Register of travel trailers

thehippie wrote:
So is it not usual to really register a travel trailer? Only few owners actually register their trailers?

I registered mine after getting a $1250 ticket. I wasn't going to pay that either, but finally did. Oh, and I decided to get insurance too since doing that on an unregistered vehicle in a state that requires it is rather difficult.

So yeah, it's probably a good idea.

In WI camping trailers/travel trailers less than 3k# GVW do not need to be registered, it's voluntary. I never registered my pop-ups, but our hybrid trailers have had to have plates. That said I had the titles to our pups and passed those on the the next owner.

I would not buy a 3000#+ trailer that didn't have a clear title.

thehippie wrote:

pira114 wrote:
Check with the DMV where you live first. In Ca, it's a real pain to register an RV that doesn't have a title. Or current registration that matches the seller. And yes, in Ca, they all must be registered.

what if the previous owner didn't register the trailer in his or her name? Is it still possible to still be able to register it to the new and current owner?

Thehippi I just had this experience and in NJ it is different. In fact if you read the DMV website it is very confusing. All you need to register a pup is a Bill of Sale that is notarized. The Bill of Sale needs to have the name of the previous owner, the model of the pup, vin#, amount the unit was sold for. FYI the cost last year was only $17 with plates. I also just paid my new registration (its due yearly each March) and it went up to $18. I didn't have to pay for plates either they were included in the price.

Check with your insurance agent, they are usually up on everything needed.

In MA we register every year, pay excise tax and the bank requires insurance. When I was seasonal in NH I had to register it the first year but they could have left it forever without renewing the registration.

Some states will make you park the trailer on the side of the road if you don't have a valid tag.

Ditto on TN title and tags. In addition, if you've bought from a private party or even out of state where sales tax was not paid at the time of purchase (such as RVWholesalers) you will have to pay the sales tax at that time. The exception to this is something like an open utility trailer - we call ours a "mulch trailer" or even a very small, such as a 5 x 8, enclosed utility trailer, they do not require a license. You absolutely need a Bill of Sale, regardless, in the event you move to another state that does require title and tags. When in doubt, call your local vehicle registration for the actual info.

In TN you need title and tags.

IN PA: Registration, Plates, Title, and yearly state safety inspection. You can't have unsafe bricks going down the road, and prevents black market sale of products.

thehippie wrote:

pira114 wrote:
Check with the DMV where you live first. In Ca, it's a real pain to register an RV that doesn't have a title. Or current registration that matches the seller. And yes, in Ca, they all must be registered.

what if the previous owner didn't register the trailer in his or her name? Is it still possible to still be able to register it to the new and current owner?

Depends. Might help if we knew what state you're in. I can only speak to Ca.

Here, if the seller has a title in his name, you'll end up paying for any penalties for it not being registered. If he has no title, you can pay for title search. If nothing shows up, you can usually register it as salvaged. If a title shows up, the real fun begins. The titled owner must be contacted. Or next of kin. Then they have to sign an affidavit saying they have no claim. If all goes well, you pay quite a bit, and end up with a trailer. Could take months. If it doesn't go well, you can end up losing the trailer (like if it had been stolen) and then have to sue the seller for your money back.

Short answer: No title, no sale. If they have a good title, but just failed to register, find out the fees and use it to negotiate a price.


I need to add that this info is personal experience that's a few years old. Laws change. The family business often ended up with unclaimed vehicles of all sorts. It usually ended up a wash for us. You really need to contact your state's motor vehicle department and find out the rules and fees. You simply can't make an intelligent decision without that info

Same in VA - must be registered and licensed. They also have to have a valid safety inspection sticker on the trailer tongue.

On the small util trailers they must be registered and licensed. They only have to have a safety inspection if they are required to have brakes.

At least that is the way it is in my home county... I pay taxes on the 5th wheel trailer, OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer, and one utility trailer..

Roy Ken