Fish House license plate/tab

[pegleg]

This might have been discussed on here in the past, but I couldn't find any info on this subject. Does anybody know how to go about getting a license plate for driving on the highway for a fish house? It is homemade (weighs less than 2000 pounds and is a wheel house) - no VIN number available. I went to my local DMV store at AAA and they didn't know how to do it. Told me to look it up on DMV internet but I couldn't find anything on there. I know this law just passed in the past year but I would think there would be more info out there on it.

[bluegillin]

Just tell them to give you the same sheet to fill out for a regular homemade trailer registration. They are the same thing for fishhouses. You can get the lifetime reg. sticker for it as well.

[Ol_Bullhead]

have a bill of sale an all materials used in building the house they use this to set your value and you get a sticker for the tongue

[Big Buck Buster]

have a bill of sale an all materials used in building the house they use this to set your value and you get a sticker for the tongue

This is a good idea. Bring them in so you don't have to pay sales tax twice.

[pegleg]

Unfortunately, the fish house is almost 8 years old and I don't have any material receipts anymore.

What does a lifetime reg sticker cost? There is nothing on the DMV HSOforum calling out anything about trailers as far as I can find.

I will probably need to go to another DMV office and hopefully get somebody more knowledgable this time.

[Nutty Fisherman]

I'm not sure but I think a life time license is around $50.00. Tell them as far as cost about $100.00 in material.

[motley man]

Fish houses on wheels must have a plate, they are considered a camper.

[Big Buck Buster]

Fish houses on wheels must have a plate, they are considered a camper.

He may be able to get a lifetime license if he meets the requirements: less than 3,000# gvw, no rear doors,only a side entry door, no appliances that would make it an RV type house.

I have seen many houses with the lifetime license on them, but they were pretty plain inside.

[JSK76]

I was told at the DMV when I did mine as long as it didn't have a large rear door and a bathroom it was not considered a RV. My house is 6x14 single axel, one side door and no bathroom, less then 2000# and I have the life time license.

[pegleg]

Mine is less than 3000 pounds but it does have a large back door for 4 wheeler access. I am going to head to another DMV office this afternoon to see what they have to say.

Thanks for all the info....

[Phred52]

Large back door is considered a "toy hauler". When it has a bath, it's considered a "camper". Lifetime or yearly plated, ALL are required to have the proper lighting (tail, signal,brake side markers with additional markers if over 80" in overall width) They'll want the weight of the house with your equipment and 4x4 inside so they'll have a max GVWR (TOTAL) weight as you would have on the highway. That's the rate they'll use to determine your plate. If you go in to the license bureau and say your house weighs less than say, 3000 lbs, and you get the lifetime tag, should you get stopped and checked/ weighed with all the goodies inside (now weighing say 4600 lbs), the house WILL remain on the roadside until the correct plate is bought, also there will be a fine as well as a date with the Judge. There were a few anglers stopped last season. They now know the drill. BTW, If the max GVWR IS over 3000 lbs, the house is also required to have BRAKES. Phred52

[pegleg]

Just back from my 2nd DMV office...

This one knew a little more but he had to get his supervisor to help him. The first guy wanted to charge me sales tax for the materials to build the house but his supervisor said I didn't need to pay sales tax because I would have paid it when I bought the materials.

After an hour of standing in line and standing at the counter I paid my $67.75 and went on my way. My GVMR would be less than 3000 pounds even with the 4 wheeler in it so they gave me a lifetime tag. Glad that is over with - long process. Probably not many fish houses licensed in the Twin Cities Metro area.

[Big Buck Buster]

Just back from my 2nd DMV office...

This one knew a little more but he had to get his supervisor to help him. The first guy wanted to charge me sales tax for the materials to build the house but his supervisor said I didn't need to pay sales tax because I would have paid it when I bought the materials.

After an hour of standing in line and standing at the counter I paid my $67.75 and went on my way. My GVMR would be less than 3000 pounds even with the 4 wheeler in it so they gave me a lifetime tag. Glad that is over with - long process. Probably not many fish houses licensed in the Twin Cities Metro area.

You got lucky to get the lifetime license with the double doors for the wheeler. I don't think it will pass with the lifetime license as a toy hauler, but you will find out if you get stopped and checked.

[pegleg]

They never asked me if I have double doors or a kitchen or a toilet or any other questions besides the Gross Weight with everything in it. Also they asked the age of the fish house. I also made out a material list of what it was made out of and it added up to about $500. This list never got questioned after the supervisor said I didn't need to pay sales tax.

[SapperACE]

It does not matter if it's a toy hauler or not. If it's under 3000# you can license it lifetime.

If it's a bought house, then you have to provide a bill of sale proving the taxes have been paid. If it's homemade, then you have to describe what its worth and pay takes on it, unless you can prove you already did through reciepts. I licensed a house once and said it was built from scrap materials that cost me a total of $50, therefore that was the value. Thats what I paid taxes on.

People have enclosed trailers that have doors for quads and stuff. How is it any different than that? This is a confusing process, but I have got lifetime licenses for my last 3 houses.

[Big Buck Buster]

It does not matter if it's a toy hauler or not. If it's under 3000# you can license it lifetime.

If it's a bought house, then you have to provide a bill of sale proving the taxes have been paid. If it's homemade, then you have to describe what its worth and pay takes on it, unless you can prove you already did through reciepts. I licensed a house once and said it was built from scrap materials that cost me a total of $50, therefore that was the value. Thats what I paid taxes on.

People have enclosed trailers that have doors for quads and stuff. How is it any different than that? This is a confusing process, but I have got lifetime licenses for my last 3 houses.

You are correct. Now that I think of it more, my father has an enclosed trailer that has a lifetime license on it.

I still don't know if all the DMV offices know what to do. I was stating that because my local DMV office told me that was what makes the difference of having a lifetime or not.

[pegleg]

I still don't know if all the DMV offices know what to do. I was stating that because my local DMV office told me that was what makes the difference of having a lifetime or not.

[Phred52]

pegleg, I must admit, I agree with you. There seems to be a lot of confusion at the DMV/ licensing level as to the requirements. And then, after all that, It will still be up to the officer's interpretation of the statute and ultimately the way the judge sees it. WE need to have our "P's and Q's" in order. JUST because the licensing bureau issues a particular tag, DOESN'T mean it's the correct tag!! They won't take responsibility for issuing the wrong tag. They'll claim that they issued the tag based on the information they were provided. I personally licensed heavy, that way I have "mine" covered. Phred52

[pegleg]

I am not hoping to get pulled over by a trooper but I find it hard to believe that he could ticket me if my fish house and gear total less than 3,000 pounds. Also, how can he not call it a fish house if there are fishing holes in the floor?

I would also be happy to tell it to the judge. I will bring along the sheet of paper they gave me at the DMV describing the wheel house just based on weight - nothing about what you carry in the fish house.