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I bought a trailer on eBay. It is a 12000 GVW (two 6K axles) 8' x 16' deckover. It was listed as being in Waxahachie. I pick it up in Waxahachie but later find out it has a Iowa title. I try to register it at the county (Dallas) and they tell me I need a weight certificate (no problem), a green sheet (VIN verification from an inspection station) and an inspection (no problem). The inspection station cannot verify the VIN because the printing/stamping on the metalized nameplate is completely illegible although all the "facts of the case" seem consistent (that is, the description on the title matches the trailer physical characteristics). At this point, I guess I could just go with a bonded title. Anybody else ever run into this?

I don't know much about trailers, but could you possibly register it as a homemade trailer thus not requiring a VIN (assuming it would be legal to do so)?

That is what I did several years ago.

I have done it too several times. Only difference is mine were smaller than yours.

If you register it as a homemade trailer, you limit the capacity to 4500#. I have a compact track loader that weighs 7500#. You see a lot of tandem axle trailers with two 3500# axles hauling around small skid steer loaders. If you get caught doing that, the trailers (and whatever is on them if it is towed before you can unload it) is impounded and one cannot get them out until you can produce a title. To get a title, you have to take it to get a VIN assigned, apply for the title and wait until it arrives in the mail. Since it is impounded, you will never get it back as you have to produce the title as proof of ownership to get it out. Right now, there are about 40 such trailers at the Dallas pound on Vilbig street.

I always register my trailers "by the book" even though I know most of the ones on the freeways are running illegal.

Sorry & I did not know that. All mine have been small single axle.
Someone smarter than me will have to come along.

When I bought my little trailer, in NY State, they were not titled. Moved to IL, and licensed without title there too, then moved to TX.

Since there was no title, a LEO had to come to my house and view the trailer, and as far as I knew there was no available information; serial number, GVW, etc, and eventually TX issued me a title and licensed it. Last year I put a new deck on it after 17 years - one sheet of plywood lasted all that time - and discovered a nomenclature plate down under the frame that would have saved all the hassle.

ninemm wrote:I bought a trailer on eBay. It is a 12000 GVW (two 6K axles) 8' x 16' deckover. It was listed as being in Waxahachie. I pick it up in Waxahachie but later find out it has a Iowa title. I try to register it at the county (Dallas) and they tell me I need a weight certificate (no problem), a green sheet (VIN verification from an inspection station) and an inspection (no problem). The inspection station cannot verify the VIN because the printing/stamping on the metalized nameplate is completely illegible although all the "facts of the case" seem consistent (that is, the description on the title matches the trailer physical characteristics). At this point, I guess I could just go with a bonded title. Anybody else ever run into this?

Call the manufacturer & have them send you a data sheet. They can assign a new VIN number if they can not find your trailer in their records.