License Tags

[jcassady]

Hi all. I've been lurking on this forum for the better part of 3 months. I've been doing a lot of reading on fiberglass trailers as well as shopping for them.

Well I've finally located one I plan on purchasing this coming weekend and had a question about getting tags to tow the trailer home. I've contacted my state's DMV, as well as the state I will be purchasing the trailer in. My DMV told me I will have to get a temp tag from the state the trailer is purchased in. I called their DMV and was told I could get a temp tag but their hours on Saturday are limited and it could take some time. They won't issue one on line or via fax, I will have to have the title as well as my driver's license and show up in person to get the tags.

What do you all do when purchasing a new trailer from out of state?

[floyd]

Originally Posted by jcassady

Hi all. I've been lurking on this forum for the better part of 3 months. I've been doing a lot of reading on fiberglass trailers as well as shopping for them.

Well I've finally located one I plan on purchasing this coming weekend and had a question about getting tags to tow the trailer home. I've contacted my state's DMV, as well as the state I will be purchasing the trailer in. My DMV told me I will have to get a temp tag from the state the trailer is purchased in. I called their DMV and was told I could get a temp tag but their hours on Saturday are limited and it could take some time. They won't issue one on line or via fax, I will have to have the title as well as my driver's license and show up in person to get the tags.

What do you all do when purchasing a new trailer from out of state?

If you live in IllAnnoy and are buying from an out of state private party(non-dealer)Then you have been misinformed (big surprise!)

[Carol H]

I purchased my trailer in Idaho and I had to stay over a night in order to pick up temp permits from the DMV to transport the trailer home. If its the right trailer for you taking an extra day off and staying over to get it legally home is worth the stay.

[cpaharley2008]

I have found that most jurisdictions do not bother you, you show them you have insurance and you are enroute and it was a private sale so no dealer tags and show them the bill of sale, more than likely you will be fine. I was going to drive across country with my new Escape this way because Pennsylvania requires that they see the unit before registering it.

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by jcassady

What do you all do when purchasing a new trailer from out of state?

Cross my fingers and head home. Trying to get a temp plate is difficult in many places. Here, you can only get it for one day, on the day you need it. You cant get it ahead of time. That also means at least two hours of your time will be spent waiting in line to get it before you can start your day.

Most LEO's are decent human beings. If you're driving safe, have a new bill of sale/title, valid insurance for the tow vehicle that covers the trailer, 98% of them aren't going to hand you a ticket. You might get pulled over, though.

You'll have to decide if you want to risk it.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Pennsylvania requires that they see the unit before registering it.

Keep in mind that a temp transport permit is not registration and some states I traveled through required a permit to be visible.

[Jared J]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Keep in mind that a temp transport permit is not registration and some states I traveled through required a permit to be visible.

Difference of terms, I believe. Kansas calls it temporary registration.

One other thing to remember, in almost all cases, it is better to have nothing displayed, then it is to "borrow" a plate from another of your vehicles.

[jcassady]

Originally Posted by Jared J

Difference of terms, I believe. Kansas calls it temporary registration.

One other thing to remember, in almost all cases, it is better to have nothing displayed, then it is to "borrow" a plate from another of your vehicles.

That was going to be one of my follow up questions. I have a utility trailer as well and a plate for it. I was wondering if I should just slap that plate on the Scamp and not worry about it, but I will probably avoid that.

I am in Illinois and will call my local DMV again tomorrow, I called the main Sec. of State line today and got was told to get the temp tags in TN. Maybe he didn't understand that this was going to be a private sale.

If it turns out I have to get the tag from TN and If I get to TN soon enough to get to their office on Saturday I will get a temp tag from them and be legal. Otherwise I might go with the cross your fingers and go approach.

[cpaharley2008]

Sometimes people will leave the tags on the trailer, like in California. I have been guilty of the putting "lost tag" sign when bureaucracy created roadblocks that needed to be avoided.

[Mike Magee]

If the trailer had a TN tag belonging to the old seller, I'd just leave it on there until I got it home. If no tag, again I wouldn't worry about it till I got home.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by Jared J

One other thing to remember, in almost all cases, it is better to have nothing displayed, then it is to "borrow" a plate from another of your vehicles.

Jared is right on this, and I have heard this from other sources also, but I usually do the opposite.

[monB]

When I bought my trailer in MT, the seller was kind enough to pick up the transport/temp tags for me. I live in MO.

Mon

[Jack L]

If the seller has a valid, not expired, current plate on the trailer will he "loan" it to you ? If no plate or I could not borrow the plate from the seller I would just take my chances if I was heading straight home and only being on the road a day but thats just me ! I've done this several times and never had any issues.

I did have a vechicle I purchased in Idaho that was going to Indiana and Indiana required an inspection to verify the VIN. Indiana provided a form that allowed any out of state LEO to verify the VIN and Indiana issued a plate without an Indiana inspection. I did this once rather than taking my chances because the trip back to Indiana was an extended trip of about a week. This process took about 2 weeks to get the paperwor sent to Indian and the plate sent back to me.

Good luck.

[SeansmomSandy]

May be different in Canada, but i went from one province to another. I asked the seller to leave his plate on it. Used that to get it home, then I shipped it back to him by FedEx after I went and got my plate.

[Kevin A]

When we purchased our UHaul in Arkansaw 6 years ago, we just hooked up and brought it back into Illinois without any plates. I guess we didn't even think about it and we weren't stopped. We had the private bill of sale and our State Farm insurance was covering the tow and trailer. Lucky I guess! I ordered new plates as soon as we got back, though.

[carlkeigley]

to the Forum Jim.
Congratulations on your find.

When we picked ours up we drove it across seven states.
The troopers didn't even act if they noticed we had no tags.

We did buy new and I did have the paper tag but it was pouring
down rain when we picked it up and I never installed it. Wife was
kind of antsy but I told her the rain would destroy it anyway. And
if we were stopped I had the tag.

When I tagged it in Oklahoma I had the option of tagging it or not.
If I didn't register it I wouldn't get a tag and didn't have to pay the tax.
But to get it registered I had to pay the tax and get a tag.

I spent the $600 dollars so if/when I sell or trade it, there won't be that
hassle about the paper work for a new owner. So I have a tag for the trailer.
I don't have tags for my utility trailers.

If it were me, I would just hook up and head for home.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by jcassady

That was going to be one of my follow up questions. I have a utility trailer as well and a plate for it. I was wondering if I should just slap that plate on the Scamp and not worry about it, but I will probably avoid that.

I am in Illinois and will call my local DMV again tomorrow, I called the main Sec. of State line today and got was told to get the temp tags in TN. Maybe he didn't understand that this was going to be a private sale.

If it turns out I have to get the tag from TN and If I get to TN soon enough to get to their office on Saturday I will get a temp tag from them and be legal. Otherwise I might go with the cross your fingers and go approach.

According to the Sec/state website,Illinois allows 20 days from the purchase of a vehicle from a private party to order title/registration. I have brought home dozens of trailers and have never been questioned. In some states, title and plates are not even required at all, ever, on small trailers, but you'd better bring an open title with you when you go to get registered.
One caveat, it is IllAnnoy we are talking about(even their website could be wrong)
Also,if you want Comp and Collision insurance, you'd better inform your agent before towing it.

[Jared J]

When I bought the scamp, the bill of sale/title was actually for the day AFTER I bought it, and the seller gave me his registration. Technically, I was borrowing the trailer the day I brought it home.