Need advice in Virginia...

[lostinwmbg]

Hi. I live in Virgina. I just bought a small boat trailer for my john boat from a guy on craigslist. My first trailer ever. There's no title, no registration, no VIN number on it. I didn't know you needed all that stuff for a trailer. How do I go about getting this stuff? It cost like 125 bucks to get the police to come look at the trailer? How would they know if it was stolen or not? I have a bill of sale. Thanks for reading my post. Help!

 

[KD4UPL]

Re: Need advice in Virginia...

This must be either a home built trailer that was never registered or it's stolen. You will definetely need the items you are missing to get it tagged and registered. Did the previous owner have it tagged? If it is home built I think the DOT has to inspect it to make sure it's road worthy and meets regulations. I'm sure that's not a fun process. I guess you could find a similar trailer at a junk yard, take the VIN and paper work from it and "install" them on the new trailer. That's probably not quite legal, however.
I would first verify that it isn't stolen. If it is, you could get in big trouble.

Best of luck.

 

[lostinwmbg]

Re: Need advice in Virginia...

Thanks for the advice. Like I said there's no VIN, no nothing. How could anyone ever know for sure it was stolen? The guy who sold it to me said it was his Dad's and they didn't have a title. It's obviously old and rusty. It may have changed hands several times without a title for all I know...

 

[vxtech]

Re: Need advice in Virginia...

i've checked into this homemade process and instructions state you must provide actual receipts for materials purchased, wheels, steel,tires and it also states that if state police officer that inspects trailer does not believe it is homemade or reciepts are bogus ,you will be charged with falsifying documents and i'm sure this is not good

 

[lostinwmbg]

Re: Need advice in Virginia...

Man that sounds like a nightmare! I'm sure this happens all the time. If there's no VIN, will they issue a new one?

 

[cribber]

Re: Need advice in Virginia...

Did you get a bill of sale from the previous owner? If so can you use that along with claiming this is a salvage, reclaimed trailer? You really need to give the Virginia DMV or tag folks a call to see what you need to register the trailer. Don't rely on backyard lawyers for information... it usually will cost ya more in the end.

 

[lostinwmbg]

Re: Need advice in Virginia...

Good advice chief. I have a bill of sale. I'll get with the DMV on Monday. Hopefully I don't have to pay out the wazoo...

 

[Free Bird]

Re: Need advice in Virginia...

You have a computer, right? Look on the VA DMV website. I think they probably have the form you can print out. I'm a retired city police officer and a couple of times I had to go inspect a "homemade trailer." They were always fixed up junk yard trailers. According to the form all I had to do was sign a form verifying that the vin plate the DMV had issued the owner was rivited to the tongue. I don't recall looking at lights or anything else. That being said remember you will have a "new" trailer and it will have to comply with regulations for new trailers. Meaning you have to have sidelights on it. No big deal.