I know some states have permanent trailer plates so I've been contemplating buying my new trailer from one of those states so I'd not have to deal with renewals. Anyone with experience?
I know some states have permanent trailer plates so I've been contemplating buying my new trailer from one of those states so I'd not have to deal with renewals. Anyone with experience?
Maine is semi permanent and you can do it all by mail without ever being in Maine.
WV has permanent trailer tags but I believe you have to prove WV residency to register a vehicle here. Plus they have that funky thing with no reciprocal agreements on sales tax already paid in other states.
I'm thinking maine this time because 12 years is $199 and I just got my renewal for the car trailer and it's $81.42 for one year
My state just went from $18 to $118 this year. It may be Maine Time
California appears to have permanent plates but it appears you have to buy it there which negates a lot of the savings.
Maine is sounding good
Sonic said:Maine is semi permanent and you can do it all by mail without ever being in Maine.
Looking at the DMV, it says you have to visit the office to register a trailer? Maybe not if you buy it from a Maine dealer?
I just did a 12 year through mainetrailerregistrations.com who claims they're an authorized agent of maine's bmv. Because i was plating an already registered (in ohio) trailer it was simple so far. Just had to upload a picture of my current registration. We'll see how it works but at $199 plus $14.95 to ship the plate it'll save me at least $770 over the same span of yearly ohio regs plus the break even point is about 2 years and 7 months. If it goes smoothly i will do my other 2 in October before they expire. Most of the semi trailers i see around here are Maine tags behind an ohio tagged tractor, i may as well start taking advantage of it too.
Michigan has permanent plates, no annual fees.
Missouri has permanent plates for $52.50 but I'm pretty sure you need to be a resident.
This probably isn't an issue with interstate travel, but when someone in my family used to cross from Canada into the US (which he did a lot, because he worked at our Embassy in DC) with his trailer, he repeatedly got tangled up with US border people who couldn't grasp the concept of a permanent Ontario trailer plate that didn't (& couldn't) have a renewal sticker. Apparently they didn't believe that Ontario wasn't maximizing its tax revenue with annual fees – and now that I've typed that, as a lifelong Ontario resident I kind of see their point. Anyway, YMMV.
What happens if you're pulled over? Or if you're in a crash?
Seems like a risky move to save a few bucks if it means that insurance has an excuse to not cover you
In reply to Patrick (Forum Supporter) :
I'm following this with wide eyes because I am thinking of doing the same.
In reply to Stealthtercel...
I've never been questioned crossing from Ontario into the US with a trailer in tow.... never ever given it a thought. I like the one time $25 trailer license fee we pay too 
.
Cheers
Gordon
DeadSkunk (Warren) said:Michigan has permanent plates, no annual fees.
Which is a big reason I've never sold my car hauler, even though I don't use it much anymore. It hasn't cost me a cent since I bought it in 2004. It does need tires, though...
My car trailer license plate fell off 20 years ago, never had an issue. I did find a black/yellow (pre-1970) PTO plate on an ancient trailer at the barn, and its on my ranger truck bed trailer..just because it looks cool to see a 60's plate on it, which is obviously bogus cuz the truck bed is a 80's :)
Minnesota has permanent trailer tags, but if you don't live here you can't register it here.
Virginia has it. I don't remember what the break even point was - from memory it was 3 or 4 years.
If your "homemade" trailer comes with a 1990's permanent Arkansas tag you are covered right? Guessing that would be why the law never screws with my E36 M3.
NC has permanent trailer plates, but you've got to pay property tax on any registered trailer annually.
In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
I don't know why there would be an issue, if there were a risk i doubt the freight companies and other big rig businesses with tons of liability would do it. I carry separate policies on my trailers too.
Your personal insurance company doesn't care if your trailer is registered in another state. At all.
I did maine for my enclosed trailer, registered for a decade and it was $200
Used https://mainetrailerregistrations.com/ and it was painless
Maryland was going to be more expensive and a pain in the arse arranging to have it inspected.
Since the annual NYS registration is (over)due on my 26' enclosed, this is probably a good time to revisit Maine registration. Two questions, for those that have done this:
- Any hassle from the constabulary with "mismatched" trailer/tow vehicle plates? My truck will stay reg'd and plated in NY, just not sure if Maine tags would make the highway patrol itchy and scratchy.
- The 12 year reg seems like a good deal and the way to go, but I tend to have vehicular ADHD. If I sell this trailer and purchase another, do I reach out to Maine DMV directly or Mainetrailerreg.com to transfer reg and tag? If I sell the trailer and don't replace it (doubtful, but who knows), is there a pro-rated refund of reg fees? I can ask the folks at Mainetrailerreg as well, just figured someone might have already had the same questions.
I do need to look more closely as to whether I would need to retitle as well (4000# empty weight), which could eat into savings. That said, at $100/year for NYS, that's an extra grand in my pocket over 10 years towards race fuel. I usually wait till July to re-reg as it cuts that cost down to $50/year for NY, but that's still a decent savings.
I have been using Maine Trailer reg for many years. In MA my open deck trailer was $140 a year and the enclosed was $180 year. I have 3 trailers plated with Maine for 5 years each for under $300. I did discover that it is just barely proper. The ruling is that the trailer is supposed to be connected to a "apportioned" vehicle. Read that as tractor trailer set up. I have not been stopped yet but certainly see plenty of LEO's and never get a second glance. You can pick from many different years, 1, 5 10 so if you have AADD just go 5 and its part of $99 down the drain if you switch trailers in two years.
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