Trailer info (Title, tagging, and registration)

[Thefisherman64]

Found a replacement trailer for my Phoenix. The original one was the tube type and after 6 years, it has seen better times. The 5 years down in S. Louisiana pretty much rusted it from the inside out.

The trailer I found was back in the bushes. Had so much stuff growing on it. It had been there long enough that the land owner had no idea about the original owner. I am in the process of cleaning it up. New bunk boards (in the proper location) Tires, and lights.

I need to title, tag, and register this new trailer without knowledge of previous owner. How do I start? I assume this happens more than we think. Does anyone have the way to move forward on this?

Thanks

[Stompy]

Can't you just title it as a homemade shop built boat trailer?

[Kevin R.]

Legal wise is bonded title with the vin it has. The state does wipe vin numbers of trailers from their system after 8 to 10 years of no regestriation of that vin. So it may not show up in the system.

[Thefisherman64]

The VIN placard has long since sun faded, and there are no numbers (or writing) that is even visible on it.

I am essentially re-building it from scratch. So home made it is. Just wondering about legallities

[Kevin R.]

As a homemade it will depend on the weight it will hold as to if it will need a title. If its over 4,000lbs gross it will. You will have to have the trailer inspected by the auto theft task force, a state inspection, an empty weight slip from a certifed scale before you can get a vin number from the state before you can get a tag and title. We just did 3 homemades at work and its a process.

[Stompy]

Doubt it will go over 4k with his Bee on it.

[Bass AHolic]

just transfer the stuff off trailer have now , get a stamp metal kit for ser # on frame and just swap out trailers, or chop old trailer up for scrap metal??

[Thefisherman64]

As a homemade it will depend on the weight it will hold as to if it will need a title. If its over 4,000lbs gross it will. You will have to have the trailer inspected by the auto theft task force, a state inspection, an empty weight slip from a certifed scale before you can get a vin number from the state before you can get a tag and title. We just did 3 homemades at work and its a process.

Just curious about the state inspection. Will a normal Inspection location for typical autos and trucks do the trailer inspection? Where do you find a certified scale that will actually allow me to just get an empty weight of the trailer?.

[Kevin R.]

Most shops that do state inspections can do it. Go to a truck stop and see if the scale is marked as "certified", if it's a cat brand then it is. Pull up on the scale and unhook and drive off the scale before they weigh it. You may also weigh it loaded to make sure it's under. For titling purpose you can put what ever max you want as long as the axles are rated for it.

[pops slowdog]

Sure there are plenty of scales around. Here's one not far:

B&L Public Scales
3586 South FM 2869
Hawkins, TX. 903-769-3581

This is just north of Hawkins in Holly Lake Ranch. North/East of FM 14 on 2869
Ive never used this one, but they've been there several years.

[JayLaw]

Good luck with the cat scales, mine down here wont even register if the only weight on the scale is less than 2K lbs. I just went through this with buying out of state boat/trailer, they wanted a certified weight. Only way I could get it was three weigh tickets...1) truck only 2) truck with boat and trailer 3) truck with just trailer. But you had to have the trucks rear wheels on the scale that the trailer was on other wise it didn't register on scale #2. Local landfills have scales that will register it, didn't think of that until after the fact...

[berger1b]

Just curious about the state inspection. Will a normal Inspection location for typical autos and trucks do the trailer inspection? Where do you find a certified scale that will actually allow me to just get an empty weight of the trailer?.

You can go to this site to find a location near you that will inspect trailers. Good luck.
http://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/vi/VIac...r/default.aspx

[richg99]

When I anticipated registering a Tennessee trailer here...The lady I talked to at DPS said to me ....Quietly..."They will take it and you will never get it back". I left that trailer TN. richg99