Is a trailer a vehicle?

[Jim Lee]

Interesting thread going on over in What I Got for my Airstream today.

Here's the thread:

I posted: New license plates. In Missouri the DMV allows you to get year specific plates on trailers so I went to the DMV yesterday and got all the paperwork for the 1978 trailer plate I bought off if ebay.

Originally Posted by jcanavera

When did they change that reg? Never could do that in the past. I just checked the DMV site and trailers are not listed as a plate that you can personalize. They do allow RV's but trailers don't fit into this classification. You may want to check before you make your reservation only to find out that they won't give you the plate at registration when you attempt to assign it to your trailer.

Jack

I went to the DMV fee office on Grand and Glenstone here in Springfield and asked them about year specific plates for trailers.

I was told that yes, I could get year of manufacture plates for trailers and that the trailer would be exempt from the mileage limits on historic vehicles. The agent printed off form 570 and told me to check the box marked :

Year or Manufacture (Fee - $25.25 Permanent Registration and a $3.50 Processing Fee) If you possess a license plate issued by the state of Missouri that is over 25 years old in which the year of the issuance of such plate is consistent with the model year of the vehicle, you may register the plate as a historic vehicle plate. Submit a picture of the plate with this application


The DOR page on historic vehicle license plate says "To qualify for historic vehicle registration, a vehicle (passenger vehicle, truck, or motorcycle) must be 25 years old or older, owned solely as a collector’s item, and used for exhibition and educational purposes"

Under year of manufacture plate section it says "The owner of any historic vehicle possessing a license plate issued by the state of Missouri that is over 25 years old in which the year of issuance of such plate is consistent with the model year of the vehicle may register such plate as a Year of Manufacture historic vehicle license plate as set forth in section 301.131, RSMo,"

I suspect that the question is, "Is a trailer a vehicle" I'll bet that someone in Jefferson City will make a decision and I don't get the plates. I'll keep you posted.

I googled "is a trailer a vehicle in Missouri" and found this definition from the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety Inspections Manual:
Trailer Any vehicle without motor power designed for carrying property or passengers on its own structure and for being drawn by self-propelled vehicles, except those running exclusively on tracks, including a semitrailer or vehicle of the trailer type designed and used in conjunction with a self-propelled vehicle that a considerable part of its own weight rests upon and is carried by the towing vehicle

[RM66caravel]

California calls any object towed or towing on any state or interstate hwy is a vehicle and is required to be inspected and pay vehicle and special use tax. NC is a little different and a trailer may or may not be a vehicle likewise a mobile home is not a camper is and both require a DMV title! I am NOT a lawyer and have not read or pushed either states laws! I have registered and argued the subject in both states and paid the man the fine but I do not pretend to know the law and am only relaying what was explained to me. Ticket in ca 1975 towing a vehicle with no plate or inspection (mobile home to scrap yard) and NC incorrect registration on a utility trailer (pop up turned trash trailer 1980) had rv on registration and trooper said not rv!
Cliff