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Old 07-23-2015, 01:12 PM   #1
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Help/Ideas wanted for snag w/ title&registration N.J.

Well there was no luck at the DMV today in N.J. for me. After filling out what forms I was told to fill out, waiting on a few lines, I was then told they can't help me since the origin of the trailer is Canada. I was then told to wait more, cause they were waiting for a fax from the state. I was given a piece of paper labeled, "Requirements - Canadian Imports," which I must compile all of the paperwork ETI sent me and then some. Once I do that I have to mail it off to the Foreign Title Unit at a P.O. BOX in the state capital. This unit has no counter service and is a few weeks behind on paperwork as per a call I placed to them. Things I would prefer to do when we are back home, since the clock is ticking.

I plan to leave NJ on 8/6 to pick up my Escape on the 19th. We will only be on the road with the trailer for a little over two weeks. I will own my trailer free and clear with no liens, and also have insurance. I was really hoping to have plates on it too. I seem to recall somewhere people saying that Washington State issues Temp Regs, but can't find the info. I found a thread that talked about having insurance and a bill of sale, and you just might make it home. Hoping for some advice from those who have done this before me. Thanks.
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Old 07-23-2015, 01:20 PM   #2
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I picked up my trailer on 5/2/2014. We towed it for about 5 weeks from BC to Texas with no tag and no problems on the road. In Texas, we picked up our tag which our daughter had mailed to us and continued on home. The only state where we felt nervous driving without a tag was Louisiana. (Lots of cops) I believe that if you drive "conservatively," most cops will just see the Canadian Leave on the spare tire cover and assume that you are from Canada and trailer tags aren't needed. Keep all your paperwork handy for if you do get stopped.
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Old 07-23-2015, 01:35 PM   #3
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Here's Washington State's DOL website which might be of help if you're determined to get temp plates (trip permit):

WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: Vehicle trip permits

And here are Whatcom County locations one can visit to obtain such a permit (note Everson in particular):

https://fortress.wa.gov/dol/dolprod/...aspx?County=37

Good point about the Canadian maple leaf on the tire cover! (But I just had ETI put a plain black one on there.)
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Old 07-23-2015, 02:40 PM   #4
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I picked up my trailer on 5/2/2014. We towed it for about 5 weeks from BC to Texas with no tag and no problems on the road. In Texas, we picked up our tag which our daughter had mailed to us and continued on home. The only state where we felt nervous driving without a tag was Louisiana. (Lots of cops) I believe that if you drive "conservatively," most cops will just see the Canadian Leave on the spare tire cover and assume that you are from Canada and trailer tags aren't needed. Keep all your paperwork handy for if you do get stopped.
This seems to be the route I will be taking. Not my favorite way of doing things, but there are people out there doing a lot worst I guess. No problems in campgrounds or parks without a plate, eh?
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Old 07-23-2015, 03:32 PM   #5
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I had a similar problem. Rhode Island wouldn't issue a plate without an official VIN inspection by the DMV. Planning to tow back to RI made this impossible and logic has nothing to do with the regulations! I, like you, figured I would just take my chances on the road. However, as soon as I took delivery at Burger n' Brew I noticed the paperwork from customs included a VIN check by US customs. I FED-EX'd it to someone at home. She presented the paperwork to the VIN inspection folks at the DMV and sailed right through the registration process. She sent me the registration and plate to the nearest post office from our campsite.The clerk at the post office even called me when the package arrived. Total of about four days driving unregistered.
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Old 07-23-2015, 04:18 PM   #6
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This seems to be the route I will be taking. Not my favorite way of doing things, but there are people out there doing a lot worst I guess. No problems in campgrounds or parks without a plate, eh?
Hi: GRINGOandTICA... Officialdom costs us all big bucks...and makes no cents. Have a great trip!!! Alf
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Old 07-23-2015, 05:10 PM   #7
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Old 07-23-2015, 05:53 PM   #8
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Fortunately, Florida does not have all that bureaucracy, but, admittedly, it does have its share of problems. I was able to register my Escape before leaving for BC to pick it up, and brought the tag with me. The only hassle I had was paying the sales tax. Even though I had a completed build sheet from Tammy which showed the Canadian price and what I actually paid in U.S. funds, the local DMV insisted that they had to calculate the U.S equivalent. Bottom line, I paid @ $200 less in sales tax than what I should have paid based on the total I paid in U.S. funds to ETI. Hey, that's OK if Florida wants to give me a break; I'm not going to complain. Had it been the other way around, I would have fought them tooth and nail......
But back to your question as stated in the thread title: Help/Ideas wanted for snag w/ title& registration N.J. Sorry, but I can't help suggesting this. Move out of N.J. to a place where there is less governmental BS and you can pump your own gas if you so desire. And the property tax is not so high that it could be described as confiscatory. I had a cousin who moved out of N.J. as soon as she and her husband retired and maintain that it is the best decision they ever made. Just my 2 cents, but probably worth a lot less!
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Old 07-23-2015, 06:28 PM   #9
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Fortunately, Florida does not have all that bureaucracy, but, admittedly, it does have its share of problems. I was able to register my Escape before leaving for BC to pick it up, and brought the tag with me. The only hassle I had was paying the sales tax. Even though I had a completed build sheet from Tammy which showed the Canadian price and what I actually paid in U.S. funds, the local DMV insisted that they had to calculate the U.S equivalent. Bottom line, I paid @ $200 less in sales tax than what I should have paid based on the total I paid in U.S. funds to ETI. Hey, that's OK if Florida wants to give me a break; I'm not going to complain. Had it been the other way around, I would have fought them tooth and nail......
But back to your question as stated in the thread title: Help/Ideas wanted for snag w/ title& registration N.J. Sorry, but I can't help suggesting this. Move out of N.J. to a place where there is less governmental BS and you can pump your own gas if you so desire. And the property tax is not so high that it could be described as confiscatory. I had a cousin who moved out of N.J. as soon as she and her husband retired and maintain that it is the best decision they ever made. Just my 2 cents, but probably worth a lot less!
Wish I could move out of NJ at times, but I can't because of my employment status, maybe I see a professional courtesy thrown my way this summer. Anything that is not points is fine with me, points I need to explain. Strange thing about having to live in state is, that 8 miles North of me is NY, but I can't live there, but it's fine if I want to live 2hrs away at the beach. As for pumping our own gas, I love it, and it provides a job to someone, love it even more in the winter. I've only lived one other place and that is Oregon, and you can't pump there either. Fifteen more years and I'm out of here, probably to Costa Rica, with an Escape stateside.

I could have bought any trailer I wanted within 150 miles of me, besides an Escape, but you only get one midlife crises.
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Old 07-23-2015, 07:24 PM   #10
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NH was easy as far as registration goes, my wife went down and fifteen min later had registration and plates.
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Old 07-23-2015, 07:44 PM   #11
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I would imagine that as long as you had the Bill of Sale, your NJ drivers License, and Insurance Proof, the states you were traveling through enroute probably wouldn't have a clue what the NJ requirements were, and would leave you alone, unless you broke some laws. I'd even bet if you did something simple, such as taping up one of the official-looking documents in the back window, assumptions would be made!!
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Old 07-23-2015, 08:26 PM   #12
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I would go back to the Licensing Office and ask for a Trip Permit. Escape gives you the trailer in the US so you say " We may be buying a trailer and picking it up in Washington State.


When you return you'll have all the papers including the Official document with Border Stamps. They need that later to certify the trailer legally entered the US.


That's how I did it after the Licensing person said to me "just get a Trip Permit and bring back the Border stamped document. We can't do anything without it".


Technically we are receiving the trailer from ETI in the USA.
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Old 07-24-2015, 10:17 AM   #13
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We towed from Canada back to Texas with no tag at all. Our county had to inspect our import before issuing anything. We had no problems. We had all paperwork and insurance in case of a stop. You have to cross a border patrol stop from New Mexico in to Texas and they said have a great day. I think that Maple leaf goes a long way in the states!! Rv parks and state parks we stayed in didn't ask a thing about our tags. It took some hoop jumping but two weeks after we returned we were finally issued tags. I think as long as you have your paperwork in order you should have no problem.

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Old 07-24-2015, 10:43 AM   #14
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Sometimes the problem can be solved by going to a different DMV office. Consider the human factor... I mean there are uninformed, lock-stepping dim bulbs in every office. It happened to me.
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Old 07-24-2015, 10:43 AM   #15
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Wouldn't give WA state any fee for a temporary permit unless I was a state resident. Like others we had zero problems traveling for 3 weeks. Then found the tiniest town with a DMV when we crossed back into our home state.
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Old 07-24-2015, 11:20 AM   #16
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Maybe you could "borrow" a Washington State address and register your trailer there. Then when you get home re-register in your home state. The trailer will no longer be an import and the beauracrats might have less heart burn.


Or ..... get a long Washington trip permit .......

I don't think I would go without any paperwork .... if it was me I'd get stopped on some mountain pass in a rain storm / tornado on a Saturday afternoon with no offices open til Tuesday cause Monday was a holiday. Two tow trucks, bail bond fees and hotels. How could they let you stay in your unregistered trailer ..... there might be something wrong that would put the arresting state into legal responsibility ....... never mind the trailer was already towed 2000 miles without a problem.

They've got us!

I try my best to be mostly legal.
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Old 07-24-2015, 12:04 PM   #17
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Maybe you could "borrow" a Washington State address and register your trailer there. Then when you get home re-register in your home state. The trailer will no longer be an import and the beauracrats might have less heart burn.
Not unless you're interested in paying Washington State sales tax....
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Old 07-24-2015, 12:32 PM   #18
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You have to cross a border patrol stop from New Mexico in to Texas and they said have a great day.

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Not sure the dogs they have there are to sniff out unregistered trailers.

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Old 07-24-2015, 12:39 PM   #19
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Help/Ideas wanted for snag w/ title&registration N.J.

A couple of things:

Law enforcement couldn't care less about the trailer. During my law enforcement career I cannot recall ever running a camping trailer plate or even caring about it during a traffic stop. It's the motor vehicle they care about.

If on the odd chance you were pulled over because the trailer didn't have tags (not likely), a simple explanation that you bought the trailer and are taking it home to get it registered will suffice. If pressed, you can always produce the bill of sale and the export/import documents.

There is also a chance that a border patrol checkpoint might want to search the trailer for smuggling, etc, but I don't think of them as law enforcement - merely a border check.
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Old 07-24-2015, 12:41 PM   #20
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Maybe you could "borrow" a Washington State address and register your trailer there. Then when you get home re-register in your home state. The trailer will no longer be an import and the beauracrats might have less heart burn.


Or ..... get a long Washington trip permit .......

I don't think I would go without any paperwork .... if it was me I'd get stopped on some mountain pass in a rain storm / tornado on a Saturday afternoon with no offices open til Tuesday cause Monday was a holiday. Two tow trucks, bail bond fees and hotels. How could they let you stay in your unregistered trailer ..... there might be something wrong that would put the arresting state into legal responsibility ....... never mind the trailer was already towed 2000 miles without a problem.

They've got us!

I try my best to be mostly legal.
And I though I was paranoid Has there ever been a report here from anyone that had an incident with Barney Fife while towing a trailer with no license plate
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