Trailer question for CA guys

ridg3runner

ridg3runner

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A few years ago I bought a small trailer from HF that I use for dragging my camping gear around. This trailer has a simple ID tag on the tongue and no other markings other than the license plate. When I first registered it I had to take it to DMV and do a " verification of vehicle" on it, at which time the lady looked at it and said, "yup, that's a trailer" and signed off on it.
Over the years I have done a few mods to it such as a longer tongue and a couple of racks and have more mods in mind. But at what point in DMV's eyes does this current trailer become a different trailer? Now, I know on a car that the frame is the foundation of a vehicle, but what about a trailer that has nothing tagged or stamped on the frame? When I replaced the tongue, I simply transferred the ID tag to the new one as the rest of the trailer was still the same. When I asked the lady at DMV this same question she literally had no answer at all for me. Anyone in CA know the answer?
 
Why do you have to go back to dmv? Once they look at a trailer don't you just register it every year and call it good?
 
OverlanderJK said:
Why do you have to go back to dmv? Once they look at a trailer don't you just register it every year and call it good?
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I'm planning to literally rebuild it slightly larger with a heavier axle and I'm curious to know at what point of that build it will be considered a different trailer, even though I plan to scrap what isn't used of it now.
 
ridg3runner said:
I'm planning to literally rebuild it slightly larger with a heavier axle and I'm curious to know at what point of that build it will be considered a different trailer, even though I plan to scrap what isn't used of it now.
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Not sure that's why I was asking if you can't just continue to pay and not worry about it. Or register it as. Homemade trailer. :idon'know:
 
OverlanderJK said:
Not sure that's why I was asking if you can't just continue to pay and not worry about it. Or register it as. Homemade trailer. :idon'know:
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Honestly, I was thinking of just building an entire trailer and swapping the tag over to it and scrapping the old one, lol
 
You have that ID, pretty sure they don't have any specs on it, they just know it's a trailer and so long as you fallow the rules (trailer lights, plate, ect), then you can pretty much do what ever you want.

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The only thing that's going to jam you up Lee is that you will be stuck with the weight rating of the original tag. If you were to get pulled over carrying a heavier load, Johnny Law will write you a citation. I don't what it would take to get your trailer rerated.
 
pvanweelden said:
^ but it still will be a flatbed trailer and classified as homemade under 10,000 pounds. as Overlander said -just renew your tags every year.
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He might be right because in reality who would know since I'm only going slightly bigger, from 3'x4' to 4'x5', the amount of weight I put in it wouldn't change too much.
 
The DMV doesn't have enough time to care about exact sizes, etc. As long as it is under 10,000 pounds is all they specify. I thought number of axles was required, but only for commercial.
 
The license plate better match the vehicle identification number or you will have problems if you're stopped. A city cop probably won't right you up for being overweight but the CHP probably will. Otherwise if you use the same license plate and the same frame, you should be fine!


2010 MANGO TANGO SPORT JKU🇺🇸
 
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OK here is my 0.02, if you moved the ID tag (your VIN BTW) to the new trailer you have nothing to worry about, it is still a traile,r that has not changed and since the DMV is only worried about the VIN and the plate number your golden. Enjoy your trailer!
 
If your in doubt of what your trying to do, make an appointment to see your local CHP VIN verification officer. When you meet him, ask him all your questions.

As a side note, I built a trailer and when I was done, I towed it to the DMV and told them I built it. A lady came out, put an ID tag on and gave me my perm reg plate. I renew it every 5 years and all is well. Simple process to register a newly built trailer and may be faster then meeting with the CHP VIN officer.


Keep your head low and your powder dry.
 
Woody3 said:
Did you get it figured out?


Keep your head low and your powder dry.
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Yeah, pretty much. I had lunch with "Hey How Are Ya" the other day and we came up with the same idea, totally build a new trailer just slightly bigger than my current one and just slap the ID tag and plate on it and trash the old trailer. None be the wiser.
 
ridg3runner said:
Yeah, pretty much. I had lunch with "Hey How Are Ya" the other day and we came up with the same idea, totally build a new trailer just slightly bigger than my current one and just slap the ID tag and plate on it and trash the old trailer. None be the wiser.
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Sounds solid.
 
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