Bought trailer without VIN or BOS, getting it titled in PA

[MAD MARK 74]

I recently came across a Craiglist score of 2 tractors (312-H and 314-H), tiller, and 3 mower decks for cheap. I took my short bed GMC knowing that 2 trips was going to happen. Upon getting there and looking around for a little while, I noticed a trailer in the weeds that eventually they tossed in for free and I was able to get it all home in 1 trip. 

 

After checking the trailer over it is decent shape, would need a light fixed and main plug wiring fixed (easy) and would pass inspection. But, I didnt get a bill of sale and after checking over the trailer and comparing the VIN location of where Lowes puts new ones at it doesnt seem to have a number either. My plan was just to use it this one time to get stuff home then scrap it. 

 

Whats my options?

I thought of trying to find a number and plate from a junk trailer going to scrap yard or applying for a homemade trailer title. Never done this before. 

[Jerry77 1,218]

21 minutes ago, MAD MARK said:

homemade trailer title

That is what you need...done that several times 

[Racinbob 10,256]

It depends entirely upon the PA laws. With our move from Florida back here to Indiana I had a mess with my trailer. The VIN on it was just a decal and it had come off. Fortunately I had taken a picture of it and had all the correct paperwork, including the bill of sale. I kept it in the truck in case I needed it. When I tried to get it registered here the folks at the DMV had no clue what to do because the VIN was no longer on the trailer and the manufacturer was out of business so a duplicate couldn't be had. I sat there for over two hours as they poured through the regulations and made calls. Finally they said I had to apply for a new VIN and that was a complicated process. Thinking I had no other choice I started the process. Pictures, forms, paperwork, call the county sheriff out to look at it, etc. I finally caught a break when the sheriff came out. I explained everything to him and showed him the documentation I had. After going through everything he chuckled and said that i gave the idiots at the DMV too much information. he said I should have given them nothing and said it was homemade. Then he had a better idea. He filled out his form using my current VIN and said to just start over with them and not to give them any more information. Just my Florida registration and the form he just filled out. He said it was stupid to have to apply for a new VIN when I already had one. It worked like a champ. In and out in 10 minutes with new plate for my trailer.

 

Moral of the story......homemade trailer.

Edited January 29, 2018 by Racinbob

[MAD MARK 74]

Looks to be the route I am going to go. This trailer has that decal and the numbers have been wiped right off too. For me though I don't have pictures. 

 

 

[Racinbob 10,256]

Yup, that would probably be best. I'm guess you'd have to get it checked out for compliance with PA requirements but it should go smoothly. Dummy me, I overwhelmed them with information trying to be up front and honest and created a nightmare.

[ztnoo 2,298]

7 hours ago, Racinbob said:

the idiots at the DMV

 

ugh.....yeah......that's a pretty apt description of the administrative agency in charge of licensing and vehicular registration and titling in the Hoosier state.

I despise having to go to the DMV for something.

They always seem to want to drag you over a hot bed of coals during your visit to take care of your business.

My most recent experience was after buying a 1990 GMC S-15 in Louisville, KY in Oct. 2016 that was in primo, low mileage condition.

The seller neglected to fill in the sale price on the KY title, and you would have thought I was trying to smuggle a semi trailer full of cocaine and opioids into Indiana.

Finally got it straightened out about 8 or 9 days later after sending the title back to the seller for his endorsement of the selling price.

It was all about playing games and jumping through administrative hoops. Ggrrrrrrr.

Jerry77, do you have an opinion about this agency as a former law enforcement officer with ISP?

Edited January 29, 2018 by ztnoo

[Jerry77 1,218]

5 minutes ago, ztnoo said:

Jerry77, do you have an opinion about this agency as a former law enforcement office with ISP?

All of the bad stuff did happen and was a true nightmare for many - in the last 10 yrs or so they seem to have gotten their act together..as racinbob  said: he gave too much info....most of us try to do the " right thing " and end up volunteering way too much info - letting the person you are dealing with make all the overtures lets you keep your info to a minimum.. doesn't seem honest, but in the end will work to your benefit..when I built trailers, I told the BMV that it was homemade - they gave me a paper for the sheriff to fill out and I got my title..   don't you just love government officials?

[ztnoo 2,298]

21 minutes ago, Jerry77 said:

don't you just love government officials?

 

Do you really expect me to have a positive reply to that question???    

[Sarge 3,462]

In Illinois it used to be easy - too easy in fact. I've built some trailers over the years from scratch - all they ever asked to issue a home-built title was -

Does it have the required lights ?

If more than 1 axle, does it have brakes?

What weight class?

That was it , they didn't even want to see the damn thing at all. When I pointed out you could easily steal and re-register a title from that and claim ownership - the clerk stood there with a dumb look on his face and you could just see the gears turning. He said, well - "I guess you could but that's dishonest" - ya think ?? LOL...

 

Now, they require those things and you have to make an appointment for a visit by the Secretary of State Police. An officer comes out per the appointment and actually inspects them visually and will verify the lights, brakes and such are up to snuff - I'm glad they do it this way to keep junk that isn't properly built off the highways, but they are no engineer and will still allow some pretty sketchy builds to go down the road regardless - not a good idea. It's a bit more expensive versus the days of paying $27 out the door for a vin sticker, title and plates...but I feel at least now they look at the dumb things and hopefully that prevents some thefts. I do agree - if you give more information than they ask for - they don't know how to process it . I've bought my last 2 trucks out of State, that resulted in a whole slew of hoops as well as sales taxes, wtf? Crazy to have to pay tax on a used vehicle that is bought elsewhere as they also charge tax at times regardless of where they are titled/owned - it's a bit too much but for what I paid I came out ahead anyway.

 

Sarge

[pfrederi 17,114]

In PA if you want to go the homemade route it will have to be inspected before you can get i licensed  Not just any Auto inspection station ether. Has to be a guy certified for trailers....

[JoeM 7,585]

I have had three done in Pa. No issues. Just find a trailer inspection place and they look it over, take 4 pictures, if all is good, they give you the paper work you visit a notary (if they don't have one a the trailer place) and viola! title shows up. You will need a list of where you got the material and cost. I had a friend give me the metal and all I claimed was the lights and misc. hardware. I think the whole deal was just over $125 for the entire process. inspection, notary, taxes etc.

[wallfish 15,871]

Bought a boat and trailer from a guy in Rhode Island. The boat was no problem but he never registered the trailer. DMV would not register it here in MA even though I had a bill of sale and a signed title. Unfortunately for those DMVtards, the insurance company and the law states, I have 7 days from the date of purchase to register it. SO, I just printed 50 copies of a bill of sale that I made up and just dated every time I used the trailer. Did that for a couple of years and then finally made up another bill of sale like my friend Bob sold it to me. Bing bang boom, it finally got registered legally. Homemade or not, that's probably the easiest LEGAL way to get it done. Or you can just make up your own VIN and manufacturer and put it on a bill of sale. Done it that way a few times with boats and trailers just to skip all of the BS. They won't inspect it as homemade if you write down a manufacturer.

[stevasaurus 22,229]

The reason everyone is having a hard time titling trailers, is they are and have been very easy to steal the last few years.  It is the scrappers that steal them and the word is out.  I would talk to the people you got the trailer from and feel them out.  They may or may not want to vouch for that trailer.  It could be stolen, but it would be worth checking out before you get caught trying to license a stolen trailer.  At least you don't have any money in it. 

   You might even have to give your name and other information, at a junk yard, if you try to scrap it.  These places are on alert lately...they even want to know where you got a piece of copper.  People are stealing everything scrapable out of abandon houses.  They were even stealing our phone cable right out of our yard...not to mention cutting the cable from a reel left out on the job.  Be smart, protect yourself, and do it right. 

[Ed Kennell 35,489]

Or forget the title, license, inspection, plates, and the BS.    Just put one of these on, use the back roads, and save a couple hundred bucks

 

           

[rmaynard 14,854]

I have only one word to say about getting tags for trailers.

 

MAINE

 

 

[KC9KAS 4,741]

@MAD MARK Is there a license plate on the trailer now...expired or not doesn't matter. If you can get a local cop to "run" the plates, you may find the last person that licensed the trailer isn't the same fellow you got the trailer from, and you could contact them for a title.

 

We bought a small travel trailer in need of a lot of repair. The guy kept telling me he would get me the title but never did. I had our marshal run the plate on it and the last person to license it still had the title.....no he didn't steal it, he just wasn't going to pull it on the roads so he didn't worry about the title.

[squonk 38,815]

Sort of un-related but about 20 yrs. ago when I was at Napa we had a run on trailer brake kits. The cops we're set up at the mega landfill  and ticketing everybody that had a trailer for something. A few customers had to drop their trailers along the side of the road as they were tagged for improper brake batteries, breakaway switches  or what ever. The real sticky part was the local sheriff dept and state police couldn't agree on which kind of battery was legal. We sold kits and our customers would come back mad at us for selling the wrong stuff. Took lots of calls before the state boys got it thru the thick heads of the county sheriff dept. that what we were selling was the proper battery. 

[KC9KAS 4,741]

11 hours ago, squonk said:

The real sticky part was the local sheriff dept and state police couldn't agree on which kind of battery was legal.  Took lots of calls before the state boys got it thru the thick heads of the county sheriff dept. that what we were selling was the proper battery. 

This is another reason most laws should be "uniform" so everyone knows the law! Maybe even put lawyers out of business!

[MAD MARK 74]

Well, I went to the local trailer notary who does this near where I live in Zelienople, PA. All said and done I would need to bring in working trailer with lights, good tires, a formal weigh slip, and some made up receipts of materials. Then his $175 fee for documentation and a few other fees and for $240 I should have a newly titled legal with new vin number "homemade trailer".

[Sarge 3,462]

19 hours ago, stevasaurus said:

The reason everyone is having a hard time titling trailers, is they are and have been very easy to steal the last few years.  It is the scrappers that steal them and the word is out.  I would talk to the people you got the trailer from and feel them out.  They may or may not want to vouch for that trailer.  It could be stolen, but it would be worth checking out before you get caught trying to license a stolen trailer.  At least you don't have any money in it. 

   You might even have to give your name and other information, at a junk yard, if you try to scrap it.  These places are on alert lately...they even want to know where you got a piece of copper.  People are stealing everything scrapable out of abandon houses.  They were even stealing our phone cable right out of our yard...not to mention cutting the cable from a reel left out on the job.  Be smart, protect yourself, and do it right. 

 

Illinois has a real problem with stolen trailers due to the ease of getting a new title - it's been pointed out to them why but they haven't done much about it other than sending out a Secretary of State Police officer . I suppose that alone is a deterrent, but not much of one as it's too easy to alter the tongue or location of any serial numbers have been installed by who built it . When i rebuilt mine it was not a problem with the State so far - but no original serial sticker now although I have the photo's of it and keep copies with the title due to it being red versus the original black. I also welded some marks just inside the front large crossmember that are somewhat hidden for identification later if it's stolen. Too many are getting hauled to the scrap yard , tires removed and the whole thing scrapped along with the load of iron it - yards around here are starting to refuse those to stop the whole thing.

 

I really wish this nation would go to a single Federal set of laws that cover any vehicle used on the road - including trailers. There are too many changes between States in dealing with titles, plates, registrations and such - it creates an unnecessary expense for our citizens and not to mention the associated headaches that come with the process. Some states it's easier to scrap something versus trying to re-title it or get a vehicle up to par for emissions regulations - there's no need for all of that and a universal system would put a stop to it as well as clear up a lot of issues. I get allowing the States to make up their own set of rules on a lot of things - but at times it goes way too far and makes it so difficult to get anything done - even when you have honest intentions that almost seems worse than anything.

 

Sarge

[Pullstart 59,471]

On ‎1‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 8:31 AM, MAD MARK said:

Well, I went to the local trailer notary who does this near where I live in Zelienople, PA. All said and done I would need to bring in working trailer with lights, good tires, a formal weigh slip, and some made up receipts of materials. Then his $175 fee for documentation and a few other fees and for $240 I should have a newly titled legal with new vin number "homemade trailer".

 

 

So for that run to the notary, you were driving with an illegal trailer on the road?   Or did you trailer your trailer?  

[MAD MARK 74]

Trailer was left home. Right now it has no plate or left rear light.

 

I did drive it illegally home with the 314H and tiller on it though. 

[ClassicTractorProfessor 5,255]

Just one more reason I'm glad I live in Oklahoma, though I do agree with @Sarge a single set of laws governing all vehicles no matter what state you're in would make things so much simpler. Here trailers are not required to be tagged unless they are used for commercial use, but all personal or farm trailers are not required to be licensed. Not sure how that would work if say I took my trailer across state lines, I know from here to Amarillo TX and back I've never been messed with, but not sure about any other places. We do have the option to tag a personal trailer if we want to, but none of mine are tagged. Travel trailers are required to be tagged though. 

[ohiofarmer 3,155]

  Around here  the Amish pull some really nice tool trailers and they do not need any license at all.  They have some really nice tractors that go much faster than the farm tractors normally in use.  Our county instituted an extra ten dollar fee for every license plate sold, and it is pretty hard to take when most of the chip and seal paving they do makes it unsafe for motorcycles. The ag tires on the Amish tractors really make it fun to ride on the chip and seal as well

 

  The county gets all out of shape if you ride an ATV on the road between farms , But maybe if you had a hat and suspenders and pants without a zipper and buttons in their place all is good?..

 

 It has gotten so bad that if your trailer license expires and you fail to renew it within the prescribed time, there is a penalty to pay even though you are not using it in the off season. The farm lobby got an exception for farmers, so that turned a lot of town dwellers who only use trailers in the summer or once or twice a year into tillers of the land, if you know what i mean.

 

 

[ebinmaine 62,897]

On 1/29/2018 at 4:02 PM, rmaynard said:

I have only one word to say about getting tags for trailers.

 

MAINE

 

 

I was looking for something else and just found this thread... I know it's a bit dated now but... I have an older Professionally made 5 x 8 utility trailer that the vin is not legible. I bought it from a fella that had moved here to Maine from Colorado. His Father-in-law had had the trailer for many years and gifted it to him. He had legally registered it and did Not need a title in CO.

As a trucker and machine operator my CDL is my livelihood so I Need to keep it clean.

Not wanting to even Chance a ticket, I made a phone call or two and was told to bring in a bill-of-sale and keep it registered Under 3500 lbs and no worries... It's referred to as "home made" on the paperwork.