Pain in the butt to go get my trailer inspected every year to renew my trailer tags. If I go get a certified weight on my boat and trailer that shows it weighs less than 4500 pounds, can I take the weigh slip in to the tax office and get an exemption from inspection?

Yes

You don't need a certified weight. What you are going to change is the trailers rated capacity. Your total actual weight is not what they are looking for. The weight of the boat never comes into the equation. Your gross weight is actual trailer weight + trailers max capacity. Go to the tax office and just change your trailers max capacity so that it adds up to 4500lbs. Don't need an inspection until 4501. This is what I did for mine and the lady changed it right there on the spot.

Just better make sure you really don't weigh more than 4501.

Exactly. I don't even come close to 4501 even loaded up which is why I just changed mine without worry. If you think you are close it would be wise to make sure. I should have made that clear in my original post.

I just got back from the certified scales. Ranger 519 DVX dual axle. 3520 lbs. That is without my tackle and only 1 tank of gas.

Now I have to convince the tax office.

Unless I misunderstood the way it was explained to me, it's not what your trailer weighs (with or without your boat), it the max capacity. If you have a trailer with two 3500 lb rated axles under your 16 foot BassTracker aluminum boat, it has to be inspected because the axles will carry 7000 lbs.

Some tax offices will tell you that and then some say that you can register it for any weight that you choose. But you better not be over the weight that you tell them.

FACT: I knew my total rig did not weigh OVER 4500lbs. Last time I was in the license office(Somervell County) I asked the clerk about this. I told them regardless of axle weights...my trailer is custom to my boat and can/will only carry it. They said they can (and more importantly will) change the gross vehicle weight for me. They did give me warning about IF TDPS trooper with scales(they all have portable scales in their squad car) weighs my trailer and the TOTAL weight is over 4500lbs I would be cited. Fair enough. My friend actually had their huge loaded horse trailer weighed by TDPS trooper on the highway once but I don't see them weighing a bass boat on the highway. Regardless, I'm fine. Another county would NOT change the weight for my friend without proof. He took his boat/trailer by and weighed them on CAT scales and showed the clerk his receipt and they changed title for him. CAT scales are everywhere. Really worth the one time weight fee and hassle to not have to hook up to your trailer to drag it through town once a year to pay(cheap $7) fee to get a completely ridiculous BS joke of a "trailer inspection". I don't know why this is so hard for so many to understand. If your TOTAL rig weighs 4501 pounds or greater you need a yearly inspection. That total weight is trailer, boat, motor, gear...EVERYTHING. If your rig weighs 4500lbs or less you do not need a yearly inspection. Of course you are responsible for what is on the title. If it's not accurate take the time to get it it fixed!

That is the same reason I changed mine. To me I think the state should classify trailers such as boat trailers which are basically custom trailers with one purpose. Another reason is finding places to do it. I know they say any place that does vehicle inspections can do it but the first time I needed it that was not the case. I called many places on the state web site list and was told "we don't do them" until I finally found one. I took the trailer in and the woman looked at it and typed in whatever I told her and never checked anything. If it was legitimate I would have no problem but it is just a waste of time.

[quote=SAKS]That is the same reason I changed mine. To me I think the state should classify trailers such as boat trailers which are basically custom trailers with one purpose. Another reason is finding places to do it. I know they say any place that does vehicle inspections can do it but the first time I needed it that was not the case. I called many places on the state web site list and was told "we don't do them" until I finally found one. I took the trailer in and the woman looked at it and typed in whatever I told her and never checked anything. If it was legitimate I would have no problem but it is just a waste of time.

^^^THIS^^^