# Trailer registration/inspection



## Roby (Jul 12, 2005)

There has been a lot of interest in this subject lately due to the change in vehicle registration laws in Texas. There are a lot of us who own bay boats that are setting on tandem axle trailers with a GVWR in excess of 4500 lbs. even though the actual weight is lower. The new law requires you to have the trailer inspected before you purchase your new tags this year. The inspection law has always been in place; however, the new registration law makes it difficult to skip the inspection like so many of us have in the past. The inspection requires you to have working brakes on both axles, although most inspectors will pass it with brakes on only one axle. Heck most don't even look to see if you have brakes, much less test them. The inspection station only receives $7.00 to perform the inspection, so a thorough inspection is pretty unlikely, but a station can be fined for issuing an inspection to a trailer that fails the inspection, so they do have some motivation to perform it properly. 
Brakes are not inexpensive and keeping them operational on a trailer that sees salt can be a challenge to say the least. You can legally skirt this issue if your boat and trailer combination weigh less than 4500 lbs. My trailer has a GVWR of 5700 lbs, and was registered as such. No brakes on the trailer, no flanges on the axles to install brakes. This was going to cost more to install brakes than the 12 yr. old Sportsman trailer was worth. 
So I towed the trailer and boat to a Cat scale on Battleground rd. near 225 and had it weighed. The total weight of the trailer and boat combo came in at 4340 lbs. I took this weight slip with my title to the Galveston county tax office and had the registration reduced to 4500 lbs. I walked out of the Tax office with my tags for the trailer. No inspection required.
If your rig falls at or under 4500 lbs. but your trailer is registered higher, you can change the registered weight to reflect the actual weight. No brakes needed no inspection required. 
Just thought I would pass this info along. Do not confuse GVWR with registered weight.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I just had to have my travel trailer inspected. It took longer for the inspector to do the computer work than she spent inspecting the trailer. She just checked the lights. 
Good info about changing the rating.


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## juror81 (Jul 21, 2011)

Great idea. Thanks


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## Part Timer (Jul 2, 2012)

I just made a thread about this on the boating forum. Then i found this thread. 

This is great news for me. I just bought a used boat and the tags are out. I didn't even think about looking at that before i bought it. Its rated for 5000lbs. I was seriously starting to sweat about having to add brakes or find a new trailer. I hope this will work in Harris county as easy as it did for you in Galveston. thanks


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

I just had my car hauler inspected and he never paid any attention to the brakes. Just checked the lights, safety chains and tire tread.


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## svracer (Aug 14, 2009)

Where in Galveston county can I get my fifth wheel, and my 45 foot boat trailer inspected? I cant get a rig this long in just anywhere. Thanks


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## Jaysand247 (Aug 19, 2012)

I just purchased a new boat and the bank wanted the trailer inspected . The guy doing the inspection told me it didn't have to be done because the weight on the trailer tag said 4250 . I was under the impression it was all trailers .


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

svracer said:


> Where in Galveston county can I get my fifth wheel, and my 45 foot boat trailer inspected? I cant get a rig this long in just anywhere. Thanks


 Any RV dealer should have enough room. Maybe Holiday World League City or Ron Hoover. Both will be very busy since it's the middle of summer.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

Jaysand247 said:


> I just purchased a new boat and the bank wanted the trailer inspected . The guy doing the inspection told me it didn't have to be done because the weight on the trailer tag said 4250 . I was under the impression it was all trailers .


Only trailers with a registered weight or actual weight over 4500 pounds need inspection/brakes.


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## GoneSouth (Jun 4, 2010)

I looked up inspection stations on google maps and then checked if I could fit my rig in first. I also called to check. Some places won't inspect trailers yet or don't know how to. For my boat trailer I told the the actual cargo weight, the trailer weight was on the title. Total was under 4500 lbs. no inspection required. 


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## johnny (Dec 28, 2005)

Went to tax office (Clear Lake). Trailer registered in Brazos County. They were happy to reduce max cap. of trailer on registration to bring total weight below the 4500. They can change that, but not empty weight. Registered, new plate and tag, no worries come next year. If your boat on trailer doesn't push past the 4500 total (or close), try this. Didn't even have to go get it weighed.


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

I was talking to some senior DMV officials this week and we got on this topic. 

They said that boat trailers was basically an unintended consequence of single sticker and that everyone understands the issue. Unfortunately the law can't be changed until the next bi-annium session. 

The unofficial policy is that they don't want to bust people over boat trailers and they are monitoring it. So far there haven't been any real issues. 

They plan to tackle this at the next legislative session.

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## D'sBaystealth (Apr 10, 2013)

in order to register your trailer if it has tags it will need to be inspected....
I have had my boat for 4 years and did not have the trailer inspected. Now I have to get the inspection done before I can register the trailer. this pertains to all registered trailers..


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## Robert.Parson (Sep 7, 2004)

*Harris county tags*

I just spoke with the Harris County Tax ASSessor's office.
the lady i spoke to said that if the "GROSS WEIGHT" in the VEHICLE INFORMATION says 4500 or less, that you do NOT need to get it inspected.
I proceeded over to www.TEXAS.gov and renewed it in seconds.
~https://rts.texasonline.state.tx.us/NASApp/txdotrts/RegistrationRenewalServlet

the fees are getting ridiculous though;
automation fee, $1.00
mail in fee, $1.00 (even though i am doing it online)
electronic processing fee, $2.00 (really ?)

but it's done and so am i . . .


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## johnny (Dec 28, 2005)

The thing to know is if GVWR IS over 4500, all you have to do is go to the tax office and get them to lower it, assuming your boat/trailer weight is lower than that. They will do it on the spot no questions asked and then you're good to go. They will not lower the trailer weight, but will lower max capacity to bring GVWR below the 4500.


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