I found out this week that I have to get a safety inspection done on my trailer. I've been running without it on trailers for years. Any trailer with a gross weight of 4500 lbs. or more has to have one. I found this out through a letter from the Texas Dept. of Motor Vehicles. I guess I've been lucky running without one and not getting a ticket.

They start enforcing the stickers March 1, 2015. Even though it was a law, it was never enforced. Travel trailers were usually inspected at time of sale, but most were never inspected again.

It seems it has changed.

He's talking GVW(Trailer and everything carried on the trailer. My Ranger Trail trailer is GVW 5000# and for that matter I have never had a boat trailer of any weight or size that did not have a title. I do keep hearing about some "trailer inspection" but have yet to see any confirmation on it. Further more where are the "trailer inspection places"? Guess I'll just keep pleading ignorant on this one!

had to have my 5th wheel inspected in 96 when I brought it to Texas from out of state.
Law has been there awhile

Deleted-- I was incorrect

I googled it and 1) found the new law starting March 1st and 2) that the state defines gross weight for trailers as the actual weight of the trailer PLUS it's max load. This used to be considered capacity and not actual weight.

Sorry for any confusion I may have caused

Thank you all for your replies. I have a 2010 Basscat Jaguar, Yamaha 250 Show and Basscat tandem trailer. The title and previous registrations both show the following: Empty WT: 1800 Carrying Capacity: 3200 Gross Wt: 5000. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicle told me that they would not give me a new tag until I had a Safety Inspection. They also said that any trailer with a gross of 4500 lbs or more would have to be inspected (farm tags not included.) I thought that maybe the tag office was incorrect, but I took my title and registration to the Title office and they said that the tag office was correct. I placed a call to the DPS compliance office and got a recording. I left a message and hope that they will call me back.

If the GVWR of the trailer is over the requirement you will have to have an inspection on the trailer before you can renew your registration.

March 1 is the date change. Any state inspecrion station can do a trailer inspection. I don't know off hand whats inspected, I would imagine tires and lights is about it but am not certain on that.

In 07 I bought a Z21 Ranger in Minn. when I brought it back to Texas I was told that they would not give me a title for my trailer until I had it inspected because it was rated for 5000lbs.I took it to the inspection station and the man told me he did not know what he needed to look at so he checked the tires and lights and he gave me a sticker but that he needed to put it on by law so he stuck it near the hitch where I told him it wouldn't last and he said he didn't care , it lasted two trips.

This has to be a complete mis-understanding of the law. In addition to getting registration for a bass boat, tags for the trailer, now we are required to get a 'safety inspection' on a bass boat trailer ???
This is wrong and I hope, as I said a complete misinterpretation of the law here in Texas
God Bless

A easy way to look at it from what I was told basically if your trailer has brakes on it then it would have to have inspection done and yes it is really stupid I can see it on Travel Trailers and equipment trailers but not boat trailers. Then again when I got my travel trailer done that guy told me only trailers 30 feet or longer had to do it not sure if that was just travel trailers or not.

Just looked any trailer with GVW of 4500 or more has to have it done.

If this is going to be enforced, I'm all for it.

Trailers can and do cause accidents/injuries with bad brakes, bald tires and non working lights. Have witnessed two trailer caused accidents.

Hope we clean up all the poorly maintained boat trailers on Texas roads.

I agree.

Inspections on boat trailers 4500 GTW (gross trailer weight ie. loaded trailer) and up is a real thing. Our marine dealership is sorting out the details, cost and updates to our computer/inventory as we speak.

Want to give a shout out to my local DMV for doing absolutely nothing in communicating the new requirement and assisting those of us in the marine/trailer business. Typical government, SNAFU!