Trailer registration question

[cboland]

I just picked up my new trailer yesterday and after having a discussion with a few folks, I got to thinking about the logistics of getting a license tag for my trailer.

I'm in Georgia and we are required to get tags for trailers here, but in the neighboring states of AL and SC they are not required. I was wondering if anybody knows what the ramifications of just telling a cop, if I were to get pulled over, that the trailer is a SC trailer owned by a friend who lent it to me to get the boat from point A to point B. SC trailers are not titled so there is no way to prove who owns it. My GA friends said that is what they do. It'd be nice to not have to go through the headache of sitting at the county tag office and give them more money on top of the ad velorum tax, registration, and every other excuse they find to take money.

Anybody know what a cop could do in this instance?

[Downsideup]

Trailer registration is cheap. Just pay it.

Oh, and I live in GA.

[NautiqueJeff]

I know that here in VA you can get a permanent license plate that doesn't require registration renewals until you sell the trailer. The cost for that here is under $50.

[cboland]

Wouldn't that be nice? I'll have to look into the options here. I've heard bad stories about having to pay back taxes or something on trailers so I had no clue what to expect.

[ag4ever]

I would think it would work if the boat also had SC or AL registration numbers. If it has GA numbers, I would bet they would harass you.

Best to just pony up the coin and be legal.

[ScarletArrow]

OH requires the title to have the weight of the trailer on it before they will issue plates.

My trailer is out of state and does not have the weight...so I have to drop the boat in the water, get the trailer weighed, and load the boat (I don't have a dock).

Thankfully, my dealer is helping me out with the logistics.

[kentsmith12]

Register your trailer; when you sell it you will have to register it so the new owner can title it. Yes you will pay taxes and penalties if you wait...

I'm dealing with a mastercraft that I sold here in Texas and the owner is in CA. He needs to title the trailer but can't because I never registered it. Now having to go back to the TXDOT and take care of everything. I never used a trailer because I keep my boat in a boathouse year round; however, for the nominal fee I'm going to register my new trailer CC air nautique because I'm not going thru my current situation again = pain in the $##!

[Onthewater]

Anybody know if Wisconsin requires trailer registration? We registered the boat in WI and sometimes tow into IL. We still have the previous owners expired VA tags on the trailer, 5 years now.

[TrailInn2]

Wisconsin does not require trailer registration until you get to certain weight and size limits, which I`m not sure of. I don`t have mine registered for a 21` SS.

[jon4pres]

In Kansas I was told at the tag office that if it is under 2k lbs you do NOT have to get tags.

[gotpwr]

KY doesn't require trailer registration, but they recommend it if you are going to take your trailer out of state. I got pulled over in MI for not having a plate on my trailer, and the cop wasn't very sympathetic to my assertion that plates aren't required in KY. He basically told me that I needed to have a plate if I was going to tow in MI. Since I usually take my boat out of state at least once each season I always get a plate every year.