Trailer Registration in TN?

[wileecoyote]

I am going to purchase a 6x12 enclosed single axle trailer for hauling stuff. I will mostly tow it locally but maybe twice a year I'll tow into a few other states. I will most likely buy new but may buy used if a great deal comes along. So far I've seen nice ones in the $2200-$2800 range. Still looking.

My question is this: will I need to register the trailer in TN and get a title / license plate for it?

I called Wilson County Clerk and they said if it was just a utility trailer then I didn't need to title it or get a plate, but that if I wanted to title it for proof of ownership I would have to buy a permanent semi plate which runs $93 once plus the full state sales tax on whatever I paid for it. Sounds like throwing away good money for nothing, so I plan to pass on that.

But I'm asking because I used to have a 26' travel trailer (with bed, kitchen, etc) and they had required me to title and plate that one, and pay the tax of course. Other than size I didn't see a functional difference since both are not motorized and are towed in the same manner.

Also, I plan to tow out of state soon and want to make sure I won't be harassed by multiple LEO enroute.

I have googled and couldn't find any federal, state, or local laws requiring me to have a plate for the utility trailer. But then I also couldn't find legal definitions for travel trailer vs. utility trailer, or anything talking about interstate towing regulations.

As an aside: one retail seller in KY said he would have to charge me 6% local KY state sales tax even though I live in TN and could have it shipped here. This didn't sound right. Anyone know about that?

[toby1304]

I went through the same thing. We were told that we did not need a tag for TN but if we drove thru another state we could be ticketed for not having a plate. Without a plate or title we could not prove the origin of ownership so they would have a right to ticket us. The tag is a one time fee.

[Omega]

I asked the same thing out here in Clarksville.  I registered my travel trailer but have since let the plate expire because its probably in its final resting place.  I was told that if you are from out of state, then they follow your states laws, so they will not hassle you anymore than normal.  I had been stopped once because my boat trailer lights were not connected but they didn't ask about the trailer (in NC boat trailers are registered) and all he had me do is check the connector which had the ground wire come loose.

[wileecoyote]

I went through the same thing. We were told that we did not need a tag for TN but if we drove thru another state we could be ticketed for not having a plate. Without a plate or title we could not prove the origin of ownership so they would have a right to ticket us. The tag is a one time fee.

I would have the certificate of origin from the original manufacturer, plus a signed receipt with my name and address and the serial number to prove ownership, so I don't see why I'd need anything else to prove it was mine. I did find a AAA website page that summarized towing laws for each state, but nothing said anything about license plates or registration or titles.

[Varmint]

If the vehicle pulling it has commercial tags, it will have to be registered and tagged.


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[bersaguy]

Back many many years ago my father had a small open top low side trailer a riding mower may not have even fit on and they made him buy the semi tag after he got stopped by a state trooper and received ticket for no tag on a Semi trailer so go  figure that one out. Back then the tags were based on size of trailer. When my Father went to get the tags they ask him for the title and he said, I don't have one and the court clerk said, how do you prove ownership and my father said with this bill of sale. Now this is were it gets really good.

 

My father bought this little trailer in Illinois for some small stuff he wanted to pack in it when were moved south. The clerk said you didn't pay any tax and my father said I bought it from an individual and the guy said does not matter, you have to pay sales tax. My father said ok, who do I pay it to since I bought it in Illinois and I now live in Tennessee. The guy said I will be right back. He comes back and says you pay us and we forward it back to the state of Illinois.

 

Ok My father was a very patient man all his life and I never saw him get mad about anything and he was not even getting mad about this but as it went on  he was starting to smile. Now because the guy was a friend of my fathers that sold him the trailer he only pay 35 bucks for it and that was what it said on the receipt. So now the guy looks at my father and asks what the size of the trailer is and my father says well lets see, it says here on the receipt that is it 5 X 8 open top trailer. The guy is in this huge book looking up semi trailer sizes and he says it cannot be that size because our book does not show a semi trailer that small.

 

My father said well the Tennessee State Trooper that wrote me this ticket I am sure will argue that fact with you. Pretty soon another man joined in on trying to figure it out and this was the actual County Court Clerk. After another 20 or so minutes the Clerk was about to tell my father to take it to the judge when my Grandfather walked into the clerks office and up beside my father and said He son, whats taking so long and the clerks all raised their heads when they heard my grandfathers voice.

 

The actual clerk asks   "Bubba Lee ( my Grandfathers nick name) do you know this gentleman?" and my grandfather said "yep, greatest son in law a man can have and this one is married to my only daughter." Well we need to take care of this issue right now. One of the other clerks ask for my fathers ticket from the Trooper and my father gave it to him. He left the office and went across to the judges chambers and came back with a case dismissed stamp on the ticket and signed by the judge.

 

They handed my father a Semi Tag and a registration for the trailer and we were able to leave with the problem fixed. That little trailer sat in back of the barn for about 30 years until it was nothing but a pile of rust and never moved again. I still visit the old family ranch even though we have not owned it in many years because my son is buried in our family cemetery up there and I always look behind the old barn the road goes past and think about that old trailer and my father and Grandfather. My grand father was known by everyone in Cheatham County and the main county road that that runs through the Ranch now bares his name. "Lee Greer Road"

[peejman]

If you plan to tow it out of state, it's best to get a tag.  While TN doesn't require trailer tags, several neighboring states do and you can be ticketed for not having a tag there.

[bersaguy]

If you plan to tow it out of state, it's best to get a tag.  While TN doesn't require trailer tags, several neighboring states do and you can be ticketed for not having a tag there.

I have to agree here. I think the 93 bucks for a one time tag might be a lot less costly than an out of state ticket might be...........jmho

[wileecoyote]

I have to agree here. I think the 93 bucks for a one time tag might be a lot less costly than an out of state ticket might be...........jmho

Except it's not $93, it's more like $343 after paying the TN state sales tax on my out of state purchase, which they collect during the title process.

[wileecoyote]

If you plan to tow it out of state, it's best to get a tag. While TN doesn't require trailer tags, several neighboring states do and you can be ticketed for not having a tag there.

Do you have any specifics to back this up? I've been searching and can't find anything from any state which requires a non resident to have a license plate on a utility trailer, especially if their own state doesn't issue or doesn't require them.

[eRay]

You do not have to buy the permanent $93 tag. I bought a one year tag for my utility trailer. I think it was about $22.00. Utility trailers do not require a tag in Tennessee but Travel Trailers do according to my county court clerks office.

[Pain103]

 You don't need to register it for private purposes in TN but you take your own chances out of state. Here is easy to read trailer guide for registration requirements.   http://www.countyclerkanytime.com/Tag_Title/trailer%20registration%20requirements.pdf

[wileecoyote]

Thanks eray and pain. Very helpful.

My county clerk was right, that it was not required for me to get a plate, so I am NOT going to get one.

I am going to carry the Tennessee State document with me in the event that I am stopped out of state, so I can show any interested officer that a plate is not required in my home state. If they stop me and ticket me anyway, telling me that their state requires me to have a plate, then I will fight that ticket because I don't see any states with a requirement for a non resident to have a plate on a trailer that is not titled within that state.

[DaveTN]

Except it's not $93, it's more like $343 after paying the TN state sales tax on my out of state purchase, which they collect during the title process.

I bought a 12 foot Haulmark Lowhauler. All the dealers around here put a $1000 premium on it because they were hard to get. Haulmark called me a couple of times about whether or not I had found one. I told them I hadn’t found one that wasn’t marked up. They gave me the name of a dealer outside the gates of the company in Indiana. (I was going to be in the area) I called them and got a really good deal; they had several in stock and ask when I wanted to pick it up. I gave them a date and asked what they needed to hold it. They said “Nothing, just be here on that day; it will be ready”. I drove in, it was ready with the options I ordered, they hooked it up and I left.

While paying for it I told them I was tax exempt because I would be taxed when I got tags in Tennessee. They said “that’s fine” and did a tax exempt sale.

When I got it back here I found out I don’t need tags; so I didn’t buy them. Over a year later I got a letter from the state of Tennessee saying I owed sales tax and penalties. I paid it.

That was over 12 years ago and I have pulled that trailer all over the country, no tag, and never been stopped. If I am, the trailer doesn’t require a tag in Tennessee, the ticket would not hold up in court; I’m not bound by their laws. But having a tag might save you the hassle of dealing with a cop that doesn’t know that.

[runco]

Whew....thought you wanted to register everyone that lives in trailer park!  How mean!  :rofl:

[Patton]

Do you have any specifics to back this up? I've been searching and can't find anything from any state which requires a non resident to have a license plate on a utility trailer, especially if their own state doesn't issue or doesn't require them.

I can't think of a situation in which you can have an non tagged trailer in GA; people get stopped all the time in GA. I don't know about traveling through other states.

[McGarrett]

I found this on the Montgomery County County Clerk's website; it summarizes the TCA sections on trailer registration. http://www.mcgtn.org/clerk/trailer-registration-requirements. I would still check with your local county clerk to make sure. I have always had utility trailers and never have had a tag for any of them.

 

The way it reads you don't need a tag unless used for business but if you insist on getting one they can give you Trailer E or Semi tag.

 

Just a tip the THP has been really cracking down on lawn mowing businesses that don't have trailer tags, even guys that just do it on the side. 

Edited September 27, 2014 by McGarrett

[bersaguy]

Ok, just talked to a buddy of mine and you know him yote cause he was the guy in that Mazda Pickup that bought that safe from you and we met you to pick it up. He has an enclosed Featherlite trailer same size as the one your looking to buy. He is a Harley guy and he can put two Harleys and all his gear he takes on road trips and he goes all over the country and has been stopped several times in different states and when he shows them his Tennessee drivers license and they check it out they are told by their dispatchers that Tennessee does not require that trailer be tagged and they give him his license back and send him on his way. I guess it all depends of the officers demeanor as to if he writes the ticket or not but so far Butch has had not tickets issued and he has been towing that trailer for at least 10 years and has gone to Florida which is were he is right now and he has towed to Sturgis several times with no issues............All I will say is good luck with which ever choice you choose......................... :up: :up:

[tnguy]

Do you have any specifics to back this up? I've been searching and can't find anything from any state which requires a non resident to have a license plate on a utility trailer, especially if their own state doesn't issue or doesn't require them.

 

This is my understanding of how it works also. I couldn't tell you where I found the info though, I had a hell of a job tracking it down (and there is no information on any of the official TN gov websites) when I bought my trailer. You can buy a yearly or one-time tag. The one time is probably better value.

[McGarrett]

I think the yearly is the Trailer E tag and the one time permanent is the Semi one. You can get either on the small trailer but have to get the semi if over certain dimensions.

 

I'm building a trailer for hauling scrap metal that I will have to get inspected by THP for a vin aqnd title and I will tag it because it will be owned by my business and for commercial use. I'll probably get the Semi tag since it is going to be close to the size limits and it is just a one time fee.

 

Disclamier: I am no expert on tags, consult your county clerk's office to be sure.

[Wyldk2]

Never had a problem towing my 14 ft trailer in other states or here for that matter. No tag for personal use is needed.  I wouldn't get one if it wasnt required, just seems like a waste of money.

[Spiffy]

It's been several years since I got tags on my boat trailer. What I was told at the courthouse is that if the trailer has a title you have to get tags for it, if it doesn't you don't have to. I think mine was a permanent tag but it's been the barn forever and I don't really remember.

 

I do know that my trailer was bought separate from the boat or was an upgrade or something when the original owner bought it.

[hardknox00001]

Never mind the tag, I just wish they would crack down on all the trailers running around with no lights on them.  Some just don't work but others are obviously not lit as the lights are beat all to heck and are missing.  See way to many of them.

[peejman]

Never mind the tag, I just wish they would crack down on all the trailers running around with no lights on them. Some just don't work but others are obviously not lit as the lights are beat all to heck and are missing. See way to many of them.

this is Tennessee...

[tnguy]

Yeah, I've just bought some new lights for mine. Really sh*tty design. The lights tend to catch on stuff when you're moving the trailer around and the connections to the wires are made by sliding the wires between two sharp bits of metal which corrodes in about 3 seconds flat. When I put the new ones on, I'll be welding some supports to raise the lights up so they don't drag and making sure the wires have good solid connections.