Texas (Galveston Co) Experience

[RangerMan]

In my 88 years on my farm I have never seen a headcounter. Nor have any of my fellow farmers. Can't figure how anyone knows there are 400 souls in Kenedy County.

[Jim Bennett]

You folks in many US states have my sympathies. It pains me to hear of the troubles you must go through.

I sure hope it doesn't change here in Alberta. You take your bill or sale to a registry office and pay a small amount for a lifetime registration on the trailer, with no need to change anything as long as you own it. I think mounting the license plate took as long as the time at the desk getting the registration.

[marsman]

I wonder if a Canadian may have to jump through even more hoops to get an American trailer registered here?

BTW we spent 3 wonderful weeks in San Saba, then Houston and then Galveston in our Escape in winter of 2019 and wow, did we ever have a lot of fun in Texas Also managed to spend the evening of Mardi Gras in downtown Galveston with the big parade and party.... that was a ton of fun!!

[7Gentex]

Got the VTR-68-A VIN Law Enforcement inspection in Burnet, Tx Monday AM. Painless and quick, Thank you Deputy, though an 85 mile round trip in the early AM rain (beats crossing east thru Austin to Manor for me) and $40. Then went ahead and got the $7 "Safety Inspection" locally, though technically not required - just in case.

Walked in to the new Travis County Tax Assessor office in NW Austin (Cedar Park?) on RM 620 (though I has an appointment scheduled for the end of November) - no line - no wait. In and out (Burgers anyone?) in about 15 minutes and a few thousand $ lighter. Was charged 6.25% tax on the "base" price of the trailer only...... Woo Hoo!

Walked out with a license plate / registration sticker for such and title to come via snail mail......

Answered ETI's sales tax survey and gave them a PDF of the tax paid.

Can I go camping now?.....Please!

[Centex]

Originally Posted by 7Gentex

...Walked out with a license plate / registration sticker for such and title to come via snail mail......

Congratulations and Have Fun Now!

[C&G in FL]

Florida allows pre-registration. I had a tag and had applied for a title before leaving for Chilliwack. As part of the process, I paid the appropriate sales tax at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) based upon the bill of sale provided by ETI. That was in May of 2015.

Nine months later, In January of 2015 I received a threatening letter from the Florida Department of Revenue (DR) stating that I needed to pay sales tax on a trailer purchased outside of the State of Florida. How did DR know I purchased a trailer? I would presume from DMV records. How else would they know? If DMV records were the source of information, then DR should have known that the sales tax had been paid to DMV at the time of registration. But no, doesn’t work that way. I had to mail copies of documentation from the DMV to the DR (located in Tallahassee in close proximity to the DMV) in spite of the fact that both agencies, like every other organization have easily retrieved computer records.

I have not yet determined how to classify my experience, but have narrowed it down to three possible scenarios:
1) The left hand of government doesn’t know (or care) what the right hand is doing,
2) I’m from the government, and I’m (not really) here to help you,
3). I’m too lazy to do my job so you, the purchaser, should jump through hoops and do my job for me.

[RangerMan]

Originally Posted by RangerMan

In my 88 years on my farm I have never seen a headcounter. Nor have any of my fellow farmers. Can't figure how anyone knows there are 400 souls in Kenedy County.

Correction. The last headcount stated there were 350 of us here in Kenedy county. Has to be some sort of projection. No one I know (I know everyone here) has talked to a headcounter.

Makes one wonder how accurate these counts are.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by RangerMan

Correction. The last headcount stated there were 350 of us here in Kenedy county. Has to be some sort of projection. No one I know (I know everyone here) has talked to a headcounter.

Makes one wonder how accurate these counts are.

About as accurate as counting how many quail were in a two covey rise out of an Osage Orange hedgerow that went two directions on windy day. “There was a bunch of them, I shot three times and never saw a feather.”
Iowa Dave

[Rockhead]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

About as accurate as counting how many quail were in a two covey rise out of an Osage Orange hedgerow that went two directions on windy day. “There was a bunch of them, I shot three times and never saw a feather.”
Iowa Dave

Been there done that …….to this day it is brought up at least once a yr at our 42 gatherings

[marant]

Finally able to get the Theft Inspection today, no problem, took about 15 min (but a 2 month wait). Safety inspection required, only problem was the safety inspection station put a wrong digit in the VIN and had to go get it corrected.

Back to clerk's office, finally got everything taken care of, now have reg, plate and waiting on title.

Points of Interest:
1. Since I did all of the dealing with ETI only my name was on the purchase docs. TX would not allow me to put DW on the title. Will have to make a title transfer later ($33). Others may want to ask ETI to address this.
2. 6.75% use (sales) tax based upon only the base price of the trailer, does not include add-ons.
3. No penalty for late registration/title. They used the date of the theft inspection as the beginning date of the time to register.
4. Was able to register for 5 years, which surprised me. Usually TX requires annual registration.

Total time, about 3 hours. TIME TO GO CAMPING!

[7Gentex]

Originally Posted by marant

Finally able to get the Theft Inspection today, no problem, took about 15 min (but a 2 month wait). Safety inspection required, only problem was the safety inspection station put a wrong digit in the VIN and had to go get it corrected.

Back to clerk's office, finally got everything taken care of, now have reg, plate and waiting on title.

Points of Interest:
1. Since I did all of the dealing with ETI only my name was on the purchase docs. TX would not allow me to put DW on the title. Will have to make a title transfer later ($33). Others may want to ask ETI to address this.
2. 6.75% use (sales) tax based upon only the base price of the trailer, does not include add-ons.
3. No penalty for late registration/title. They used the date of the theft inspection as the beginning date of the time to register.
4. Was able to register for 5 years, which surprised me. Usually TX requires annual registration.

Total time, about 3 hours. TIME TO GO CAMPING!

CONGRADS!

Curious................

Is your LP "Trailer", or "Travel Trailer"? Mine is "Trailer" - 1 year.

5 years - that would be great!

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by WillyB

5 years - that would be great!

Here in Alberta trailer registration lasts for as long as you own the trailer. 5 minutes at any registry office (short of a wait in line if needed) and you are good to go. All you need to bring is the bill of sale and $163 CAD.

Not sure about other provinces.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Here in Alberta trailer registration lasts for as long as you own the trailer. 5 minutes at any registry office (short of a wait in line if needed) and you are good to go. All you need to bring is the bill of sale and $163 CAD.

Not sure about other provinces.

We're the same, once it's registered in your name it's there until transfer papers are signed for a change of ownership. Same as for cars.

Not sure how the Alberta "permanent" license plate and insurance work. Here we keep the same trailer and car license plate but it's not valid beyond the year unless another fee and insurance is paid. Forgot once and it cost me big time.

Ron