on hand. no receipts required in that case. i think i only had one hoop to jump through as a result of tendering that piece of information. (plus i had a very helpful clerk.)

regards,
steve

today I plated my teardrop. I just took in the "tlte" that came with the Harbor Freight trailer, showed my license, paid $27 and left with title, number i have to "engrave" on the trailer (sticker also), and registrations. 30 minutes including the wait. Never mentioned anything about building on to the trailer, just a utillity trailer I bolted together from the store.
Soooo...if you have a HF trailer, there ya go (or bought one)