# Trailer registration question



## PeteS (Dec 30, 2016)

Go to a certified scale, most scrap yards or truck stops have them pay the $10 or so and have them weigh the trailer and give you a certified weight ticket, then go to the county tax collector's office and tell them you want to register a homemade trailer that weights less than 2,000lb's and give them the weight ticket should be no inspection all done. This is the easiest but most unethical way.
If you tell them it is a trailer that you've had for along time and have no paperwork it will consume way too much time and be a nightmare in paperwork


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Nick5288 said:


> I just bought a gheenoe and want to put it on a trailer I already have. I was given the trailer a long time ago when it was pretty much junk. I just recently replaced almost everything on it except the frame. I want to register it when I register the gheenoe but have no paper work for the trailer. Also can't find a vin number because it's been painted. How can I go about registering the trailer? Located in Florida


Like other gentleman said you need it weighed by a certified scale and register as home made and of course pay that's the main thing that they want is the money


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## ADicus (Feb 15, 2013)

Homemade registration they will assign it a vin and you are supposed to dremel or stamp it on the trailer. My county didn't require a weight slip not sure if I got lucky or just because it was a small 17' boat trailer


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

You don't need to weigh it. It is safe to say it is under 500 lbs. Under 500 are all the same price. Over 500 you will need a weight slip.


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## 994 (Apr 14, 2008)

DuckNut said:


> You don't need to weigh it. It is safe to say it is under 500 lbs. Under 500 are all the same price. Over 500 you will need a weight slip.


This was the case for me in Volusia county about 6 or 7 years ago. Small trailer for Gheenoe. I also didn't need to Dremel anything. Like someone else said, all they want is your money.


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## Jason Cooper (Dec 6, 2016)

Dont bother weighing it. Tell em at the tag office you got a 200lb homemade trailer you need a tag for. Shouldnt cost alot either!


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## flytyn (Aug 21, 2012)

You can always go to a weight scale station off the interstate and have it performed. I know here in Hillsborough Cty the one off I4 in Seffner is open 24/7 and is free and they will give you a certificate of weight.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

I had a problem with my trailer being from SC and me being in Florida. SC only registers trailers that weigh more than a certain amount. My trailer is a wesco and they used to use a paper sticker to put the vin on. I was able to find the original MSA from the dealer for the boat and it had the trailer VIN on it. I was lucky enough to get someone at the DMV that was willing to listen and work with me.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Jason Cooper said:


> Dont bother weighing it. Tell em at the tag office you got a 200lb homemade trailer you need a tag for. Shouldnt cost alot either!


Don't lie to them. If there ever is a problem such as an accident you may find yourself in a heap of trouble. Be honest and you will not have any issues.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

DuckNut said:


> Don't lie to them. If there ever is a problem such as an accident you may find yourself in a heap of trouble. Be honest and you will not have any issues.


Thats good advice. I went in with a mess but was honest about everything and they were fair to me. The girl did take down my phone number in case there were any problems but I never heard another word about it.


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## Jason Cooper (Dec 6, 2016)

DuckNut said:


> Don't lie to them. If there ever is a problem such as an accident you may find yourself in a heap of trouble. Be honest and you will not have any issues.


Who is lieing? Only if a trailer weighs over a certain amount does it need to be weighed. I think that amount is 500 or 750 cant remember. But no skiff trailer should ever weigh more than 500.


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

Getting it weighed is easy if you have a place to put the boat.

The dump
Cement truck plants
Larger moving companies

The above places should have scales and would only be about $5 to weigh


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Jason Cooper said:


> Tell em at the tag office you got a 200lb *homemade* trailer


The OP did not mention if homemade or not and it is not safe to assume so. I don't think the tag agency really cares - but your insurance certainly will if there is ever an accident. In addition, if there is ever a problem and they look at the trailer he may have to prove it was homemade.

Liability is everywhere and attorneys will blame you for your gross negligence.


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## Stickbow (Aug 31, 2016)

In Georgia, if the VIN is missing, you *have *to register it as a homemade trailer or get a new VIN from the original manufacturer. To do that, the tag office has a form you take to the local PO and the officer does an inspection (really only looks to see if it has chains, and if the the lights work, plus look for a VIN just in case you are blind.

They do not make you weigh the trailer - at least not in my county, where all my experience in this is; they ask what the purpose is, and go from there. I think the lady asked me if it was under 300 pounds once. I've built three different kayak trailers from an original base that should have had a VIN but didn't - one motorcycle trailer (that may not have ever had a VIN, though the guy I bought it from had a tag on it) and two junk boat trailers - one with an existing tag and no VIN on file.

They don't issue titles on "utility" (including boat) trailers in GA, only bills of sale and original manufacturer's documents - at least that's what my tag office says, the 'net seems to say otherwise. I know several other states are similar, but I wish I knew the law in FL; sorry I don't.

I should point out that by the time these trailers were tagged, they were, for all practical purposes, a home-made trailer. I'd hacked them up enough that they didn't resemble the original enough for the owner or manufacturer to recognize them.


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