Texas State Trailer Inspections - Page 2

Bluto · 07-10-2009, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c177tx

There is some confussion here, and the reason is the word inspections. There is a title inspection for titled vehicles coming from out of state, that is a onetime inspection just for the title and registration, the other is a safety inspection, that is required every year for trailers over 4500#. And DPS L@W units will hit you for an out of date saftey sticker, because every sticker purchased has one dollar going to the DPS retirement fund.

Your right there is some confusion. I guess I should have been more specific. I meant a safety inspection. The yearly kind.
When I went to the web site that was posted by a couple of people above and it (at least to me) does not say if this is the yearly saftey requirement or an original safety title type inspection. Now that I know that there are 2 diferent ones I am still unsure.
But to be on the safe side I'll just get it inspected before my next trip. They say it's only $14 so it must not be a big deal. I doubt if they even take the wheels off to check the brakes. At least I do that yearly myself anyway.
The ticket for no sticker is probably more than $14.

SafariSS · 07-10-2009, 02:23 PM

The way I see it is as another way to give the government our money. I bought my Safari in Florida new, brought it to Houston and titled it. Never have I been asked, stopped or been tried to sell me a trailer inspection.

We have guys around here that are doing good to have wheels on roofing trailers (no lights), and they want my 50k trailer to have an inspection!! Bahh.

Craig Schrader · 07-10-2009, 12:50 PM

We just bought a new trailer from out of state. This past Monday went and paid the taxes and paid for title and plates on it. The lady behind the desk wanted the weight of the trailer, luckly it was on the title from the state We purchased from, this is how they set the fee for the plates.
I have no clue about the inspection stickers for travel trailers.

Xstream · 07-10-2009, 04:08 PM

Just got back from the TX DMV with new tag and title after submitting weight ticket ($5) and proof of inspection ($14). They sent me back out to get a "green sheet" (out of state VIN verification $1). Wish I had known about this "green sheet" before making multiple trips.

StingrayL82 · 07-10-2009, 04:30 PM

I went to the local RV dealer in town, to see if he could do the inspection for me (We have our Sovereign titled in Maryland). He told me to go to the local oil change place, which does their inspections. He also told me not to forget to ask for a green sheet. Didn't know what the heck it was, but I asked for it and the inspector gave it to me.

The biggest hassle I had was with the DMV lady. She kept arguing with me that she couldn't register the Sovereign, because the VIN started with an "I", and her system wouldn't accept it. When I showed her the MD title with a "1", she then told me that the VIN didn't match the coach. I really felt like strangling her, until her supervisor came to the rescue and told her that most states substitute a "1" for "I", especially with older Airstreams. I guess she'd seen this before.

Mikethefixit · 07-10-2009, 07:32 PM

Stingray
The same thing happened to me here in Ohio. We bought our Overlander out of state,it had an Indiana Title. TT's here DO NOT have to be weighed. But I also got the run around and had to look it up for myself and then point it out to them.
I had to do a Serial number inspection,the lady came rite to the house(for a fee) and looked at the serial number and had the title ready by the time I got to her office.
I was told also that the I in the serial # would not fly. Our title now starts with a 1 because the State system will not accept an I.
Roger

Dwight · 07-10-2009, 08:23 PM

I have a friend that is in the insurance business. He said that when he is sent to investigate an RV accident, one of the first items he checks for is a current TX inspection sticker. If it doesn't have one, then it would be very easy for him to deny the claim on grounds that the RV trailer wasn't inspected as a safe vehicle and he then puts the burden of proof on the driver to to prove it was safe at the time of the accident. I figure it is just cheap insurance.

I was involved in a sideswipe accident (not my fault) and one of the first items the TX DPS officer looked at was my TX inspection. When I asked him why, he just said it will make the insurance claim easier and it is the law.

pienjim · 07-10-2009, 10:28 PM

The reasoning that Dwight set forth is the same logic that I have heard presented in a towing seminar at one of our rallies. We were told that you could get a trailer inspected by anyone one that inspects motorcycles. The sticker is the same.

Camper Clinic in Buda now offers trailer inspections.

I saw a local airstream with an inspection sticker. When I asked where it was inspected, I was given the name of a local independent garage.

Jim

frscott · 07-17-2009, 12:55 PM

I bought my AS from Colorado, it was titled from Iowa, the title work was a mess due to a less than honest seller, but I have mine titled in Texas without ever hearing of an inspection. What happened??

SteveH · 07-17-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frscott

I bought my AS from Colorado, it was titled from Iowa, the title work was a mess due to a less than honest seller, but I have mine titled in Texas without ever hearing of an inspection. What happened??

I guess you were just lucky. I had a simular situation...bought my trailer from a dealer in New Mexico that had it on consignment from an individual from Mass. The Mass title did not state a weight. So, I had to get a VIN inspection and "blue sheet", which they won't do without doing a safety inspection. Then I had to get the trailer weighed at a certified scale to prove the weight.

I've also brought cars in from out of state, and with each of them I had to have a VIN inspection and "blue sheet" (which is by the way, on green paper), before I could get them titled and lisenced in Texas.

dlb435 · 07-17-2009, 02:28 PM

The Lousiana State Police have started giving tickets to trailer owners for not having the inspection stickers. Mostly boat trailer owners. We are required to have an inspection sticker but I have not been asked to show one in ten years.

wmarsha · 07-17-2009, 02:52 PM

well, no real heavy slam intended, but it goes to show you how convoluted anything to do with governing authorities can be. This forum is full of great tax paying rv'rs and they would be the first to pay their fair share, but the G.A. fouls up even the best of intended folks. Now, change I could believe in would be comprehensive national rules governing TT-administered by SEMA, or NASCAR or anyone besides a governing body.

reggiemon · 07-31-2009, 04:33 PM

Getting mine from Calif & registering in Texas required 4 seperate trips to the DMV office as the different DMV ladies would ask for something new each time. The inspection seemed to be required since it was coming from out of state. Inspection consisted of checking lights by a vehicle insp station. Had to have it weighted too..........

dstalzer · 07-31-2009, 04:42 PM

I purchased my AS out of state and had to get it weighed and also provide them the GVW. Since the GVW was over 4500# they told me I had to get it inspected.

Dennis