How To Register Homemade Trailer In Texas

Update (Feb 2, 2011)

Here are the steps you need to do if you want to get plates for a homemade trailer in Travis County (Austin, TX).

Go to the Travis County Tax Office
Tell them you want to get plates for a homemade trailer.
Take a number and wait for them to call your number.
Tell the clerk that you want to plate a homemade trailer.
You will fill out a Form 130-U Here's more info on that form if you want to do it ahead of time. How to fill out form 130-U.
You will be asked the weight of trailer and max weight load capacity which needs to be under 4,000 lbs or you have to do a different form. You'll also be asked when the trailer was built.
Pay the fee ($45.83 for me).
Receive your new plates.
Do a happy dance and go about your business.

It was that easy.

Here is a pic of my trailer that I got plated.

Tell them you have a home built trailer, pay a little money, and walk out with some plates. It really is that easy in Texas.

Tell them you have a home built trailer, pay a little money, and walk out with some plates. It really is that easy in Texas.

Yep , no problems .............Tell them you built it from scrap metal or they may want a reciept.

They will probably ask you about it's capacity (weight), axles, etc. I've done it with farm trailers. No problems. And I never filled out a form, just told them what I needed - but was in a small town where we all kind of know each other, that may have made a difference.

They will ask you size and how much lb capacity. (you pay by how much capacity it holds)

Thanks for the info. Any help to an on-line form I can fill out before I get there would be greatly appreciated!!

I was told a while back that you have to get an inspection done on it first before plating it. Something about it being a homemade trailer and they want to make sure its safe for road use. Maybe thats only some countys.

Yes, you will have to get what they used to call a "green sheet", because the paper was actually green. Now it is just printed on plain copy paper.

The plate will have to be on the left hand side or in the center and it will be required to be luminated. As it is, it will not pass inspection. I'm not so sure about the regulation on the safety chains, but you will need those also. I also think you may have to have it weighed and the length and width.

I was told a while back that you have to get an inspection done on it first before plating it. Something about it being a homemade trailer and they want to make sure its safe for road use. Maybe thats only some countys.

Yes, you will have to get what they used to call a "green sheet", because the paper was actually green. Now it is just printed on plain copy paper.

The plate will have to be on the left hand side or in the center and it will be required to be luminated. As it is, it will not pass inspection. I'm not so sure about the regulation on the safety chains, but you will need those also. I also think you may have to have it weighed and the length and width.

Unless this is new within the past few years I don't think you have to do that (at least for Tarrant County) I've never had my trailer inspected, and frankly I don't even know where I would go to get it inspected. A regular inspection place I suppose, but I sure as heck have never been. I just walked in to the sub-courthouse told them what I had, how much it weighed/hauled and walked out with a plate.

Unless this is new within the past few years I don't think you have to do that (at least for Tarrant County) I've never had my trailer inspected, and frankly I don't even know where I would go to get it inspected. A regular inspection place I suppose, but I sure as heck have never been. I just walked in to the sub-courthouse told them what I had, how much it weighed/hauled and walked out with a plate.

I remember now. I was at the main DMV off 360 to get a new copy of a title i lost, and someone was asking about a homemade trailer. The lady told him that depending on where they got the tags at, they may want an inspection to verify that the trailer is roadworthy. I would recommend it anyway since its the same price as a motorcycle inspection ($14.50) and you can get a ticket for not having one. Plus it might save you an extra trip to the dmv if they end up asking for it.

vulcanraven

Joined: Jul 21, 2010

Messages: 35

Reaction score: 0

Location: Flower Mound

First Name: Hank

Last Name: Slocum

I just went through this with a "shop built" non titled trailer. All i needed was a bill of sale from the seller since it already had a plate. No inspection was necessary. One form to fill out at the counter and $48.00 later I had a new sticker.

Hmmm, I notice in the pic the trailer has plates. So I see where there is some confusion here. Some of us are 'assuming" you have no plates and are starting from scratch and the rest, assuming you have plates, just not in your name.

Can you clarify which it is?

I also registered a shop built trailer. I was told as long as I was not registering it for more than 4,000 lb GWR all I needed to do was show a bill of sale. I think you are going to need that to register it. Can you get the person you bought it from to do a simple hand written one for you. All it needs is to show he sold you a trailer on such and such a date and the amount of the sale. You could just print one up and get him to sign it.

As for inspections, I think those are only required for trailers above a set GWR.

Just move to Oklahoma, no tags required

I checked the TxDPS web site and found this from the Texas vehicle code:

Sec.A548.052.AAVEHICLES NOT SUBJECT TO INSPECTION.A This
chapter does not apply to:
.
.
.
(3)AAa trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile
home having an actual gross weight or registered gross weight of
4,500 pounds or less;

The complete PDF can be found at http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/548.pdf.

tshelfer

Joined: Sep 4, 2009

Messages: 12,851

Reaction score: 1,740

Location: Centennial, CO

First Name: Tim

Last Name: Shelfer

Trailers don't require inspection. I've owned many.

Hmmm, I notice in the pic the trailer has plates. So I see where there is some confusion here. Some of us are 'assuming" you have no plates and are starting from scratch and the rest, assuming you have plates, just not in your name.

Can you clarify which it is?

I saw that he had a plate on it already, mine did too. But for the sake of being quick and painless, I just tossed it and got a new plate for a homebuilt trailer.

4734

Joined: Nov 10, 2004

Messages: 561

Reaction score: 0

Location: Willis, Tx.

First Name: Greg

Check with your local DVM to find out what will be required to register the homemade trailer into your name.

Trailer inspections- there are two types of trailer inspections.

One is for safety inspections, they check the lights, lp location, tires ect. and you get the "green sheet". These are conducted at most of the vehicle safety inspection stations. Trailers over 4,000 GVRA are required to obtain these per state law posted above, but most don't do it and it is rarely enforced.

The other inspection is conducted by LEO, they inspect the trailer if it is going to be registered as a "homemade" trailer. They verify that the trailer is indeed homemade or not. If is not homemade then they check it for stolen. If it's not stolen they send you on your way back to the person or business you bought it from to obtain the documents to register it as a manufactured trailer.
If it's stolen....well that's another subject all together.

Some counties require the trailer inspection and some do not.

No offense, but yours is clearly homemade well under the 4,000 GVWR and should not be a big deal to get it registered in your name.

This is just from my experience... yours may vary.

I saw that he had a plate on it already, mine did too. But for the sake of being quick and painless, I just tossed it and got a new plate for a home built trailer.

Yes, this is what I'm going for. Simple and easy. Judging by the responses I'm just going to have to make a trip to the DMV. I just hate going there to find out there is another step to take and I have to come back. I was really hoping to find a form on-line that I could fill out ahead of time, show up, give them the form and some cash and walk out with plates but I don't think anyone else knows how to navigate the site and find a form either. :shrug:

Not sure why you have to go to the DMV to register the trailer. I registered mine at the local county tax office. Walked in with the bill of sale. Told the lady I wanted to register a trailer that did not have a title. She looked at the bill of sale and said that as long as I wanted to regester it for 4000 lbs GVWR then that was all I needed. She said if I wanted to go higher than that on the weight rating (it's a 2 axle trailer) then there would be a bunch of paper work involved. I opted to limit it to 4000 lbs gave her the money and walked out with the plate.

Johnf3

Joined: Nov 27, 2007

Messages: 1,362

Reaction score: 300

Location: West Texas

Yes, this is what I'm going for. Simple and easy. Judging by the responses I'm just going to have to make a trip to the DMV. I just hate going there to find out there is another step to take and I have to come back. I was really hoping to find a form on-line that I could fill out ahead of time, show up, give them the form and some cash and walk out with plates but I don't think anyone else knows how to navigate the site and find a form either.

DMV?

You go to your County's tax office for vehicles. You tell them you have a homemade trailer less than 4k gvwr, you pay for your plate, and walk out with it.

You're going for simple and easy--you got it. That's really all there is too it, and several have said it already. You can do it!

I think he is useing the "DMV" as a generic term. In Cypress I did the same thing. Went down to the court house on Clay road and got the form I needed, filled it out, went down to the local inspection station and got my "green sheet" (safety inspection), went to the local landfill and got a scale ticket. Then back to the DMV/court house/tax office and got my tags.

Then I moved to oklahoma and through it in the trash. :eek2:

Walk in to your local DMV and act dumb. Tell them that you built a little trailer and need to know how to get tags for it. Don't mention anything about buying it or having a plate already. Tell them its has one axle and a capacity of about 800 lbs. Should be all you need. I hauled a trailer from the bushes behind my uncle's shop that had been there for about 15yrs. Packed the bearings, painted it, layed down some new lumber ran new wires and lights and put some tires on it.
20 minutes in line and $45 bucks and I had new plate and registration as a shop-built trailer.

I'd just make a call to the local tax office , where you get license plates , and ask questions...

I updated the first post with this info.

Here are the steps you need to do if you want to get plates for a homemade trailer in Travis County.

Go to the Travis County Tax Office
Tell them you want to get plates for a homemade trailer.
Take a number and wait for them to call you number.
Tell the clerk that you want to plate a homemade trailer.
You will fill out a Form 130-U Here's more info on that form if you want to do it ahead of time. How to fill out form 130-U.
You will be asked the weight of trailer and max weight load capacity which needs to be under 4,000 lbs or you have to do a different form. You'll also be asked when the trailer was built.
Pay the fee ($45.83 for me).
Receive your new plates.
Do a happy dance and go about your business.

It was that easy.

Here is a pic of my trailer that I got plated.