Travel Trailer Licencing Fees

[Jim Bennett]

I have noted on other threads that there seems to be a fairly inconsistent amount charged across the continent for registering your trailer. Even differences for varying sizes in the same jurisdiction.

In Alberta it is a one time fee to register your trailer of $109. This is not transferable though, and a new owner would need to pay again and register anew.

I am just curious as to the cost in the various provinces and states. This will help others who are looking to be aware of other costs in addition to that of the purchase price.

[Bob Miller]

Looking here on the DMV.CA.GOV site : https://www.dmv.ca.gov/wasapp/FeeCal...esidentFees.do

A new $30,000 trailer will cost about $280 for registration and a whopping $2400 for sales tax. Future fees will not include the sales taxes unless you are a new buyer, in which case it is taxed again at the declared sale price..

On our 2013 Coleman hybrid, with about 2/3 that value, the original Registration was $190 and sales tax was about $1600, but the second year registration was $164.00 (Just got the second year reg last week)

Soooo I would expect, much like vehicles in CA, that a new Nest Caravan registration fee would start at about $280 and go down each year, based on depreciated value, until it reaches a minimum point in about 12 years.

[frank_a]

I haven't registered ours yet, but in NYS, you pay the going rate for sales tax for the County you live in. Ours was 8% (4% state, 4% county), so just to buy it, we had to pay the state/county $1,320 (on a sale price of $16,500), and another 50 bucks for a title. Registration for trailers in NYS is January 1 to December 31, and is pro-rated for when you actually walk in to get it. We'll walk in early May of 2014, and then I'll know how much my annual and pro-rated registration is.

Frank

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by frank_a

I haven't registered ours yet,
Frank

If you haven't registered it yet, how did you get it home?? Looked like a NY plate on it in one of you pictures???!!! And here's the start of another off topic debate

[Gilda]

Here in California our new 2011 Scamp (13') required a lifetime registration of about $600 and our yearly insurance is about $60. Our San Anselmo local sales tax is now up to 8.5%. (The average for California is 8%)

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

If you haven't registered it yet, how did you get it home?? Looked like a NY plate on it in one of you pictures???!!! And here's the start of another off topic debate

Bob, let's just say I have a number of trailers with current plates. One of those plates made a brief tour to NJ, and the rest is history.

It's a pain to register before you go, but it can be done. It's not for the faint of heart, but then again, not much dealing with DMV is in good old NYS.

Frank

[David Tilston]

$109 life time registration is why my kids won't "own" their trailers till I am no longer around.

[Terry G]

In Colorado, sales tax can range from 7.5 to about 8%, depending on the county where you reside. The state takes 2.9%. License plates are based on the value of your vehicle and tend to get lower every year. The 2013 tag (from March 2013 to March 2014) for my 1996 17' Casita cost $60.87.

[tractors1]

Oregon charges by foot of overall length from tip to tip and plates are good for 2 years at about $90 per year for my 17 ft Casita. Trailers are also required to be registered continuously so if you buy a used trailer that had been in storage for 4 years, you are required to pay 4 years BACK FEES before YOU can register it. I learned this the hard way when I did just that!

Charlie Y

[Raz]

Vermont- purchase and use fee (sales tax) 6%

Registration- $25/ yr. for a trailer < 1500 lbs and no title is issued. No inspection needed.
- $49/yr. for a trailer > 1500 lbs. Title is $33. Yearly inspection required. Typically $30.

This is based on the manufacturers stated weight.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Gilda

Here in California our new 2011 Scamp (13') required a lifetime registration of about $600 and our yearly insurance is about $60. Our San Anselmo local sales tax is now up to 8.5%. (The average for California is 8%)

In CA the PTI plates are permanent but are subject to a service fee every 5 years. I believe that the $600 figure mentioned also included the one time sales tax on the declared value.

Here is a clip from CA DMV website that covers both larger trailers (aka Vehicles) and those that qualify for the PTI plates.
------------------------------------------------
Vehicle License Fee
Most vehicles are also assessed a Vehicle License Fee (VLF). The VLF was established by the Legislature in 1935 in lieu of a property tax on vehicles. The formula for VLF assessment established by the Legislature is based upon the purchase price of the vehicle or the value of the vehicle when acquired. The VLF decreases with each renewal for the first 11 years. The DMV returns almost all vehicle license fee revenue to the cities and counties. For more details on how your VLF money is used, contact your local city or county government officials.
Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) Fee

All trailers, except trailer coaches and park trailers, are assessed a Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) fee. Once a trailer is in the PTI program a service fee is due every five years. PTI trailers are not subject to other Registration Fees, California Highway Patrol Fees, County Fees, Vehicle License Fees, and Weight Fees.
-------------------------------------------------------

In CA DMV parlance, "Trailer Coaches" includes RV trailers over 16' long.

[Carol H]

Here in BC we not only have to register the trailer each year but it must have its own plates and decals showing it has its own basic min insurance on it as well.

The registration fee for the trailer is based on weight. I dont have the car in the driveway that has the paper work to give me the actual costs each year but I believe the following is pretty close for my trailer under 3000lbs:

The plates on time purchase cost is $18 but I believe each year I pay a licence fee of $23 and a Registration fee of $18
As mentioned the trailer must have its own minimum basic insurance which I believe I pay about another $100 per year for :

Third-Party Liability coverage up to $200,000 to cover injury costs and vehicle damage.

Under insured Motorist protection - up to $1 million per person to cover you should someone hit you and they dont have enough insurance to cover the damage/injuries.

Hit & Run under insured protection. This protection for you and your vehicle is available to every B.C. resident, even if you don't own or insure a vehicle. Up to $200,000 in damages or injuries.

Inverse Liability Coverage - This protects you in parts of Canada or the U.S. where local laws don't let you claim against the person who caused your crash. Your vehicle repair costs are covered up to 100 per cent (less if you were partly at fault for the crash).


The above of course does nothing for me if the trailer is lost or stolen or damaged while sitting at my home or elsewhere by a means other than an auto accident or even if I am in an accident it doesnt cover the repairs to fix my own trailer - only those I hit. I need to purchase a separate insurance for that. Thats another $120 or so a year.

Bottom line is I pay about $250 each year for registration and insurance on the trailer.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Oregon charges by foot of overall length from tip to tip and plates are good for 2 years at about $90 per year for my 17 ft Casita. Trailers are also required to be registered continuously so if you buy a used trailer that had been in storage for 4 years, you are required to pay 4 years BACK FEES before YOU can register it. I learned this the hard way when I did just that!

Charlie Y

I looked it up on ODOT web site. Title fee for a travel trailer is $77.00 one time. I seem to remember there was also a fee for license plate, but I'm not sure. I also seem to remember that my initial registration fee was over $200, but that was 8 years ago.
Registration is good for 2 years and has to be renewed every 2 years is on a per foot basis. Here's two examples. My 13' was $101.25. (I just paid it) a 17' is $128.35.
You can look at the chart of registration fees here. Trailer length is measured from the coupler to rear bumper.

FYI.. There are NO inspection fees in Oregon for any vehicle with exception of those living in the Portland Metro area then there's a DEQ exhaust inspection.

[Bobbie Mayer]

California- I pay $10 PTI.

When I switch to Washington which I will do either when the PTI expires or when I sell the house in Fresno, it will be about $40 annually (but I think more the first year.)

Insurance- $43 a year in California, going down to about $20 a year here. (Trailer valued at about $4000.)

[rgrugg]

Here in Michigan it cost $75 to register our EggCamper and that's it. The plate is good for as long as you own the trailer. There are several fee categories based on the trailer value. No transferring the plate to a new trailer.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Bobbie Mayer

California- I pay $10 PTI.

When I switch to Washington which I will do either when the PTI expires or when I sell the house in Fresno, it will be about $40 annually (but I think more the first year.)

Insurance- $43 a year in California, going down to about $20 a year here. (Trailer valued at about $4000.)

I'm curious, do know what you'll have to pay sales taxes and first time fees when you switch to WA. One of my friends used to live in WA he went there from OR, he said he had to weigh his popup trailer and pay a pretty good fee. Things could have changed since then.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

I'm curious, do know what you'll have to pay sales taxes and first time fees when you switch to WA. One of my friends used to live in WA he went there from OR, he said he had to weigh his popup trailer and pay a pretty good fee. Things could have changed since then.

No sales tax due to age of the trailer and the fact that I already paid it in California. I don't know the fees, though, all it says is "if you are registering it for the first time in Washington contact us." I did contact about my boat at one time (before I sold it) and it was about $60 something so probably an additional $20-$30. Does anyone here know?

Mine has been registered previously in Washington, but not by me.

[honda03842]

Live Free or Die.
The magic of New Hampshire, no sales tax. Look at the price of anything and that's what you pay.

[Carol H]

Here in BC you do pay Provincial sales tax on new and used trailers at 7% plus a 5% GST (Federal goods and service tax). Yup a wonderfull 12% to add to the purchase cost. Same with auto's but the rate actually goes up on the Provincial sales tax if the vehicle is worth more than $55,000 - up to 10% on vehicles worth more than $57,000.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Live Free or Die.
The magic of New Hampshire, no sales tax. Look at the price of anything and that's what you pay.

I assumed trailers were like autos, a yearly registration fee based on the value?? Raz