Boat Trailer License plate?

[MuskieJunkie]

Sorry for the confusion, ticket was for expired tabs on the plate, I never got anything in the mail to renew and it slipped my mind.. Which led me to check all the other boats in our club, nobody else had plates even with boats bigger than mine, a few had no plates or no sticker!

EDIT: I have a full sized license plate on my trailer, not a mini one

So did the guys with no sticker and no plate have a ticket on their windshield?

[Craigums]

So did the guys with no sticker and no plate have a ticket on their windshield?

Nope, I'm just lucky I guess. My wallet is $109.50 lighter this morning.

[MuskieJunkie]

That's odd.

I just checked one of my uh um friend's 19' fiberglass boat trailers with disc brakes and the manufactures decal says GVWR 4500lbs and about 6 inches away is the state permanent license sticker that says 3,000lbs. No license plate on that one.

I think it depends on which box the guy at the dealer checks on the application form.

[Eyewitness]

Ok guys, I just went through all of this with the State Patrol as well as going to court over my registration or lack of it.I have a double axle trailer with a 20' Lund. I bought my rig new and the dealer put a permanent sticker on the trailer. I was just pulled over after six years of use by the highway patrol and ticketed for improper registration. The fine was $385. I went to the prosecuting attorney and plead my case. I ended up getting it reduced $150. Basically the cost of six years registration stickers and $30 Court fee. The most important thing I found out about this whole ordeal is that if you were to have an accident you would be completely liable for both the loss of your boat and trailer as well as liable for damage to others as you are completely illegally towing. Apparently they take this as seriously as the trucking industry or anyone else who is illegally towing overweight. I was not illegal in the sense that I had the proper vehicle towing capacity but they do not care about that if the registration is wrong you are still liable. Basically I was told just like everyone else that ignorance is no excuse. This is the first large tandem axle boat set up that I have owned and had no reason to doubt it was incorrect when I took delivery. I am now finding out that many dealers pull this stunt and basically it is silly because the cost for registration is minimal. To all those out there with permanent stickers that are illegal I would personally recommend that you go get a plate. The potential fine is not worth the trouble or couple of bucks saved. The downside is also pretty dramatic from a liability standpoint it as well. Oh, and the State patrol told me that they are looking for these set up as they are aware that there are lots out there like it. He did not pull me over for anything else. He was looking for the sticker.

Just my two cents for what it's worth if I can help circumvent someone else from going through what I went through or worse.

[swamptiger]

So if your boat/trailer combination weighs, say 4500#, and your trailer is rated for 7000# GVWR, which figure would you use when you register the trailer?

[smalliehunter]

7000#

[Pat K]

So if your boat/trailer combination weighs, say 4500#, and your trailer is rated for 7000# GVWR, which figure would you use when you register the trailer?

GVWR is what counts when registering. The actual weight of the boat & trailer just has to be less than the GVWR.

[delcecchi]

Gee, I had regular plates and the state decided to send me a perm sticker. So I should be golden, right?

[Eyewitness]

Registration is based on the GVWR of the trailer. Or in other words, what the trailer is capable of hauling. Costs the same from 3-10k so no big deal....

[Eyewitness]

Del, the state patrol doesn't care if the state actually gives you the wrong registration. This guy didn't mince words and said they are in crack down mode because of so many out there registered wrong. Regardless of how, who, or why they ended up that way. 😔

[delcecchi]

Del, the state patrol doesn't care if the state actually gives you the wrong registration. This guy didn't mince words and said they are in crack down mode because of so many out there registered wrong. Regardless of how, who, or why they ended up that way. 😔

Then I hope I have the correct thing. But it sucks if the state sent it to me on their own initiative and then want to give me a ticket because they screwed up...

[Kyhl]

Bumping this up because it is almost time to bring them out of storage.

I am still not 100% clear on the rules and could not find anything specific to boat trailers.

MN Section 168.013

(a) On trailers registered at a gross vehicle weight of greater than 3,000 pounds, the annual tax is based on total gross weight and is 30 percent of the Minnesota base rate prescribed in subdivision 1e, when the gross weight is 15,000 pounds or less, and when the gross weight of a trailer is more than 15,000 pounds, the tax for the first eight years of vehicle life is 100 percent of the tax imposed in the Minnesota base rate schedule, and during the ninth and succeeding years of vehicle life the tax is 75 percent of the Minnesota base rate prescribed by subdivision 1e

[Pat K]

GVWR is what matters when you license your trailer.

Take your boat to a truck stop or grain elevator and weigh it, after adding a full gas tank, anchor, batteries and everything else you have in the boat I think you'll find you are 400 to 600lbs over the 2585 lbs you are guessing.

[Raider4ever]

There is a weight listed on the title of your trailer. This is what you need to go by. I got rear-ended by a freaking cab out in the middle of nowhere a few years ago. The state patrol guy looked at the receiver, which read #3500 max. The county gave me a perm. sticker when I bought it. I had no idea what my combo weighed. He was pretty sure it was under #3000 so he said just look on the title when I got home and that will tell you what you need as the title is the legal document regarding the trailer. The trailer is rated for 2800ish so I was good. So, read over your trailer title and take appropriate measures. P.S. The Trooper was a GREAT guy. He helped me fill out the accident report, looked over the trailer and said it was safe to tow, gave me a print out of the trailer statute, etc.

[Kyhl]

I bought mine used in WI. I don't even remeber if it had a WI title for the trailer.

When I titled it here I asked for the perm sticker and they slapped 3,000 on the title at the DMV.

Not sure I would trust the title.

[slammer]

Warden told me last fall that if the trailer is rated for #2800 or more and has brakes you need a plate. Does not matter how big a boat is on that trailer.