Trying to register a homemade trailer

[WesTexas]

So I've had a homemade trailer smoker for a year now. Taken it in the road six times. I bought it on Craigslist, cash deal. Have no idea what the guys name is that sold it to me, where he lives and don't have record of his phone number. To my knowledge the trailer was never registered, titled, received serial number or anything. Anyway, I got a ticket by DPS the other day heading to the deer lease for towing an unregistered trailer. I go to the county tax office today and they tell me I have to have a bill of sale and a signature from the previous owner and that I "would have ha to pay sales tax." I said its homemade, it was a cash deal and there is no bill of sale. Im sure it was never previously registered or titled. So now I can't get tags for the pit. Should I go to another tax office in the county and tell them I made it??? Have any of you run into this problem before? Do I have to prove somehow that I built the thing or what. I'm just really peaved right now. Thanks for any answers.

[ceaves]

Yes, just go tell them you built a small utility trailer. You'll have to give them a max weight and a empty weight. You'll get tags on the spot and won't have to pay any sales tax or anything. Should run ya around $45.

I always tell them 2k max weight because they make a 2k axle and that's about the smallest you gonna get.

[WesTexas]

Thanks Ceaves. I'll give that a try.

[bigbob73]

I've done this on a boat and didn't have any issues.

Sent from my Infuse using tapatalk

[RWBTEX]

Yes, just go tell them you built a small utility trailer. You'll have to give them a max weight and a empty weight. You'll get tags on the spot and won't have to pay any sales tax or anything. Should run ya around $45.

I always tell them 2k max weight because they make a 2k axle and that's about the smallest you gonna get.

Have done it this way many times over the years but was hearing recently (hear say at this point) that dps has to inspect the trailer (in Texas anyway) now when its home built. I would definitely say "I built it myself" and just as Ceaves says.

[txngent]

Have done it this way many times over the years but was hearing recently (hear say at this point) that dps has to inspect the trailer (in Texas anyway) now when its home built. I would definitely say "I built it myself" and just as Ceaves says.

That is the way it is here in Montgomery Co. and I believe all of Texas. You have to get it inspected and pay for the inspection. You will need to stamp a serial number in it somewhere too. You will have a form that the DPS officer will fill out. Then take the form up to your tax office. I would make sure it is a truly "home made" trailer. If DPS finds serial numbers on the frame or anywhere in between that you do not disclose, it will be considered stolen property and they will keep it. It is up to you to prove the differ. A used trailer dealer down my neck of the woods found out the hard way about this.

[WesTexas]

I know it's a homemade pit and I'm pretty sure the trailer was homebuilt also but I'm not positive. I would really hate to take it to DPS and have it impounded. This is a huge headache. I'm scared to say I built it and have them start asking questions! There is no way to prove its mine. The only thing to show for it is a bank statement showing I pulled out cash to pay for it and that's it. Even if I end up selling the thing I'd hate to have the next person go through this trouble. The trailer has NEVER been registered before and I know that for sure. The guy that sold it to me said he used another plate from another trailer and just swapped them out. From research I've been doing, this inspection is a new thing Texas is requiring because it is just too easy to steal a trailer and call it yours. I also saw that it was only required on trailers more than 4000lbs. My pit weighs 1200. I wish I would have n own about needing a bill of sale when I bought it.

[brentski]

I've done two home made trailers here in Denton county and never been asked to inspect one at time of registering. Here is a link from for Texas that shows a trailer is not required to be inspected unless it it over 4500 lbs.
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/inspection/veh_class_list.asp?class=Trailers%20or%20Mobile%20%20Homes&classsubmit=Go

I have also owned three fifth wheels well over 10,000 lbs. and not one had an inspection sticker, does not mean I was in the right, but never was it required to register the trailers.

On my trailers one is a "true" utility trailer and to register it you provide them the unloaded weight, and weight capacity that they, the tax office, uses to calculate the total weight to base your fees upon. Then when I registered my BBQ pit it still had to be registered as a utility trailer, home made, with a base weight and hauling capacity. Never have or was ever requested to go and get the trailer inspected by an inspection station before had. Now, a trailer inspection station is not a DPS office, it is just like you go and get your car inspected(but you might have to look to find one that does trailers). An inspector comes out and does a safety inspection, charges me a fee and sends you down the road. I also just purchased a cargo trailer and it was registered in Dallas County by the trailer vendor again no inspection done (8,800 lbs GVW), it is my responsibility after the fact. I was pulled over once in Hill County in Hillsboro by a state trooper pulling a company trailer with a GVW of 11,000 lbs - no inspection sticker. I received a ticket, drove to the Ford Dealer there in Hillsboro, had the trailer inspected. Drove right over to the courthouse on the square, paid the small fine since it was corrected within 10 days, ticket gone all in the same afternoon. Not a big deal. Both of my utility trailers do not have a Vin number, and the registration reflects this.

Why not just go to the tax office, register the trailer since it is under 4500 lbs and be done? I think you will be fine.

[WesTexas]

Thanks for the reply Brentski. I'm gonna go to the tax office, tell em its homemade and how much it weighs and hopefully I'll breeze right through.

[QNDave]

When I got tags for my homemade pit I had to get weight ticket. Then had to take it to the sheriff auto theft division to be inspected. He walked around it and asked for the serial number, I told him there was no number, he said ok and gave a form to take to the tax office. At tax office gave them form and weight ticket, paid for tags and left. Did not have to pay any sales tax.

Hope you have good luck.

David

[CJATE]

mine was quick and easy. max was under 4500 just moved on down the road.

[RWBTEX]

Thanks for the reply Brentski. I'm gonna go to the tax office, tell em its homemade and how much it weighs and hopefully I'll breeze right through.

Let us know what happened please, just finishing one up too hopefully before new year so we can do a maiden cook in it new years eve. I will need to get plates for it, mine is totally home made pit and trailer.

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[WesTexas]

Well I went and said it was homemade pit trailer I built, gave them weight ticket, filled out a paper, payed my fee, got my tags and left. Pretty simple. Mission complete. Guess I was worried for nothing.

[RWBTEX]

Thats great to hear its still that simple

[brentski]

Awesome!