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Old 01-28-2016, 11:46 AM   #1
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woe of registration

For Colorado Escape owners only, I know all states are different. We are running into the problem of the local county wanting to verify the VIN prior to registration. We know we will have the VIN, et al before we leave to pick up "Dog House" 21' in May, but we'd hoped to go directly to camping in BC and Alaska before returning to Colorado. Not so sure how a license-less trailer would fare going from Canada to US, back into Canada, and then into US. Don't really want to find out the hard way.
Any suggestions??
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Old 01-28-2016, 12:23 PM   #2
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We picked up our trailer on Sep 30, 2015, and it is STILL not registered due to the state employees giving us incorrect information. I know you mentioned Colorado, but I want to share my experience just in case it helps you ask more people for different info.

We left Texas to drive up to BC, and wanted to immediately go camping on the California coast. However, the Polk County tax office said we MUST have an inspection by the Texas Auto Theft Task Force, since it was purchased out of the USA. We drove all the way back to El Paso, had the inspection done, and then drove up to mid New Mexico to camp, and submitted our registration paperwork.

They then told us that the Auto Theft Task Force inspection would not do, and we needed a generic safety inspection from a body shop (or similar) before getting our plates. We called no less than FIVE times to make sure what we did first was correct, and they then back-pedaled, telling us we were wrong.

About two weeks ago, we drove over to Amarillo to get a generic safety inspection and sent that in, but we still haven't heard back yet if we will get our plates or not. Fortunately, we're staying in one place right now, so we don't have a pressing need for the plates.

My suggestion is to call as many offices as you can to get all the possible information, and do everything they suggest, even if multiple suggestions seem to overlap. If Colorado does not require a physical inspection, you might be able to "self verify" the VIN. That's one of the forms we filled out, but again it wasn't enough for us.

Best of luck in figuring this out!
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Old 01-28-2016, 01:08 PM   #3
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I would add this. After many experiences where government employees "lost the line" on a query I made, I now end every conversation with "let me get this straight. What is your name, the best number to call you back if I have a problem and who is your direct supervisor". This will mark you as a jerk but it rarely finds your inquiry being rat holed. My take is that government employees are working for the caller and need to do their job. I worked for governments for 33 years and went to work every day with that attitude. Worked for me and needs to work for all the rest of them.
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Old 01-28-2016, 01:09 PM   #4
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We found that our local AAA office was very helpful in getting us the correct information and identifying the correct people to talk to.
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Old 01-28-2016, 01:27 PM   #5
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We ought to have a thread with registration horror stories. I would have a large contribution. The trailer being imported from Canada really threw then for a loop. But the shocker was that they only required a VIN inspection if the vehicle had a previous title. The certificate of origin was sufficient here. Loren
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Old 01-28-2016, 01:48 PM   #6
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I too am from Texas so the information below might, or might not, pertain to New Mexico. However, the point of Fridaynext's blurb above is: go to your local state license plate place and speak with someone who actually does, or has done, international/out of state transactions before. I went to the local office here in Bandera, Texas. One clerk started to bluff me but then decided she didn't really know much. She asked for the assistance of another lady who actually does this frequently. She looked at my papers from ETI, said this is terrific, then proceeded to tell me what else I needed. The ETI papers were 'right on', she said. Additionally, if i wanted hard metal plates, I needed the following: state inspection of my 5.0TA (which I couldn't do until I returned back to Texas after the trip), official weight (go to one of the Pilot or CAT weighing stations and get an official document which will cost you about $12 or so), and the Anti Theft Task Force Inpection document (which necessitated a trip down to San Antonio since not just everyone does this type of inspection - only specific places in Texas which is in large cities. So, with those four things in hand (ETI papers, Anti Theft document, official weight document, and State of Texas Inspection) she gave me the hard metal license plates.
Prior to leaving Texas and going up to ETI for pick-up I went on-line and was able to print out temporary tags. I think they were for 30 days but might have been for 60 - can't remember. Regardless, the paper tags worked fine for recrossing back into Canada after we took possession of the 5.0TA. After all, tags are tags whether they are paper or metal. Since our maiden trip was so long I had to re-up the paper tags once and get another 30/60 temp tag.
When I got back home to Bandera I thought I would wait a couple months to actually go get the metal tags figuring the longer I waited the longer the next 12 month renewal would be. My mistake: I went into the license office after a couple months and got hit with a penalty for waiting longer than 30 after the paper tags expired. Lesson: once you get home, go get your metal tags. As I recall, the penalty was hefty. The longer you wait the higher the penalty.
Hope this helps.
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Old 01-28-2016, 02:20 PM   #7
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Wow, some of you have got to move to Canada. Before leaving to pick up my trailer, I took the paperwork mailed to me from Escape to my local registries office, paid my $110 fee and 5 min later had my plates and was on my way. Was less painful than a visit to the dentist.
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Old 01-28-2016, 02:45 PM   #8
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thanks

The horror stories are just that! Escape tells me folks take their new Escape to Lyden , WA to get it registered. Being Coloradans without a WA state address, this doesn't make sense to me, but I will call and ask. Thinking about taking the Colorado license off our utility trailer and putting that on the Escape! Maybe no one would notice and call the authorities!
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Old 01-28-2016, 02:56 PM   #9
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As long as you have your papers from ETI and export paperwork with you, really shouldn't need a tag. We had no issues staying out for 7 days and pulling home past countless state troopers with no tag. If you're stopped you just show them the paperwork and that your in-transit home.
Now if you're going to run around for 60 days without going home and registering then it could become a problem.
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Old 01-28-2016, 03:26 PM   #10
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We picked up our trailer and immediately went on a 3 week trip.
When we returned to our home state we went to the DMV to license /register our trailer . One of the first questions we were asked at the DMV was "On what date did the trailer enter Wisconsin". I inquired why that was important and was told that the sales tax on the trailer has to be paid within 10 days of the trailer entering the state . If you delay registering /licensing / transferring title beyond the 10 day grace period , you are guilty of tax avoidance . I don't know what the penalty is nor do I want to find out! The $15 trailer license was not the issue ,the $1100 in sales tax was the State's biggest concern.
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Old 01-28-2016, 04:14 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Mary Strasser View Post
The horror stories are just that! Escape tells me folks take their new Escape to Lyden , WA to get it registered. Being Coloradans without a WA state address, this doesn't make sense to me, but I will call and ask. Thinking about taking the Colorado license off our utility trailer and putting that on the Escape! Maybe no one would notice and call the authorities!
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Old 01-28-2016, 04:34 PM   #12
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I don't really understand why this would be any different than buying a new car or truck that was made in Canada. We have new vehicles sold down here in the states that are made in Canada. The paper work is from the manufacturer whether it's Ford, Chevy, or Escape. I don't know if the difference is motor vehicle verses travel trailer. It would be interesting to hear the BMV's explanation.
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Old 01-28-2016, 04:47 PM   #13
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A search on this issue (of ignorant DMV counter people) will reveal it has been chewed over much. The short of it is that Escape actually provides all the proper registration paperwork state-siders need to get plates. In my New Mexico case after being stonewalled by one DMV grannie I went to a different DMV and that lady had the good sense to call over her supervisor, who set her straight.

I carried metal plates with me to Chilliwack. Stay polite, stick to your guns.
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Old 01-28-2016, 04:48 PM   #14
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I don't really understand why this would be any different than buying a new car or truck that was made in Canada. We have new vehicles sold down here in the states that are made in Canada. The paper work is from the manufacturer whether it's Ford, Chevy, or Escape. I don't know if the difference is motor vehicle verses travel trailer. It would be interesting to hear the BMV's explanation.
We asked that question many times . Are they just not trained or is it deliberate? We have to chuckle though because we were in suspension and they gave us the plate before we left and I put it on the trailer anyway even though we weren't registered for another 3-4 months . Oh they took the sales tax money though a little over 2000 right off the bat . Pat
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Old 01-28-2016, 04:53 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
A search on this issue (of ignorant DMV counter people) will reveal it has been chewed over much. The short of it is that Escape actually provides all the proper registration paperwork state-siders need to get plates. In my New Mexico case after being stonewalled by one DMV grannie I went to a different DMV and that lady had the good sense to call over her supervisor, who set her straight.

I carried metal plates with me to Chilliwack.
Must have better trained DMV personal in New Mexico . Here in California the supervisors were no better , at different DMV 's . Pat
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Old 01-28-2016, 05:02 PM   #16
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Wouldn't bet on that. Wherever you go you never know.
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Old 01-28-2016, 05:11 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by Mary Strasser View Post
The horror stories are just that! Escape tells me folks take their new Escape to Lyden , WA to get it registered. Being Coloradans without a WA state address, this doesn't make sense to me, but I will call and ask. Thinking about taking the Colorado license off our utility trailer and putting that on the Escape! Maybe no one would notice and call the authorities!
Washington has a 3-day permit for travel for unregistered trailers, I believe, that is surely for travel within Washington only. And that has nothing to do with registering in Colorado or any other state. Yes, call Colorado and ask if someone in Washington state can register your trailer --- don't think so! There was someone who used one of Washington's permits and thought it was good for travel across the country. Doubt anyone in those other states would think so if they stopped them.

You have to go by all of the Colorado requirements. I would highly not recommend putting a tag for another trailer on your Escape. You can use your paperwork from Escape at the border or if stopped, showing that you have bought the trailer and have not gone home yet. Be advised, however, that there are campgrounds that will not let in unregistered trailers so you need to be prepared to look elsewhere if that should happen.
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Old 01-28-2016, 05:27 PM   #18
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From reviewing the many DMV problems posted, it seems the 2 major hangups are DMVs that require a stamped & signed import form (the 7105) and/or a physical inspection of the VIN # prior to issuing plates.

While different states have different lengths of time you can wait before registering your trailer, I don't know any that allow for a month or longer. It does make it interesting for those driving from the east coast to pick up the trailer and want to turn the trip to an adventure. In my case, I kept taking an unstamped & unsigned 7105 (and the rest of the paperwork from Escape Trailer Industries) to different clerks at the NY DMV until one took my money & handed me the plates. The biggest problem (and one that made me nervous) was when the clerk disappeared half way through the process into the back room. The problem? Converting kilograms to pounds - NY bases license plate fees on weight.
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Old 01-28-2016, 06:25 PM   #19
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Every state is different of course, but here in Texas the requirements do not include a safety inspection unless the trailer's dry weight is over 4000 lbs. With the 19, we were way under. We did need the VIN Inspection from the Texas Auto Theft Task Force, in order to get permanent plates/title, but as a workaround you can get 30 day temporary plates online and just print them out on your home computer. You can even choose the effective date, so that the trip up to get your trailer doesn't eat into the 30 day timeframe. Additionally, you can get a second 30 day temporary plate if your original one expires because you're not back in Texas yet. Most states are considerably easier than here.
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Old 01-28-2016, 10:29 PM   #20
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The way I read the TX requirement on the safety inspection, it's the GVWR 4500 lbs. or above. Since our Manufacturers Statement of Origin (for Escape 21) says 4600 lbs, we got that inspection, and the Travis Co. Tax Office did verify we got it done. (The actual weight of the trailer is less than 3900, but I don't think that matters. We'll see if they make us get it next year...)

And we also got the VIN inspection from the Auto Theft Task Force, which the Auto Theft Task Force people agreed we needed; but when it came down to it, I had to INSIST the guy at the Tax Office include that form in our file. (It wasn't on his "list of needed documents.")

All in all, I was surprised that we weren't required to surrender more of the documents we had from ETI... And I was astounded by how long it took to get our registration accomplished (some 28 of the allotted 30 days, from the time the trailer entered the state). But we did get it done and the folks at the Tax Office and Auto Theft Task Force were helpful and efficient.
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