I bought a boat and trailer with an expired louisiana trailer tag. Seller never transferred because the boat was on a lift. He has been to the DMV several times and they said they needed the weight. Ameritrail sent him the original title or build sheet, the trailer has a plate showing GVWR, serial number. etc.....DMV is requesting we weight the trailer from a certified scale because the weight is not stated on the title..Next action is to drive to boat ramp, remove boat, drive trailer to scales(TA in rockwall), remove trailer, weigh it, take trailer back to ramp to pick up boat, a collosal PITA...Previous owner said he has talked to several in the chain of command at the DMV ..Anyone ever heard of this requirement from DMV???? TIA

it is the new deal the law changed last sept too many folks were doing the homemade trailer registration with a factory built trailer it has to be weighed an a serial number attached to it by tx dot after they inspect it.

I bought mine in LA. The trailer did not even have a plate and of course no weight on the title. When I went to register it they said I needed to get it inspection. They gave me a piece of paper with requirements and only marked inspection. I get that done and go back to the tax office and they tell me it also needs to be weighed. I started fussing because I had just passed the scales at Loves that morning. I go home and hook the boat up and weigh it. I got back to the tax office and with my assistance they subtracted the weight of the boat, motor, and accessories. 3 trips to the tax office and I had my trailer tags.

The answer depends on the clerk that you get and maybe even the tax office you go to, we have the option of two annexes in addition to the main office in my county. It didn't help that the office was closed to appointments only since last Spring. First trip, out of state title in hand I was told I needed to have the trailer weighed. I dropped the boat and my sons off at the lake and dragged the trailer over to the feed store to get it weighed. Second trip, the clerk told me I needed to have the trailer inspected. I asked if I could just renew the tags because they were out. "Nope, not without the title in your name." Third trip, trailer now inspected, "Oh you need the signed bill of sale". Fourth trip, I went to the annex with the out of state title, Texas inspection, weigh slip, and bill of sale. "You don't need that to transfer registration because the trailer isn't carrying over a certain weight" and proceeds to give me new tags. I ask about the title and was told it's not required in Texas, but if i really wanted it I needed the seller to sign in the correct spot. I haven't mustered up enough strength for the fifth trip to rectify the title.

At least TPW made the boat and motor transfer relatively painless.

Register as home made and go with it.

Home made trailers now have to have a weight slip, be inspected, have a form from the auto theft task force, and if it meets the 4500 lb gross weight have a title issued to it before they give you a tag.

I’m trying to get mine registered. Guy I bought it from never got a title for the trailer because his finance company never sent the DMV a release of lien. In the past, I’ve just registered it as homemade but the rules have now changed. Of course, the guy I bought it from is not really willing to fool with helping me out. So it appears like I’m going to have to get a bonded title which is going to be a pain. If you buy a boat and the owner tells you there is no trailer title.... get the serial number and call the DMV and have them run it. They can tell you over the phone if there is a title. This will save you a giant headache!!!

Trailers don’t have titles. Just go down and buy a plate and a sticker.

You can get it weighed at just about any county weigh station. Call a county commissioner and they should meet you at the scales and give you a signed weight slip. Take it to the courthouse.

Trailers over 4500 GVWR do. Fortunately they have increased the annual inspections to 7500.

Stump jumper:

Where did you find out that an inspection is only needed on trailers over 7,500 pounds?
If true, that would make life easier for many travel trailer owners
I would like to verify that information
Thanks

I am referring to the annual inspection. If you try to register an out of state trailer they still require an initial inspection. Iread in a post on here a while back. My boat trailer has a GVWR of 7500 lbs and Rockwall County said I no longer need to get it done annually. Not sure if laws are different for TTs. Go to the DMV website and check requirements.

2017: Gov Abbot signed SB 1001 increasing the max gross for trailer inspections from 4500 to 7500 lbs.