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Old 11-09-2019, 12:26 PM   #81
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Welcome back to Texas! The PD visit takes longer for them to complete the form than inspecting the trailer. All they do is verify the VIN on the trailer with the import paperwork.
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Old 11-09-2019, 01:39 PM   #82
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Welcome back to Texas! The PD visit takes longer for them to complete the form than inspecting the trailer. All they do is verify the VIN on the trailer with the import paperwork.
Thanks, and, yes, I'm prepared for a wait. Hoping the PD also provides the form, as I haven't been able to find a printable one online!
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Old 11-09-2019, 04:04 PM   #83
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Yes, they provide the form. [emoji4]. Just bring your trailer, the ETI import paperwork and a credit card. I don’t know about Harris County but Galveston County charged $40 for the privilege.
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Old 11-09-2019, 08:30 PM   #84
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......... Suffice it to say that I'll now be in line at the police department between 9-9:30 AM Monday............

Is their office closed on Monday - Veterans Day?
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Old 11-10-2019, 10:39 PM   #85
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Is their office closed on Monday - Veterans Day?
Bless you for saving me a trip downtown tomorrow! I didn't even think of Veteran's Day - and am a bit ashamed of myself for that. I remember seeing somewhere that the 30-day period could run from the day I entered Texas. Hopefully, I can find that document, as I'll otherwise be paying a late fee.
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Old 11-11-2019, 11:08 AM   #86
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Bless you for saving me a trip downtown tomorrow! I didn't even think of Veteran's Day - and am a bit ashamed of myself for that. I remember seeing somewhere that the 30-day period could run from the day I entered Texas. Hopefully, I can find that document, as I'll otherwise be paying a late fee.
Seems to me that 30 day period started 15 days ago when you returned from your pickup trip....
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Old 11-11-2019, 11:48 AM   #87
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In Late August of 2017, I returned to Austin from picking up my 21.The Austin PD was booked up for that one day in September to do the inspection. So I made an inspection appointment for that one day in October to do the inspection. It went smoothly. Later the same day I visited a branch office of the county tax office and paid my tax. There was no late fee.
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Old 11-11-2019, 05:51 PM   #88
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In Late August of 2017, I returned to Austin from picking up my 21.The Austin PD was booked up for that one day in September to do the inspection. So I made an inspection appointment for that one day in October to do the inspection. It went smoothly. Later the same day I visited a branch office of the county tax office and paid my tax. There was no late fee.
It's clear that different counties tolerate varying levels of tolerance when it comes to adherence to the rules. Though Harris County is a stickler for them, I don't think that I'll have to pay a late fee, as I didn't arrive back in Houston until October 31st. I'd have preferred to arrive much later still and would have, if it hadn't been for 1) a series of cold, rainy days in Washington and upper Oregon, (I finally decided to drive as long as it took until I reached the sun ), wine country wildfires (had to cancel my reservations - ), an eagerness to get out of the mountains (embarrassing fear of heights), and a desire to put the dry and dusty desert behind me in favor of green, gold, and scarlet leaves. I'm looking forward to overwintering in Texas (with forays into areas outside of Houston) before heading up the East Coast toward Quebec - hugging the coastline wherever needed to enjoy beaches and avoid mountains. I've learned Austin's gentle hills are just about the right height for me!
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Old 11-21-2019, 02:25 PM   #89
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If registering in harris county texas

As is clear from posts on this thread, other counties in Texas may let you slide on one or more of the forms, but if you're registering in Houston/Harris County, you'd best have EVERYTHING the state may require ready, because Harris County is likely to make you tow every line. I am not writing to whine, (because recounting the experience makes me relive the annoying experience), but to save others a lot of aggravation.

The most challenging thing for me was getting the VIN form signed, because the two offices that (supposedly) make appointments were not making them when I called. The Houston PD office that verifies VIN numbers is open only on Mondays, and it was closed for Veteran's Day. I subsequently fell outside the state's 30-day deadline for registering. I was expecting a line of TV's and trailers filing in and out of a lot. Nope. Only street parking is available, and mechanics with large rigs who were working to repair cars took up most of the available space. (These were somehow related to vehicles going into and/or out of the impound lot, which is also controlled from the same busy, busy, office that verifies VIN numbers.) The office opens at 9AM, and one must sign in by 9:30AM or wait until the next Monday. As Mondays are also garbage/recycling days, parking for 2-vehicle rigs is extremely limited. I waited for a space that would accommodate my TV and trailer for well over an hour and made the 9:30 deadline only because of the kindness of a gentleman who saw my situation and (unasked ) stood by my trailer in a "do not park" area till I could sign in, get back, and wait for one of the large rigs to move out. If I'd understood the realities, I'd have made a point to be parked by 8 AM.

In addition to all of the forms previously mentioned by TEXANS in this thread, you may (or may not) also need to complete Form VTR-141 "Trailer Verification Statement of Fact," which you can find and download by googling. The assistant-manager did not mention the form last time I went in, but I was given the form to complete Monday. I strongly recommend having it and/or the information needed at hand when you approach the window the first time.

The tax office was also going to charge me a late fee, the rationale being that I was not registering within 30 days of purchase (1/17/2019). I argued that the fee was unreasonable considering that 1) I had to travel from Sumas to Houston so didn't arrive until 10/31, and 2) I had already visited the tax office with everything required except the VIN verification, which other state tax offices do not require, and 3) the Houston PD office that verifies VIN numbers was closed last Monday for Veteran's Day, else I would have been able to register within the 30-day limit. The tax office manager would not budge on the late fee until I got the state comptroller's office on my cell phone (phone number on the back of the registration form). A representative in that office immediately saw the reasonableness of my argument and spoke to the manager, who then agreed to waive the late fee. Up till then she had been asserting, "I'm just doing my job. I'm required by the state comptroller's office to go by the purchase date. The state comptroller will not look for reasons beyond that date."
Yes, well....maybe.

You may encounter none of the issues I did, but the man at the counter next to me trying to register a boat trailer purchased from NC clearly did and was as obviously frustrated. So do your due diligence, arrive with all forms completed, and have the money in cash or a cashier's check if you want to avoid a 2.15% transaction fee for using a credit or debit card. After all, the amount adds up to a pretty penny for those of us who watching each one!
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Old 11-21-2019, 02:45 PM   #90
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Originally Posted by brightday View Post
As is clear from posts on this thread, other counties in Texas may let you slide on one or more of the forms, but if you're registering in Houston/Harris County, you'd best have EVERYTHING the state may require ready, because Harris County is likely to make you tow every line. I am not writing to whine, (because recounting the experience makes me relive the annoying experience), but to save others a lot of aggravation.

The most challenging thing for me was getting the VIN form signed, because the two offices that (supposedly) make appointments were not making them when I called. The Houston PD office that verifies VIN numbers is open only on Mondays, and it was closed for Veteran's Day. I subsequently fell outside the state's 30-day deadline for registering. I was expecting a line of TV's and trailers filing in and out of a lot. Nope. Only street parking is available, and mechanics with large rigs who were working to repair cars took up most of the available space. (These were somehow related to vehicles going into and/or out of the impound lot, which is also controlled from the same busy, busy, office that verifies VIN numbers.) The office opens at 9AM, and one must sign in by 9:30AM or wait until the next Monday. As Mondays are also garbage/recycling days, parking for 2-vehicle rigs is extremely limited. I waited for a space that would accommodate my TV and trailer for well over an hour and made the 9:30 deadline only because of the kindness of a gentleman who saw my situation and (unasked ) stood by my trailer in a "do not park" area till I could sign in, get back, and wait for one of the large rigs to move out. If I'd understood the realities, I'd have made a point to be parked by 8 AM.

In addition to all of the forms previously mentioned by TEXANS in this thread, you may (or may not) also need to complete Form VTR-141 "Trailer Verification Statement of Fact," which you can find and download by googling. The assistant-manager did not mention the form last time I went in, but I was given the form to complete Monday. I strongly recommend having it and/or the information needed at hand when you approach the window the first time.

The tax office was also going to charge me a late fee, the rationale being that I was not registering within 30 days of purchase (1/17/2019). I argued that the fee was unreasonable considering that 1) I had to travel from Sumas to Houston so didn't arrive until 10/31, and 2) I had already visited the tax office with everything required except the VIN verification, which other state tax offices do not require, and 3) the Houston PD office that verifies VIN numbers was closed last Monday for Veteran's Day, else I would have been able to register within the 30-day limit. The tax office manager would not budge on the late fee until I got the state comptroller's office on my cell phone (phone number on the back of the registration form). A representative in that office immediately saw the reasonableness of my argument and spoke to the manager, who then agreed to waive the late fee. Up till then she had been asserting, "I'm just doing my job. I'm required by the state comptroller's office to go by the purchase date. The state comptroller will not look for reasons beyond that date."
Yes, well....maybe.

You may encounter none of the issues I did, but the man at the counter next to me trying to register a boat trailer purchased from NC clearly did and was as obviously frustrated. So do your due diligence, arrive with all forms completed, and have the money in cash or a cashier's check if you want to avoid a 2.15% transaction fee for using a credit or debit card. After all, the amount adds up to a pretty penny for those of us who watching each one!
Sounds to me like someone needs to relocate to Livingston Texas!
https://www.escapees.com/

Harris county also has stricter rules on vehicle inspection and higher fees as well. I used to live in Houston and really don't miss it at all.
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Old 11-21-2019, 03:09 PM   #91
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Sounds to me like someone needs to relocate to Livingston Texas!
https://www.escapees.com/

Harris county also has stricter rules on vehicle inspection and higher fees as well. I used to live in Houston and really don't miss it at all.
Believe you me, I'm seriously considering it!
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Old 11-21-2019, 03:35 PM   #92
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Believe you me, I'm seriously considering it!
Kenedy county could use a few more folks. Only just over 400 of us here. We are so sparsely populated our local hooker is still a virgin.
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Old 11-21-2019, 04:29 PM   #93
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Kenedy county could use a few more folks. Only just over 400 of us here. We are so sparsely populated our local hooker is still a virgin.
Sounds like a lovely place to visit! I love the idea of moving even farther south. Even so, as you likely know, Escapees in Livingston provides benefits other places don't, including mail forwarding.

I moved from North Carolina to Houston in June despite the traffic, taxes, bureaucratic red tape, etc. ONLY because my daughter lives here - but that's a pretty big ONLY
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Old 11-21-2019, 07:51 PM   #94
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I am still trying to figure out the "within 30 days of purchase" deal. What if someone purchased their trailer and did not pick it it for several months? The police or SO must visual inspect the vin and that would put someone further behind. When I picked my 21 up on the last day of July 2017. I did owe less than a hundred dollars and paid that on arrival. But I did not get back to Austin until September 1st. The police could not and did not inspect it until October. No fine. It seems to me that a 30 day should be from the time the police do the inspection (that could be wishful thinking on my part). Maybe Harris County misinterprets the law or Travis County did not read the fine print
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Old 11-21-2019, 08:11 PM   #95
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OK, did some digging and found these articles. First: https://txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-o...reign-vehicles Out of state 30 days, but no mention of 30 days concerning vehicles from outside the US. Second: under ' Application for Texas Title and/or Registration form 130 ' this " The sales and use tax must be paid to the county tax assessor-collector within 30 days from the date of purchase or entry of the vehicle into Texas"
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Old 11-21-2019, 08:47 PM   #96
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I am still trying to figure out the "within 30 days of purchase" deal. What if someone purchased their trailer and did not pick it it for several months? The police or SO must visual inspect the vin and that would put someone further behind. When I picked my 21 up on the last day of July 2017. I did owe less than a hundred dollars and paid that on arrival. But I did not get back to Austin until September 1st. The police could not and did not inspect it until October. No fine. It seems to me that a 30 day should be from the time the police do the inspection (that could be wishful thinking on my part). Maybe Harris County misinterprets the law or Travis County did not read the fine print
Be glad you registered in Austin, which appears to take a much more reasonable approach to the entire process.
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Old 11-21-2019, 09:13 PM   #97
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OK, did some digging and found these articles. First: https://txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-o...reign-vehicles Out of state 30 days, but no mention of 30 days concerning vehicles from outside the US. Second: under ' Application for Texas Title and/or Registration form 130 ' this " The sales and use tax must be paid to the county tax assessor-collector within 30 days from the date of purchase or entry of the vehicle into Texas"
"The sales and use tax must be paid to the county tax assessor-collector within 30 days from the date of purchase or entry of the vehicle into Texas" I KNEW I'd read that somewhere, James, but just couldn't find it again on the day I went in. I quoted it to the manager who acted as though I was making it up. Reasonability - right there in black and white! I think I'll print out another copy of the form, highlight the pertinent phrase, and send it to Harris County Tax Assessor Ann Harris Bennett, because nobody should have to go through this snafu again. Thanks!!!
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Old 11-21-2019, 09:30 PM   #98
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It will go in file 13.


B L James
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Old 11-22-2019, 07:38 AM   #99
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Hays County tried to tack on late fee because they were going off 'completion date' on build sheet. After showing them a custom's doc with the date of export, i got it removed.
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Old 09-21-2020, 05:04 PM   #100
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So is the Tx sales tax-price based on the trailer or price with added options? I recon it’s the total.
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