Buying a trailer w/o a title

[Rutersville]

If the seller has the registration paperwork for previous tags it's not a problem.

It starts to get really problematic when you don't have registration or the certificate of origin (trailer title).

Harris county is one of the worst about registering trailers without previous registration, cert of origin, or title paperwork.

Registering as a homebuilt requires a "police" inspection, and good luck finding a department that'll do it.

Have the seller file for lost documents or pass on it.

I just went through all this, and I can tell you it ain't worth it.

[marc.munoz31]

For a stock or horse trailer all you need is a bill of sale and registration. If registering under farm tags you don't pay TTL. Make sure to bring your ag exemption number when registering.

[FCoDxDart]

It really isn't that bad. I just need a bill of sale and an inspection.

[chadt1234]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm in Tomball so it's Harris County. I don't have a farm or ag exemption so I don't know how I could register it as a farm trailer. I'm concerned about the 4000lb GVWR limit for registering without a title. I'm pretty darn sure the seller is the owner. I'll find out about registration paperwork.

[kmitchl]

It all depends in the county you reside in to register. Montgomery county was a son of a gun to title a trailer bought off here in an estate sale. I understand if you live in a county thats not overpopulated, , it's easier.

This is why although i live in Montgomery county i register my trailers in Fayette county where i have property. If it’s up to me Tammy McRae will be jobless after the next election!

[ArcheryNerd]

I bought a 70's pop up trailer I turned into a beach trailer. It wasn't register didn't have a VIN and wasn't titled. I had to get it inspected at the county sheriff's office department. With a letter from the Sheriff's office I went to the DMV and got it "registered" no big deal.

I was nervous about it, but it wasn't a big deal.

that was in Comal county

[jamenefee]

I've bought trailers from people I knew that didn't have a title. I registered them as a home made trailer. I have never had a problem with it. This is probably not the right way of doing this, but I knew they weren't stolen.

[EastTexun]

I have done 2 of these in Montgomery County and took them both to Conroe PD to be inspected. Inspections were done 1x per month and it was a *****show, but it got finished. Essentially they are looking for distinguishing marks or Serial #'s to check the stolen logs.

They run it, take a couple mins, then give you a form that is signed saying you are GTG. I would call the Harris tax office and see which dept can do the inspection, then call them and figure out when they do them. If the seller is serious, you could take it down there and get it checked I would assume? If it was hot, I don't think the seller would oblige you and then you would know.

[TX_Hoghunter]

I own 4 trailers and I own 0 titles.....This is in rural Van Zandt county and I bet non-titled trailers out number titled ones 2-1....Hell I but non-registered trailers outnumber titled ones....LOL.

-john

[panhandlehunter]

As said above, not a big deal.

[Gunnyart]

I got a smokin' deal on a nice Load Trail out of OK where they don't require title, registration or plates... It was a challenge but was worth it. The biggest problem I had was the previous owner welded the load distribution hitch bracket over top of the VIN number so the police couldn't run a search on it until I cut the bracket off to find the whole number.

[Kossetx]

Probably depends on the county. Rural counties are used to home aid trailers. I went with a title in '92 but didn't have a serial # off the trailer with me and the lady there just wanted to register it as homemade, no Bos, no problem.