NC resident buying trailer from SC, title not required in SC? Registration?

fergymoto

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2007
Location
Harrisburg, NC
Hey guys. I am looking at a 28' enclosed trailer in SC. There is no title with it, and the owner says he has a bill of sale from the previous owner, but no title. He claims that in SC a title is not necessary for a trailer. Does anyone know 100% for sure, if this is true?

Next question, if that is true, how would I go about obtaining a title and registering it in NC?

I realize I could just call the DMV and ask them, but obviously they are closed today, and I wanted to go get that trailer today. Thanks for any help!

Dan
 
Tag is only required in SC if its for commercial use so I would assume you wouldn't need a title either. The original purchaser may have gotten one but its long been forgotten or lost as they didn't need it to sell etc. cant help you on the NC side of things. I know you can get a title for a homemade trailer. Might could go that route but never seen it done with an enclosed trailer.
 
walk in dmv with a $5 bill and get the homemade trailer title form.

stamp that number on your tongue and get it inspected by trooper.

pay for your tag.

done.
 
Are you sure that would work on this type of trailer? It would be quite obvious that it is not home made.

I did eventually get to talk to someone at the DMV, and they said that even though a title is not required in NC, because it is possible to title a trailer there, it must come with a SC title when bought to be able to be registered in NC. So I can't buy it unless this guy can get a title. He did not get a title from the person he bought it from, so who knows.
 
Obviously, you'll have to make your own decisions here but....

If you're paying taxes and tags on a trailer after a purchase has been made identifying it as YOUR property, the DMV is most likely not concerned with what serial number is on it or who built it originally.

I know numerous people who have done this transaction in the method I prescribed.

I bought a trailer w/ no title years ago. Redid everything on it how I wanted and followed suite. All legal, no issues. I have a title to the number I stamped on the tongue and it is registered under my name as so.

It was a factory built trailer at one time.
 
I am about to go thru this for a trailer of mine. It is homebuilt and has no title. I have owned it for about 15 years but need to get it registered in NC now. (came from a state that didn't require titles, like SC). From what I understand, the DOT has to look at it now, just like they have to look at an out of state antique vehicle (even with a title).. Total waste of time. Anyway, if it were a homebuilt, you would be fine. An enclosed (or any) with a serial # is an entirely different story, from those I have spoken with. You can try it, but I wouldn't...
 
Just don't tag it. If you are ever stoped for lack of a trailer tag it would be a first for me. If you are stoped . It could belong to a friend that lives in SC. I have a SC friend that I borrow trailers from. You could keep a bill of sale with you . I have never heard of of issue with tags. Maybe enforced somewhere. Not here
 
I recently sold a boat to a guy from NC. So me being from SC didnt have a title for the trailer. I did although have the certificate of orgin from the trailer company. That was all that the guy that bought it from me needed to have it titled and registered. If it has never been titled you could possibly have that guy call the trailer manufacturer and get a certificate of orgin.
 
When I bought my trailer recently they told me that there is not title. Only a statement of origin. It is somewhat is needed to get a title in SC. I called the DMV here and they told me that if the trailer did nto leave the state it did not need a tag, however if it did leave the state it needed a tag.
 
another vote on getting a certificate of origin. See if you can go back to the original manufacturer and get one. Might require a bill of sale from the original owner.
 
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