How to register a new trailer in Texas

[Mary F]

Originally Posted by Mike & Donna

It is highly illogical isn't it. All I can say is the clerk I was dealing with has only been on the job for a year and this was only the second time she encountered the situation of registering an imported trailer so her level on expertise was practically nil.

Complicating things is it's not just an imported trailer, but a trailer that's not been titled yet. Good luck!! And best wishes. And all will be well...

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by H46Driver

Mike and Donna, just keep going until you get the correct person - every clerk has a different opinion. We wanted to just scream while going through the process.

Spot on. You will get a different answer with each new clerk. Unfortunate, but true.

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[Mike & Donna]

After striking out on my first attempt at getting plates for our trailer, we ventured out again to a different office and the outcome was nearly the same, as far as saying I would need a safety inspection and vin inspection before I could get the camper registered. This time I was told that the penalty for not registering within 30 days of sale date would be a flat $10 which was welcome news compared to the 5% or 10% I had been told would be assessed at the first tax office we visited. We thanked the clerk for her help and went on our way. We then went to our 3rd tax office and the process here went surprisingly smooth.

This clerk accepted the form V-270 Self Certification of VIN in lieu of VTR-68A (VIN inspection by law enforcement) and this form also waives requirement to get safety inspection until vehicle is brought to the State of Texas , and then you have 3 days to have the safety inspection completed. She also had me complete Form VTR-141 Trailer Verification Statement of Fact checking Box #1. So with the MCO, Bill of Sale, HS-7, 130-U, V-270 and VTR-141 (don't know why she came up with this form), I was able to pay the sales tax and other fees and walk out of the office with a plate for the camper we will pick up later this month. BTW sales tax was based on the base price of the trailer and I had Escape add this amount in USD to the Bill of Sale and had no issue with "conversion" of Canadian to US dollars. They accepted the figures supplied by ETI.

It was important for us to get the trailer registered and licensed because we wanted to cross the border back into Canada to spend some time there and then spend a leisurely couple of months traveling before heading back home. As others have reported on this forum, seems like every clerk/office has their own take on exactly what is required so it is not an easy process but one we must all go through. Wishing all good luck with the process.

[Mary F]

Wow! That is GREAT news! I am sooooo happy for you!

[ReagentGrade]

Mike & Donna,

Wonderful!!

Do you live in Harris County? I'm hoping that you do and that I can go to the same office and get the same service. (I'm assuming that I have to go to an office in my county to register my trailer.)

Thanks,

Rich

[float5]

Good deal! You might want to mention the tax office where you obtained the plate for others in that county.

[Mike & Donna]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

Mike & Donna,

Wonderful!!

Do you live in Harris County? I'm hoping that you do and that I can go to the same office and get the same service. (I'm assuming that I have to go to an office in my county to register my trailer.)

Thanks,

Rich
----------------------------------------------------
Good deal! You might want to mention the tax office where you obtained the plate for others in that county.
__________________
Cathy. Floating Cloud

Hey, Rich and Cathy. Sorry I am in Montgomery County. Yes you have to go to one of the offices in your county. I think the key is find a clerk or supervisor who is willing to accept the VTR-270. It doesn't relieve one of getting the safety or VIN inspection, it just allows you to get your license prior to having it inspected due to trailer being located out of state. After getting back to Texas and having inspections done I have to return to the tax office so they can remove the "verify inspection" note from the records.

I really don't know why she wanted me to fill out and sign the VTR-141 but I was happy to comply to get the license. This was accomplished at the main tax office in Conroe. It was at the satellite offices where I ran into issues. I wish you well.

[rbryan4]

Sheesh. Doesn't surprise me. Both the VTR-270 and the VTR-141 are completely non-applicable to an Escape imported trailer. The fact that the clerks accept them in lieu of a VIN Inspection proves one obvious point: Texas imported vehicle registration requirements are too convoluted for state employees to follow, and need to be simplified. Either that, or they do a poor job of training.

Anyway, glad you were able to get it done, despite proving the ignorance of the DMV once again.

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[richardr]

Today I received my pre-build paperwork from ETI with the new trailer VIN. I'm getting ready to start visiting the vehicle registration offices in Dallas county. I appreciate all the information in this and other Texas registration threads.

Has anyone else registered their Escape in Dallas county? Is there an office or clerk you recommend?

[James Gang]

Originally Posted by richardr

Today I received my pre-build paperwork from ETI with the new trailer VIN. I'm getting ready to start visiting the vehicle registration offices in Dallas county. I appreciate all the information in this and other Texas registration threads.

Has anyone else registered their Escape in Dallas county? Is there an office or clerk you recommend?

Please post your results.

Thanks
The James Gang

[H46Driver]

Would be sorta cool for whoever is the head honcho in Austin to see this thread. They'd see how messed up the regulations are.

[Mike & Donna]

Originally Posted by richardr

Today I received my pre-build paperwork from ETI with the new trailer VIN. I'm getting ready to start visiting the vehicle registration offices in Dallas county. I appreciate all the information in this and other Texas registration threads.

Has anyone else registered their Escape in Dallas county? Is there an office or clerk you recommend?

Good luck in your quest. My advice would be to be persistent, you may have to visit more than one tax office to get the results you want. The requirements seem to vary with each visit.

[richardr]

We were really lucky. Our Escape, that we are picking up Aug 23, is all registered and we have the license plate. Here is our story:

On the Texas registration web site, I filled out, down loaded and printed the forms VTR-270 (Self Certification of VIN) and 130-U (Application for Texas Title). We both signed both forms. I also asked ETI to add the trailer base amount in USD on the Bill of Sale and for a picture of the trailer name plate showing the VIN. I was e-mailed a new Bill of Sale with the base amount USD, but Tammy wasn't available, so it wasn't signed. I hoped that didn't matter because the original was signed. Megan also sent me a picture of the name plate showing the VIN. I wanted the picture of the name plate because on the VTR-270 one is signing that they verified the paperwork VIN matches the trailer VIN. I printed out both the unsigned Bill of Sale and the picture of the name plate.

We went down to the Richardson DMV branch in Dallas County. It's a small branch and the web cam showed a very short line. We waited in line for about 15 minutes.

Our clerk was very nice and didn't seem at all intimidated by the fact that the trailer was still being built in Canada. I was asked the price of the trailer. I gave her the signed bill of sale and showed her the base price in USD of $24,760.59 on the unsigned bill of sale. She took that price without question and compute sales tax based on it.

The dry weight of our trailer was 3685 lbs on the MCO (Manufactures Certificate of Origin). The clerk asked me how much we would carry. I told her 700 lbs. She wrote that down and gave the trailer a gross weight of 4385. This means we don't require the annual inspection.

She then spent 10 or so minutes speaking with her supervisor. She came back with the plate and we wrote out the sales tax check. There was no mention of the form VTR-141 that others had to complete at the DMV. However she kept my MCO, which I didn't realize until I got home. I'll e-mail Megan and see if she can e-mail me another copy.

Overall the process was much smoother than I had expected! I really appreciate Megan's help with adding the USD base price to the Bill of Sale and sending me the name plate photo.

Now, if this had not gone our way, here was my plan:

I would have asked the clerk if she had a package of forms I could fill out after picking up the trailer and mail in for the license plate. I would have sent that in and requested the plate sent to my sister's house in Oregon.

If that didn't work, I would have waited until we returned in Oct and registered the trailer then.

[ReagentGrade]

Originally Posted by richardr

.Overall the process was much smoother than I had expected! I really appreciate Megan's help with adding the USD base price to the Bill of Sale and sending me the name plate photo.

Amazing!

[H46Driver]

Incredible! Sure wish we'd have had that clerk! Glad your experience was better than everyone else who has attempted this almost impossible feat!

[float5]

Just brought the Escape into Texas. After being told at the registration office that we needed to go get an inspection, found it was not so. They had not asked about weights but needed VIN seen, they said.

Went to inspection stations and was told that a new law came into effect on September 1. No safety inspections for trailers under 7500 lbs.!!! So glad because we could barely get the trailer into its new space, with much trouble. Did not interest me to come out of there and get back in for the VIN. Have plate, will travel.

So, Mary, no safety inspections for sure now!

Richard, we self-certified on the VIN, as you did. A form for that and a form for title and registration.

Also, just to note, our Escape was coming in from Iowa where it was already titled, not Canada.

[Mike & Donna]

Originally Posted by float5

Just brought the Escape into Texas. After being told at the registration office that we needed to go get an inspection, found it was not so. They had not asked about weights but needed VIN seen, they said.

Went to inspection stations and was told that a new law came into effect on September 1. No safety inspections for trailers under 7500 lbs.!!! So glad because we could barely get the trailer into its new space, with much trouble. Did not interest me to come out of there and get back in for the VIN. Have plate, will travel.

So, Mary, no safety inspections for sure now!

Glad to hear about the new law. I had forgotten about needing to get a safety inspection so that will be one less thing to be concerned about. Congrats on getting you license without having to jump thru to many hoops.

"Sec. 548.052. VEHICLES NOT SUBJECT TO INSPECTION. This
chapter does not apply to:

(3) a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile
home having an actual gross weight or registered gross weight of
7,500 pounds or less;"

Here is a link to newpaper article in the Houston Chron regarding the trailer weight change.

http://www.chron.com/news/transporta...t-11214355.php

[Mary F]

Interesting! I so hope it applies...

I received my registration renewal notice last week (post-Sept.1), which says:

"A passing vehicle inspection is required to obtain registration. Your vehicle inspection status will be verified electronically. Please go to TwoStepsOneSticker.com for more information and to rent online."

I'll look into it. Thanks especially for the link to the Chron article, Mike and Donna.

[rbryan4]

Mary, that's a generic notice. They don't differentiate in the form whether it's a trailer or a motor vehicle, so just ignore the inspection part. You basically just pay up and they send you the license plate sticker.

Now as to why they charge so much annually for a "vehicle" with no motor, and that is on the road for such a limited time, that's another matter....

[float5]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Now as to why they charge so much annually for a "vehicle" with no motor, and that is on the road for such a limited time, that's another matter....

Yes, very annoying that they refer to trailers as vehicles but I found that they commonly do that in other states as well.

I saw the notice on the change from the TX Dept of Transportation of no safety inspections for trailers under 7,500 lbs., also saw info on the law, and the registration office then said they knew of it and gave me the self-identifying VIN form. Only been in effect since the first of September.

By the way, paid $185 to bring it in and title and register. Next time $67.50. That is $30 more than we paid in Iowa.

The new law can be found on the TX Dept of Public Safety site, Senate Bill 1001.