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denali · 07-28-2010, 11:46 AM

I purchased my Airstream in Oregon in July. Will pick it up in October (my vacation time) and will be parking it in Washington state for a few months at a friend's house. When I went to get my plates here in Texas, the DMV said I couldn't get plates until I brought the trailer to Texas for an inspection. They did take my money for the taxes though.

Has anybody else had this problem?

Al - K4GLU · 07-28-2010, 11:59 AM

Why do you consider complying with the law regarding inspections a problem?

arodriguez60 · 07-28-2010, 12:17 PM

Here in NM if a vehicle or trailer are from another state they have to do a vin inspection. If it is from NM you do not have to bring in the unit. I think it is that way in most states

excella88 · 07-28-2010, 12:27 PM

We are Texans that found our perfect "new" Airstream in MO. To register it in TX, we had several pages of paper work to fill out and we had to get it weighed before we even ventured to the tax office to give them our $$$. It was all worth it!!!

mddsmith · 07-28-2010, 12:28 PM

I didn't have a problem like that, but mine already had a Texas title and was registered here. I think Texas law requires that before a vehicle coming from out of state can be registered, it must be inspected. I believe the inspection they are talking about is not a safety inspection, but an inspection to verify the vehicle identification number and possibly other information the State wants.

Mike

utee94 · 07-28-2010, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denali

I purchased my Airstream in Oregon in July. Will pick it up in October (my vacation time) and will be parking it in Washington state for a few months at a friend's house. When I went to get my plates here in Texas, the DMV said I couldn't get plates until I brought the trailer to Texas for an inspection. They did take my money for the taxes though.

Has anybody else had this problem?

Well, I'm not sure I'd call it a "problem?" Just some typical bureaucracy you'll have to deal with.

In order to get your registration, you'll need to get the vehicle inspected for the VIN. Make sure you get the right form at your DMV or County Tax Assessor/Collector, and have the inspection place complete it for you.

It sounds like you were already able to transfer the title though, is that correct? If so, then good. If not, then you'll need to make sure the Oregon title has the weight on it. If it doesn't have the weight on it, then you'll need to get it weighed at certified scale, and retain that slip until you are ready to transfer the title and get the new Texas title issued.

I think you will also need to complete a safety inspection, this can happen at the same place as the VIN inspection, which Texas law requires annually though many people don't get it done that often. But to register it, you'll need to do it at least once. For this they simply check out the general roadworthiness of the trailer, as well as the brake and turn signals and marker lights.

Good luck!
-Marcus

Melody Ranch · 07-28-2010, 01:52 PM

I have registered newly purchased Airstreams from out of State....several States. In each case, all I needed was a Bill of Sale, Proof of insurance (for my truck for whatever reason that was.) the signed registration and a checkbook. Nothing else! Of course I don't have a long conversation with the Tax Office folks and don't ask any questions opening up the chance for them to "Bureaucrat" me. In and out. Period. Never had a problem and don't want any.

Bluto · 07-28-2010, 02:42 PM

Melody Ranch,
Got a kick out of your phraseology. Nicely worded!

utee94 · 07-28-2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

I have registered newly purchased Airstreams from out of State....several States. In each case, all I needed was a Bill of Sale, Proof of insurance (for my truck for whatever reason that was.) the signed registration and a checkbook. Nothing else! Of course I don't have a long conversation with the Tax Office folks and don't ask any questions opening up the chance for them to "Bureaucrat" me. In and out. Period. Never had a problem and don't want any.

I'm sure it depends on where you live.

For title transfer, Texas law requires an existing title that is NOT a salvage title or a reclaim title-- a bill of sale isn't enough. And that title must have the vehicle weight on it, or you'll have to get the trailer weighed at a certified scale and provide that paperwork as well.

For registration, Texas law requires a VIN inspection, proof of insurance for the trailer, and safety inspection.

In Austin, all of the above are required. You can certainly count yourself lucky that you have not been asked to provide the above, I envy you, but your experiences are most definitely not representative of the experience others regularly have in other cities in this state.

lsmith · 07-28-2010, 04:22 PM

We purchased our Airstream in Louisiana, brought it home to San Antonio. Took the title and paper work to San Antonio Auto Titles on Babcock and 410. Less than 10 minutes later walked out with tags and 2 weeks later received my title. It did cost me an additional $25.00

KL's 77 · 07-28-2010, 05:09 PM

Purchased my unit in Texas from a Texan, however the unit was not licensed and was titled in La and last registered there. So I find out at the tax office (Dallas County) that they will issue a clean title but no plates until the unit was inspected for road ready. For sure do I need insurance on the trailer and if so what kind of insurance? The tow vehicle has liability. As to Vin#, the new title reflects that, do I still need some seperate form of Vin verification? What a pita!

bwaysteve · 07-28-2010, 05:46 PM

Melody Ranch and I live in counties in the country next to each other in Texas.The tax offices are small and nice people willing to help.I brought my AS in from Arkansas.They requested Certified Scale weight,a safety inspection,Bill of Sale.They wanted to see the trailer but I told them it was stripped and could not move so I took pictures of it and did a pencil trace of the serial #.It was also a Georgia trailer and had no title.I got a letter from Georgia DMV stating no trailer over 25 yrs. old requires no title.
I even was able to use vintage 65 plates.
It's really who you deal with and the size of the office.Everything I did would have probably been a pain in a large county like Dallas.

denali · 07-28-2010, 06:13 PM

Thanks so much to everybody. I don't really think I'm creating my problems. I did have:
1. the bill of sale
2. the certified scale weight
3. proof of insurance
4. title

I am now contacting the Oregon DMV. I had a fellow Airstreamer say they can go to the dealership (where it is still sitting until I pick it up) and inspect it. Then take the paperwork to the San Antonio tax office.
Who know if this will work. And, YES, they are all Bureaucrats!

Dave Park · 07-28-2010, 06:28 PM

So all you're missing in the VIN paperwork and the Texas certified inspection.

denali · 07-28-2010, 06:47 PM

By VIN paperwork, do you mean Title? That is in progress and I will be receiving it within the week, according to the San Antonio tax office.

r carl · 07-28-2010, 07:04 PM

The DMV in Oregon may inspect it and issue you a paper for you to give to the DMV in Texas so you can get your plates, ive done it before here.

denali · 07-28-2010, 07:20 PM

Thanks so much, r carl. Hopefully it will work. I'll let you know.

utee94 · 07-28-2010, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denali

By VIN paperwork, do you mean Title? That is in progress and I will be receiving it within the week, according to the San Antonio tax office.

If you have the title coming, then I think you're in good shape.

Registration/tags are really a separate issue. I think if you have a title then you're already covered for VIN inspection, but I'm not sure on that. Just ask your DMV or tax office, they should be able to let you know. At that point I believe you'll need the safety inspection and proof of insurance. The insurance that my tax office requested to see was on the trailer itself, not the tow vehicle, and they specifically wanted to see the "Declarations Page" rather than just an insurance card, which is fine because my carrier doesn't issue cards for travel trailers anyway.

Now that I think about it, it was actually the safety inspector who FIRST asked to see proof of insurance, and then the tax office wanted to see it as well.

As has been discovered on this thread, though, it really is a matter of who you talk to at your DMV or tax office, as to what specifically they're going to ask for.

Good luck!
-Marcus

HCR · 07-28-2010, 09:27 PM

This has been a very helpful discussion for me. I do not have an AS yet, but will be buying this fall and perhaps out of my home state of TX. As for the discussion of "inspections" mentioned here--I have owned a TT for 9 years and have never been required to have an inspection and my only insurance is the liability required by law on my tow vehicle.

RichHog · 07-28-2010, 09:36 PM

Registered mine here in Houston last spring. I think things may vary across the state based upon the many reports on this forum. Took me a few trips back and forth. I had an out of state - S. Carolina title and even though it had the weight on it I had to get it weighed at the local Cat Scales- they wouldn't accept the weight on the out of state title. Then had to get it inspected and yes there is a form required for that. Think the important thing there was the VIN # . Took about 20 minutes at a local inspection joint. After that it was pay the taxes and walked out with the plates (3rd try). Now I have a Texas Title in my name, Texas Plates and a little Texas sticker on the frame.