License plate for horse trailer?

[maroonandwhite]

So I am pondering on getting a tag put on our horse trailer. I know it's not required to have one in TN but am thinking it may be safer just get one in case we travel out of state. My question is if any of you folks have done this in TN and if you had to pay tax on it. It seems that per TN code if it's used for agricultural purposes we shouldn't have to pay tax. It does use the word "farmer" as a qualifier though. Obviously the .gov doesn't define that but using the webster version I qualify haha. My wife spoke to the clerk and she is saying we would pay tax on it. I don't want to print all of this out and take it up there to show him/her because that will likely just piss them off but I just won't register it if that's the case.

[56FordGuy]

Ag use doesn't apply to horse trailers, I went through this registering mine in Sumner county. You will have to pay tax on it.

I'd do it, makes life much easier if you ever move or sell the trailer out of state.

[maroonandwhite]

Ag use doesn't apply to horse trailers, I went through this registering mine in Sumner county. You will have to pay tax on it.

I'd do it, makes life much easier if you ever move or sell the trailer out of state.

even if I can haul cattle in it? Not sure it the title says "horse".


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[56FordGuy]

I haven't looked at the statutes lately, but I recall a specific exception for horse trailers. I'll try to look it up again tonight.

[bud]

. Edited November 9, 2015 by bud

[maroonandwhite]

I do it, albeit not for horse trailers.
It's a one time fee and a lifetime tag.
Besides, didn't you only pay $150 for that trailer anyway ;), so what's tax $15?

I hear ya there.

[Caster]

$15 is a pittance in the scheme of life. Having all the bases covered sounds better than the $15 to me. Tag it and forget it.

[56FordGuy]

Turns out, you can only claim farm exempt if you have a tax certificate and produce $1,000 or more of revenue per year on your "farm".

However, the specific horse trailer question is answered at the bottom of page ten here:

http://tn.gov/assets/entities/revenue/attachments/agricultural.pdf

Short answer- no exemption, you will have to pay tax.

I paid the tax to register my big horse trailer, and am getting things together to title my bought used, bill of sale, never titled flatbed gooseneck out here in Wyoming. Transferring the horse trailer registration was much easier than trying to title a trailer that doesn't have one. It's not incredibly difficult, but there are some steps that have to be taken. Edited September 14, 2015 by 56FordGuy

[Dolomite_supafly]

There is no need to run a license plate on a trailer so long as it stays within our borders and is not used commercially.

[Trekbike]

There is no need to run a license plate on a trailer so long as it stays within our borders and is not used commercially.

I know the OP was specifically asking about horse trailers but your post about crossing state lines brought up a question.

So is a tag required for a small utility trailer if you travel to another state if that state also doesn't require a tag for a utility trailer?

Just trying to figure out if it's strictly a state line crossing thing.

[56FordGuy]

So is a tag required for a small utility trailer if you travel to another state if that state also doesn't require a tag for a utility trailer?

Just trying to figure out if it's strictly a state line crossing thing.

No. TN doesn't require tags in order for trailers to be road legal, and other states will honor that. If the vehicle is legal where it is registered it is legal to operate out of state as well. If your tow vehicle has TN tags and your utility trailer has no tag, you're okay. State lines don't make a difference.

That isnt to say some out of state officer won't misunderstand the law and pull you over, but you shouldn't be ticketed because he will find the vehicle is legal. A lot of us buy tags anyway just to avoid the potential hassle of having to explain it and wait on the officer to look up the laws.

[DaveTN]

I know the OP was specifically asking about horse trailers but your post about crossing state lines brought up a question.

So is a tag required for a small utility trailer if you travel to another state if that state also doesn't require a tag for a utility trailer?

Just trying to figure out if it's strictly a state line crossing thing.

I have an 8X12 Low hauler motorcycle trailer that doesn’t have a plate. I’ve pulled it all over the country for the last 15 years and have never been stopped. But I understand I could be stopped. At 8 feet wide they can’t see the plate on the back of my tow vehicle except momentarily as they pass me, and of course I don’t have one on the front.

I figure if I get stopped I’ll explain my state doesn’t require one and move on. But I have seen comments that some states require a plate on out of state vehicles; I don’t know if that’s true or not.

I’ve thought about putting a plate on it because I haul a lot of guns when I go to Illinois to shoot, but haven’t got around to it.

It’s not required by the state of Tennessee and they don’t address other states, you would have to check each individual state.

[Tncobra]

Get a temp tag when you go out of state.

[56FordGuy]

Get a temp tag when you go out of state.

There's no reason to do that, and the clerk's office doesn't just hand out temp tags any time you ask.

If your vehicle is legal where it's registered, then it's legal out of state as well. Do TN residents in the northeast have to pull over and put on a front license plate when they go to Virginia? No, because the car is legal in its home state. Do you have to get a Virginia safety inspection before you can travel there? No, because the car is legal in its home state. Trailers are the same.

[peejman]

There's no reason to do that, and the clerk's office doesn't just hand out temp tags any time you ask.

If your vehicle is legal where it's registered, then it's legal out of state as well. Do TN residents in the northeast have to pull over and put on a front license plate when they go to Virginia? No, because the car is legal in its home state. Do you have to get a Virginia safety inspection before you can travel there? No, because the car is legal in its home state. Trailers are the same.

 

 

Not exactly.  Yes, you can be ticketed if your vehicle violates the state's code where you are.  It's no different than following their laws while carrying a gun in another state.  Generally, tourists get a free pass but you are breaking the law there. 

 

I know for a fact that you can be ticketed for window tint darker than 35% when driving a FL registered car (where 20% is legal) in VA.  Speeding and being an asshole to the cop about it doesn't help.  ;)

 

So yes, if you ever think you might pull your trailer out of state, get a tag for it.  It's relatively cheap and worth it to avoid the potential hassle.  If you have a home built trailer or one with no title you can still get a plate for it, you just have to pay an extra fee and get it inspected by TNHP.  Be very thoughtful about weight capacity (understand what gross weight means) when filling out the application. 

 

https://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/revenue/attachments/trailerinspectionrequirements.pdf

http://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/revenue/attachments/sf1166fillin.pdf

[56FordGuy]

Not exactly. Yes, you can be ticketed if your vehicle violates the state's code where you are. It's no different than following their laws while carrying a gun in another state. Generally, tourists get a free pass but you are breaking the law there.

Can you point to a law in any state that says visiting vehicles must comply with the registration laws of the state being visited? I'm really not trying to be difficult, but I've not been able to find anything that indicates that is the case. Lots of people like to throw around anecdotal evidence like "a cop said" or "a buddy knew a guy 20 years ago" and follow it up with often incorrect information.

I would point to the People v White, 2003. While its in California and refers specifically to a front license plate, the principle is the same.

https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=12290618282660682952

In short:

In White, supra, 107 Cal.App.4th at page 643, the officer observed a vehicle with one Arizona license plate affixed to the rear of the vehicle. He stopped the vehicle, mistakenly believing that the single Arizona license plate was a violation of the law. But, like Michigan and Florida, Arizona requires only one license plate. Thus, that which the officer observed was not unlawful. (White, supra, at pp. 643-644.)

A trailer with no tag being towed by a TN registered vehicle is legal in TN and other states, just like only having a single plate on the towing vehicle. I have been unable to find anything that states otherwise but would love to see it if it's out there. I suspect part of the reason I can't find anything is because it could easily be construed as violating the interstate commerce clause. Not to be confused with commercial vehicles and trucking, that's a different thing. :)

[Omega]

Not exactly.  Yes, you can be ticketed if your vehicle violates the state's code where you are.  It's no different than following their laws while carrying a gun in another state.  Generally, tourists get a free pass but you are breaking the law there. 

 

I know for a fact that you can be ticketed for window tint darker than 35% when driving a FL registered car (where 20% is legal) in VA.  Speeding and being an asshole to the cop about it doesn't help.  ;)

 

So yes, if you ever think you might pull your trailer out of state, get a tag for it.  It's relatively cheap and worth it to avoid the potential hassle.  If you have a home built trailer or one with no title you can still get a plate for it, you just have to pay an extra fee and get it inspected by TNHP.  Be very thoughtful about weight capacity (understand what gross weight means) when filling out the application. 

 

https://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/revenue/attachments/trailerinspectionrequirements.pdf

http://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/revenue/attachments/sf1166fillin.pdf

While there is nothing stopping an officer from writing you a ticket for whatever reason, it does not mean it will stand up in court.  Anything which is legal in the state the vehicle is registered in is legal across the US, unless your residence is now that state.  In that case you may get a ticket for not registering your vehicle in the proper state; most states give you at least 30 days to get a new license and license plate, others such as NC or GA when I lived there 2 of the 3 had to match, drivers license, registration, insurance. 

[peejman]

Can you point to a law in any state that says visiting vehicles must comply with the registration laws of the state being visited? I'm really not trying to be difficult, but I've not been able to find anything that indicates that is the case. Lots of people like to throw around anecdotal evidence like "a cop said" or "a buddy knew a guy 20 years ago" and follow it up with often incorrect information.

I would point to the People v White, 2003. While its in California and refers specifically to a front license plate, the principle is the same.

https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=12290618282660682952

In short:

In White, supra, 107 Cal.App.4th at page 643, the officer observed a vehicle with one Arizona license plate affixed to the rear of the vehicle. He stopped the vehicle, mistakenly believing that the single Arizona license plate was a violation of the law. But, like Michigan and Florida, Arizona requires only one license plate. Thus, that which the officer observed was not unlawful. (White, supra, at pp. 643-644.)

A trailer with no tag being towed by a TN registered vehicle is legal in TN and other states, just like only having a single plate on the towing vehicle. I have been unable to find anything that states otherwise but would love to see it if it's out there. I suspect part of the reason I can't find anything is because it could easily be construed as violating the interstate commerce clause. Not to be confused with commercial vehicles and trucking, that's a different thing. :)

 

 

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Safety.shtm#FAQSafety

 

 

3. Except as provided in § 46.2-1053, but notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no sun-shading or tinting film may be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a mirror on each side of such motor vehicle, so located as to reflect to the driver of the vehicle a view of the highway for at least 200 feet to the rear of such vehicle, and the sun-shading or tinting film is applied or affixed in accordance with the following:
   1. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the rear side windows or rear window or windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth that reduce the total light transmittance of such window to less than thirty-five percent;
   2. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the front side windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth that reduce total light transmittance of such window to less than fifty percent;
   3. No sun-shading or tinting films shall be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle that (i) have a reflectance of light exceeding twenty percent or (ii) produce a holographic or prism effect.

Any person who operates a motor vehicle on the highways of this Commonwealth with sun-shading or tinting films that (i) have a total light transmittance less than that required by subdivisions 1 and 2 of this subsection, (ii) have a reflectance of light exceeding twenty percent, or (iii) produce holographic or prism effects shall be guilty of a traffic infraction but shall not be awarded any demerit points by the Commissioner for the violation.

Any person or firm who applies or affixes to the windows of any motor vehicle in Virginia sun-shading or tinting films that (i) reduce the light transmittance to levels less than that allowed in subdivisions 1 and 2 of this subsection, (ii) have a reflectance of light exceeding twenty percent, or (iii) produce holographic or prism effects shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor for the first offense and of a Class 2 misdemeanor for any subsequent offense.

 

 

 

The key word is "operates".  It specifically does not say vehicles registered in VA, it says vehicles operated in VA.

 

Would that hold up in court?  Dunno.  The friend I was in the car with paid the fine, which is all they're really after anyway.  Don't screw with VAHP, you'll have a bad day. 

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

Be more worried about going into others states with your horses and dont have the Coggins or the health cert with you.. some states will not let you enter/ leave without those papers.. just in case you go out of state with your horses.. At least get a coggins.. a 6 month

health cert and a strangles( at the very least.) you know how bad strangles can get

[maroonandwhite]

Be more worried about going into others states with your horses and dont have the Coggins or the health cert with you.. some states will not let you enter/ leave without those papers.. just in case you go out of state with your horses.. At least get a coggins.. a 6 month

health cert and a strangles( at the very least.) you know how bad strangles can get

Yeah we have all of that as well. We will rarely if ever go into MS with this trailer and horse so I will probably just end up not registering it for now. If for some reason my wife decides to take the horse to TX or somewhere far off I'll probably pony up and do it. This $200 will go father towards a new jack and some lights. :pleased:

[DaveTN]

A trailer plate costs $200?

[maroonandwhite]

A trailer plate costs $200?

Based on what the clerk told my wife. Taxes on the trailer plus whatever the tag costs. She very well could be mistaken though.

[56FordGuy]

Trailer plates, if I recall correctly are $25/ year or $80 for a lifetime tag. The yearly tags say "trailer e" for trailer expires, and the lifetime say "semi" for semi permanent.

I bought the yearly tag for my horse trailer just because I knew I would be moving. All I really wanted was the title in my name but couldn't do that without buying a tag.

I would consider doing a one year tag on yours just to get the title swapped. Tax on a $150 trailer and $25 for a tag shouldn't be too bad.

[peejman]

Do they assess tax based on sale price or market value (like they do used cars now)? 

[maroonandwhite]

Do they assess tax based on sale price or market value (like they do used cars now)? 

Sale price as far as I know. Which I get to write in the back of the title.