TX RV and trailer owners are in trouble.

[Pete_k]

Read that Tx has a law that all trailers over 4500 lbs must be inspected. Starting this month and after, you have to show proof to get the new tags. Just one more deal to get your cash.
Tx trailers have to be inspected.
Figure all states will follow soon. Way too much cash there passing up to not grab it.
Pete

[drfife]

rosspulliam wrote:
The above, but I'll add you are expected to reinspect once you return to the state. But there's no need to drag it back here just to inspect it and drag it back. Just leave it out of state and then have it inspected when you return.

I'll edit to add the link for those of you with out of state trailers/vehicles:

Texas registered vehicle located out of state

I'm confused. Is the info on the link current?

Texas will no longer allow registration without proof of inspection.

[SSN609]

rosspulliam wrote:

Jim-Linda wrote:

SSN609 wrote:
I live in Texas and my trailer is in Oklahoma. I'm using it up there to visit a relative going through chemo. Now I get to go get it, pull it 200 miles back to Texas, get it inspected and pull it back to Oklahoma. It's the law. I don't have a choice, so I'll do it.. What are you full-timers doing to avoid going back to your "home state" once a year for a safety inspection? Maybe some states don't require annual inspections.

If you look on the DMV website, you will find that you can "self certify" that your unit is out of state and do not need inspection to register.

Jim

The above, but I'll add you are expected to reinspect once you return to the state. But there's no need to drag it back here just to inspect it and drag it back. Just leave it out of state and then have it inspected when you return.

I'll edit to add the link for those of you with out of state trailers/vehicles:

Texas registered vehicle located out of state

Woo hoo. At least there is hope now. Will see if I can actually get it to work. Seems like there is always a small print forcing their side. Thanks to the both of you for the lead though!

[gdweb]

TxCowboy,
check with campground or call around to service depts to see if any of the mobile rv techs are licensed and can come out and inspect it for you. all they need is the 7 pin hookup to check it.

[rosspulliam]

Jim-Linda wrote:

SSN609 wrote:
I live in Texas and my trailer is in Oklahoma. I'm using it up there to visit a relative going through chemo. Now I get to go get it, pull it 200 miles back to Texas, get it inspected and pull it back to Oklahoma. It's the law. I don't have a choice, so I'll do it.. What are you full-timers doing to avoid going back to your "home state" once a year for a safety inspection? Maybe some states don't require annual inspections.

If you look on the DMV website, you will find that you can "self certify" that your unit is out of state and do not need inspection to register.

Jim

The above, but I'll add you are expected to reinspect once you return to the state. But there's no need to drag it back here just to inspect it and drag it back. Just leave it out of state and then have it inspected when you return.

I'll edit to add the link for those of you with out of state trailers/vehicles:

Texas registered vehicle located out of state

[Jim-Linda]

SSN609 wrote:
I live in Texas and my trailer is in Oklahoma. I'm using it up there to visit a relative going through chemo. Now I get to go get it, pull it 200 miles back to Texas, get it inspected and pull it back to Oklahoma. It's the law. I don't have a choice, so I'll do it.. What are you full-timers doing to avoid going back to your "home state" once a year for a safety inspection? Maybe some states don't require annual inspections.

If you look on the DMV website, you will find that you can "self certify" that your unit is out of state and do not need inspection to register.

Jim

[rmalik1]

PA requires inspection already, so if I changed my domicile to TX won't be a surprise. How about SD and FL ?

[TxCowboy]

How can your RV be inspected if you can't get it to an inspection station?

Wife and I live outside San Antonio and are destination campers -- we find a place we want to go and hire a commercial hauler to move it. We use it as a getaway place near the beach when weather and our work schedules permit it.

We just moved the FW into an RV park at the coast less than two weeks ago. Today I got my registration renewal with the requirement to have the RV inspected.

How the heck am I supposed to do that with my RAM 1500 which won't tow my 13K trailer? Am I going to have to pay someone to move my RV to an inspection station so they can check the lights and brakes?

Forget the inconvenience of disconnecting everything I just hooked up -- leveling, cable, sewer, water, etc. Just getting the RV out of the park, to the inspection site, then back into a RV park space is going to cost me quite a bit of money, all for a $7.00 inspection sticker.

I wonder if I can just hire somebody who is authorized to issue the license to come to my campsite?

[katmann343]

The inspection is all about $

[Cummins12V98]

SH wrote:

filrupmark wrote:
I live in Texas and had our fifth wheel inspected Saturday. Really no big deal.

I really hope this doesn't happen in WA state as I think it would be a big deal! As an example...I had to get a trailer (kit built motorcycle) inspected several years ago. First, there were few Inspection Stations. Closest one was 70 miles away. Appointments needed to be booked a couple months in advance as they were so backed-up! Yes I eventually did get it done, yes it was check the tires-lights-measurements and weight certificate (which had to be completed at a CAT Scale prior to inspection). Price was $35.00 or so plus the $8.00 for the weight certificate. The entire process was a pain in the butt! I can't imagine having to do this every year!

Fairly sure the State Patrol Inspection Station in Burlington right next to I-5 38 miles from you could have done the job.

[Gearitis]

OH48Lt wrote:
You aren't going to get much of an inspection for the $12.75 - $14.00 figures mentioned above. The best you're going to get is a minimum wage beginner being told by his boss to go out and see if the tires hold air and the lights work. Certainly won't get the brakes inspected properly, frame inspected for cracks and bad welds, wheel bearings inspected, etc, etc. And I'd be dam**d if he is going to drive MY truck to pull the trailer around the block.

Sorry to contradict but in TEXAS the vehicle inspector, not the station as a whole, must be certified by the state to inspect any vehicle or trailer. A MINIMUM WAGE BEGINNER CANNOT INSPECT! If the DPS finds that this is happening, the station loses it license and some their business. If the inspector follows the states schedule of what to inspect, all things that you list should be inspected. Yes some skimp and do a visual on the exterior and move on and have the mindset to "move it in and then move it out".

I went thru a checkpoint just north of Gatesville, TX on Hiway 6 4 years ago and my 5er's inspections sticker was out by 2 months, 250 bucks later, I had a new inspections sticker and a vivid reminder that its the law, not a choice.

[CowboyPilot]

Cherokee Nation doesn't require inspections 😉

[SSN609]

I live in Texas and my trailer is in Oklahoma. I'm using it up there to visit a relative going through chemo. Now I get to go get it, pull it 200 miles back to Texas, get it inspected and pull it back to Oklahoma. It's the law. I don't have a choice, so I'll do it.. What are you full-timers doing to avoid going back to your "home state" once a year for a safety inspection? Maybe some states don't require annual inspections.

[laknox]

Gearitis wrote:
I live in Waco, TX. We have always had to inspect our Trailers for 4500 lbs and over as this includes car haulers, and some farm trailer. Just last Thursday, I pulled the 5er out getting ready for the spring since weather is finally starting to warm. I went to get our new registration sticker. I had always gotten an inspection after registration. This time I had to get it inspected, bring the official paper after inspection to the county office and get my regestration. The cost at the inspection station was 7 bucks and the cost at the county was another 7 bucks. There is no inspection sticker on any trailer or vehicle now. It is all in the states database. To me its no big deal as I always had it inspected. Folks the cost is still the same, just regulated properly. Before, only 5 percent of Trailers were inspected. Maybe, just maybe, this will catch some of the things that RVers do not catch, like a bad light bulb or a bad tire. Yes it adds a bit of funds to the states system. 14 bucks, spend more than that on soft drinks in a year! Any inspection station that has a large enough area, can inspect any trailer, so don't fret over who can inspect.

IMO, bad (external) light bulbs should be caught at each pre-tow walk-around...same as an airplane. I turn my lights and flashers on each time I hook up a trailer and check all lights before I leave.

Lyle

[FishOnOne]

BB_TX wrote:

dvitale300 wrote:
......
Where do you go for the inspection? I live in a small town of about 15K people and there's only 2 car dealers here who do them. Do the RV dealers / service centers offer inspections?

Texas inspection station locator

Call them. Trailer inspection is fairly simple, brakes, lights, tires.

And yes, it has been required for many years, just not enforced.

Agreed... I always had my trailer inspected.

[SH]

filrupmark wrote:
I live in Texas and had our fifth wheel inspected Saturday. Really no big deal.

I really hope this doesn't happen in WA state as I think it would be a big deal! As an example...I had to get a trailer (kit built motorcycle) inspected several years ago. First, there were few Inspection Stations. Closest one was 70 miles away. Appointments needed to be booked a couple months in advance as they were so backed-up! Yes I eventually did get it done, yes it was check the tires-lights-measurements and weight certificate (which had to be completed at a CAT Scale prior to inspection). Price was $35.00 or so plus the $8.00 for the weight certificate. The entire process was a pain in the butt! I can't imagine having to do this every year!