How to register a trailer with DMV?

You are ready to leave power only behind. Here's what you can do to make your trailer.

You’ve got your own trailer now and already saying goodbye to running bobtail. But what do you do after your semi-trailer purchase? You need to have it registered with the Department of Motor Vehicle where you or your business is located. That is why here, we list the basic requirements that you will need to provide when processing your trailer’s registration. Be sure to bring the following with you before you go to the Department of Motor Vehicle:

 

1. Any Valid Form of Identification such as your driver’s license.

2. Official Bill of Sale. This shows to prove that you are the owner of the trailer and this will contain all the other necessary information about the trailer - its year, make, model, body, and VIN. It should also contain the Buyer and Seller’s information.

3. Certificate of Title. If your purchase is just recent and you still do not have this one, DMV will provide you with the steps you need to do to have one.

4. Insurance. Be sure to have this for your trailer to secure the trailer itself and everything that you will move that is put inside the trailer.

5. Fees. The amount is determined by your DMV branch or state, so be sure to have some cash with you to settle the fees.

 

To be sure of the process, you should check with the Department of Motor Vehicle branch you are to do the registration. You can confirm online in case they have a website but if the branch doesn’t have one, it doesn’t hurt to pay them a visit on-site. Generally, the process can be completed within the day if you’ve got all the necessary paperwork with you. They might also ask you to have your trailer weighed and undergo a safety check as part of the process so it would be best that you are sure that everything on the paperwork matches the details of the trailer physically.

 

You can be given either temporary or permanent registration after everything has been checked out after the safety inspection. In the United States, registration commonly lasts for 2 years. And once you are done with the registration, you should get the plate that you need to place into your trailer.

 

Should you need more information from your State’s DMV, you can reach them online here.