registering an unregistered trailer

[JustinLee]

I recently got an old trailer that had been still for about 8 years at a buddies place. No tags, no plates, no papers etc. In !@#$ Cali. , what do I need to do to get it registered? I just don't like talking to the DMV, they've screwed me before.



Thanx

Justin

 

[exfuzz01]

old trailer

I don't think you have any choice but to go to your DMV and get some advice from them. If it has a VIN number, you will have to go from there.

 

[RVPILOT]

trailer

I built a trailer from a pickup, no I D , told them it was homemade which it was and they gave me a vin #, plates. if yours has no vin # try the homebuilt route. good luck. stormy

 

[John - K5AWO]

I would tell 'em it was homebuilt and let it go at that.

 

[DanDee]

Might be wrong but pretty sure you will have to have the vin or lack of verified... either by law enforcement, DMV or I think there might be some private "for pay" certifications. (Call your local CHP office & ask)

You will also have to have it weighed at a certified scale & bring that to the DMV, (but if your going to move it over the roadway... be sure to get your temp permit first. )

(Actually... they might have done away with the weight fees for trailers, so ask first!)



Did it a few years ago & it wasn't too bad... of course sometimes it all depends on which DMV employee you get!



Good luck, DanDee

 

[Alan Reagan]

In Georgia, you give them the weight and assign a VIN # if you can't find one on it. If no VIN is on it, they will want you to stamp one into the frame or have a VIN plate made.

 

[knewman]

do you have any buddies that are law enforcement thats how i get things like this done. i mean our taxes pay their salary and this keeps my buddy out of the shops looking for something to buy

 

[DHaupert]

I heard somewhere that after so many years a vehicle will drop out of their system. Maybe you'll get lucky

 

[OTRPU]

Not exactly the same but sorta. I had the bright idea of borrowing my fishing buddies canoe long time ago. Wifey and I were going to portage up to Lewis Lake, Yellowstone NP. He said sure but it wasn't registered and he'd loan me the canoe if I registered it. Sent the paperwork and a check to Fish & Game or whoever. They sent me back my check and a letter asking why I wasn't the registered owner, and why I wanted a registration for somebody else's boat. Out of time now, just took my 12 ft aluminum car topper and made the trip. Wifey filled the dam thing up with canned goods. Four Apes wouldn't have been able to portage that thing. I made a homemader for that 12 footer, DMV had me fill out some kind of Origination paper and gave me a VIN number that I had to have stamped in the frame. Also registered in Colorado a 5th wheel I purchased in Arizona. Had to find a cop and have him verify the VIN. He seemed alittle upset about my requesting he do it. . . he was sitting in an alley with a radar gun pointing out the window when I walked up to him. I figured if I distracted him a few would "get away". Or maybe he expected a tip.

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Cheers,

Steve J

 

[JustinLee]

Hey thanx for all of the input, I keep everybody posted.



Justin

 

[kshimizu]

Like others said, if it looks homemade try registering it that way. If it has a VIN or serial number stamped on it, you might have to do a lien sale. I don't have first hand experience with this but know of someone that had to do this with a trailer that was left on his property. Goodluck getting it registered.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

yup, clean it up and call it homebuilt...



Forrest

 

[catoiler]

The best way to go is if it has a vin check to see if it is off the dmv computer(witch it should be)and tell them that you have had it in your yard(and not on any public hwy or roads) for the last 10 yrs or so and you lost all the paper work and want to put it back on the road. They will verifiy the vin and and it will cost next to nothing to register. I Do this all the time and it works great.