Model number required for Property tax - VA

[shark8]

I almost feel silly asking this but since my local county office asked for it and I can’t find it, I’m goi ng to ask anyways...
Long story short and without going into too much rambling, my residing county asked me to supply a “model number” of the trailer. Apparently saying it was a 5.0 was not satisfying their needs. They said the number should be on a metal plate somewhere on the vehicle. Okay, sounds easy enough to find. Went looking 🧐 and I could only find the plate that states the VIN, weight, tire, etc. No “model number”. I told them as far as I know it’s an Escape 5.0. I mean, that is what model I have. Is there something or somewhere else I should be looking, or does the county just not understand or able to search the database since this make is not very known within the US?! [emoji848][emoji58]

[rbryan4]

That is correct. The make is Escape, model is 5.0. Model can be a number, a name, or both. I had similar difficulties convincing Texas authorities that the model of my trailer was simply "19".

[tractors1]

Oregon had to add Escape 21 to their database when I showed up with mine. Wasn't a big deal that it wasn't listed, they just took the Bill of Sale as proof that it exists.

[shark8]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

That is correct. The make is Escape, Model is 5.0. I had similar difficulties convincing Texas authorities that the model of my trailer was simply "19".

Thank you!! Glad I’m not wrong for thinking that 5.0 is in fact all there is!

[shark8]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Oregon had to add Escape 21 to their database when I showed up with mine. Wasn't a big deal that it wasn't listed, they just took the Bill of Sale as proof that it exists.

Yes, they just took that same info but was trying to charge me same tax each year from the original price paid of the vehicle.
I was about to argue with them about paying the same tax every year on pc of property that should depreciate each year just like a car would. They shut me down before I could even get started by asking for a model number. Ha ha.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by tractors1

Oregon had to add Escape 21 to their database when I showed up with mine. Wasn't a big deal that it wasn't listed, they just took the Bill of Sale as proof that it exists.

Interesting since your wasn't the first Escape 21' registered in Oregon. Dave&Kathie have a 2013 Escape 21' and registered it Nov. 2013.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Interesting since your wasn't the first Escape 21' registered in Oregon. Dave&Kathie have a 2013 Escape 21' and registered it Nov. 2013.

I don't think it matters if another of the same was previously registered, they still seem to have issues. Ours was certainly not the first 19 registered in Texas for example, and yet they had trouble using just 19 as the model. Perhaps these computer systems are expecting a long name in the model field?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

I don't know if it matters that he wasn't the first. Ours was certainly not the first 19 registered in Texas, and yet they had trouble using just 19 as the model. Perhaps these computer systems are expecting a long name?

Yeah, and we're talking about government systems too. Nothing moves fast in Oregon.

[gbaglo]

Guess you could then try "Five Point Zero" or "Nineteen".

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Nothing moves fast in Oregon.

Well the traffic certainly doesn't, we found that out. That is, until you get on the eastern side of the Cascades, then you're moving.

[shark8]

Lol. When they ask again, I’ll spell it for them... m-fivepointo. [emoji12].

[Iowa Dave]

Though things are far from perfect in Iowa, in rural county courthouses the recorder is usually pretty easy to deal with. Sometimes there's a difference in what a document is called but by and large, they take you at your word unless there's a required piece of paper that's missing. Maybe because they deal with model numbers all the time on special mobile equipment licenses.
Iowa Dave

[padlin]

I had to wait 3 days when I went to register my trailer while they had Escape added as a manufacturer. Couldn't do anything till the dropdown option existed. I was just glad that someone at the RMV had the knowledge to know what needed to be done.

[cpaharley2008]

I had a similar issue with my EggCamper,a small fg unit from Michigan. It's almost like they officials want us to do their work? They could not input Eggcamper, I took it down to the office and said "well, there it sits, you can call it what ever", so it was called "whatever" on my title and registration, it worked for them and I did not care as long as I got my tags. Some home made trailers have the same issue.

[wetzk]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I had a similar issue with my EggCamper,a small fg unit from Michigan. It's almost like they officials want us to do their work? They could not input Eggcamper, I took it down to the office and said "well, there it sits, you can call it what ever", so it was called "whatever" on my title and registration, it worked for them and I did not care as long as I got my tags. Some home made trailers have the same issue.

We ran into that with a harborfreight trailer years ago . I had to bring it in for inspection and they did not find a serial number or anything other than the manufactures name, model # and country of origin.
They said since it was not homemade I needed the number put on the trailer. I tried contacting Harborfreight to be told they had never had that problem before and they had no idea what to do. And was given a hint by someone on a listserv I belonged to of stamping my own info and bringing it back. So I broke out the metal stamps and made up a group of numbers and letters and stamped it on the frame and brought back to be inspected. It was accepted and titled and plates were finally issued.

[cpaharley2008]

I could not have survived 37 years of bureaucracy without these "go arounds" that had to be invented, on a daily basis....

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I could not have survived 37 years of bureaucracy without these "go arounds" that had to be invented, on a daily basis....

Hi: cpaharley2008... I used to call them "Boxcar numbers". Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie