? about registering a trailer

maddog411

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Harrisburg, NC
Ok, I bought a tandem axle car trailer off a guy in SC. He didn't have a title or a license for it. I called the DOT this morning and they told me I need to get a duplicate copy of the title in order to register it. I have no idea how I would do this, its not like a trailer has a serial # or vin # on it to look up. Would I be ok with not registering it? Any other suggestions?
 
You can register it as a home built, does it have a plate from the manufacturer?
 
I fought a similar fight on a utility trailer I bought. I wouldn't recommend running without a plate on the trailer, so you may be in for some work.

<rant>

My biggest frustration with the whole process was that I kept getting different answer from each of the different people I talked to at the DMV. I'd get a piece of documentation they (the DMV office) told me I'd need and the next person I'd talk to would say that won't work. That was at the Harrisburg DMV office. Personally I will never step in that office again. Any state office that has a sign stating "I can only please one person each day and you're not that person," (or something to that effect) has serious problems. I understand the joke, but in that office it's not funny.

</rant>

In the end, the guy I bought the trailer from (fortunately I worked with him) was able to drum up a title. (Having the title is the easiest way to take care of the registration.) But in the process they told me there were other ways to get the trailer registered, it would just mean having to get a bill of sale and having a guy at the police station stamp an NC ID on the trailer.

In my opinion, the best thing you can do is go to one DMV office and work with one specific person until you get this taken care of. I finally took some time from work and went to a lady at the Concord DMV office. I had her show me in writing what I needed to register the trailer and from that point on, I only worked with her.

Good luck,

Jeff
 
I recently built and registered a trailer. It's a 2 step process. First, you go to the DMV and tell them you are building a trailer. You'll pay a small amount ($10-$15, I think) to get issued a serial number and a form to complete. After your trailer is built, you must stamp that serial number on the tongue and rear axle of the trailer. You then have to have the trailer inspected by an officer or highway patrol and have them sign the paper that DMV gave you. They will look to make sure it's road-worthy, complies to all applicable laws, and has the same serial number that you were issued stamped on the tongue and rear axle. After they have signed the form, take it back to the DMV to get issued plates and a title, paying fees for both.

Warning: I stamped the number on a plate and welded said plates on the tongue and axle. The highway patrol wouldn't pass it. I had to have the serial number stamped into the trailer itself. Other than that, it was relatively painless...
 
I did the same thing and was pretty simple. I was worried that they would say something durning the inspeaction. It was a boat trailor and by no means did it look homebuilt. was prob 20 years old and rusty to and officer had NO problem with it. Just checked both numbers and the lights and I was on my way.
 
not related to the trailer process, but the circle jerk from the DMV... I had an ordeal over my old zuke i bought off DC(4wd). It stemed from the fact that he didnt sign the title "EXACTLY" as it was typed on the title.. Well problem arose AFTER they already issued me a title in my name 1 full year later... THEN placed a block on it to prevent reregistration.. a full 12 months later... The whole, do this, do that process started... I started carring a spiral notebook and documenting the full name and what that DMV person said i needed.... Then would happily read any part back to them weather they reqquested it or not...

Funny part was all i needed was a 2nd noterized statement from DC saying he is the same person as he was last year that sold me the zuke I now have a title on... I sent him and email where I was ranting about the DMV and how they were fuckups and several other comments... and I needed his signature to be the same as the title and spelled that out also... He print that email signed the top and had that noterized.. which i hand delivered to the DMV :)
 
I have "built" several trailers. Jeepin Jeffster nailed it. Axle and tongue stamp, and your good to go. Lights are only checked if you can not view tow trucks lights from behind the trailer. But I always have mine working. Thing is, it is cheaper to re-register a trailer in NC, than it is to transfer a title. So I never ask for a title. And in doing this, you always get a "newer" trailer.
 
Just curious for you guys who have had the cops do the inspection... One of the other things that irritated me during my process is the folks in Concord told me I had to go to one specific guy in Kannapolis to do the inspection. That guy was only availble 2 hours per week to do the inspections (Tuesdays from 8-10am or something like that). I work in Charlotte, so that process would kill a half day for me, so that was another reason I went the title route.

Anyone else run into similar schedule limitations for the inspectors?
 
I had to get the VIN number verified on the Mog before it could be registered. A couple of DOT or HP officers stopped by the house one morning. Granted they are probably more inclined to do that for a self-powered vehicle but only a couple hrs availability seems short.

Also, I had both Pinzgauers inspected for roadworthiness at the local HP office. I just scheduled a time and showed up. Again I'm not sure they would do the same for a trailer.
 
Back
Top