Titling and Registering a Shop-Built Trailer in Texas (or An Exercise in Masochism)

I bought a used trailer a few weeks ago that had never been registered. The frame was rusty (but not rusted out), the bed was rotted and the wiring was shot. When I picked it up, I stripped off the old deck and loaded up some treated 2”x6” at the local lumber yard. On the way home, I stopped at a truck stop in Denton and got a weight certificate. I spent the weekend before last stripping the frame, repainting it, rewiring it, re-decking it, and redoing the safety chains. It turned out pretty good..

After doing some Internet searches a few weeks ago, I started with the DOT (Department of Transportation), who told me that in order to get a title and registration the trailer would needed a VIN, which requires a form VTR-68A (Request for Assigned Number) inspection. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the form 68A, it is intended to prevent someone from stealing a trailer and re-registering it - a police officer inspects the trailer for any existing markings, then searches state databases to see if it matches the description orf any stolen trailers. The DOT told me that I needed the completed form 68A (which could be done by any auto theft unit police officer), a picture of the trailer, and a weight certificate to get the VIN. I would then have to stamp the VIN into the frame, and then take the completed 68A, a pencil etching of the VIN and a completed form VTR-130 (Reassignment of Title) to the tax office to get the title and plates.

I looked on the DOT web site for the form 68-A, but apparently that is the ONLY form that is not available online. I drove over to the DOT (at Belt Line & Josey), and stood in line for 20 minutes to get the form. Since my signature on the form had to be notarized, my next stop was by the bank to see a notary.

I then called the Farmers Branch police (the local cop shop) to schedule a time to do the inspection, but they didn’t know what a form 68A inspection was, and recommended I call back the DOT. I called the DOT, and was told that the form 68A inspection had to be done by a certified auto theft unit officer and was given two numbers, one for the Texas Auto Theft Taskforce and one for the DPS (Department of Public Safety). I started with the taskforce number (as recommended by the DOT) and got dumped into a voice mailbox, with options for a sergeant, lieutenant, and captain. I worked my way from bottom to top, getting voice mail at each stop, until I got the captain, who refused to answer any of my questions and told me to start back at the bottom and leave voice mails (gee, thanks for earning my tax dollars). I tried back the next day and got a human, who told me they are located in Hutchins (FAR from here), they only do inspections once a month, and the next date was April 8th. Scratch that one.

I then called the DPS, and was told they only do inspections in Garland and only on Mondays between 8:00-8:30am. Since it was my only option, I scheduled an appointment for this Monday (yesterday) at 8:30am.

I hooked up the trailer to the F-150 and left the house at 7:30am yesterday (since traffic on I-635 is so bad) and drove over to the DPS in far Southeast Garland, which is almost to Rowlett. The drive wasn't bad and the inspection only took 15 minutes, so I was feeling pretty cocky on my way back to the house – I thought the tough part was over (little did I know).

I parked the truck and trailer at the house and took the Jeep to the DOT with the form 68A, pictures and weight certificate (sounds like Alice's Restaurant). After a 30 minute wait, I got the VIN and was on my way ... one more step down, two more to go!

The day started going south when I was stamping the VIN into the trailer frame – on the 4th digit, the hammer slipped and whacked my thumb (in my best Sesame Street voice: “today’s black-and-blue thumb has been brought to you by the number nine”). I finished the rest of the letters with a pair of vise grips, got the etching and headed to the tax office.

After waiting in line for 15 minutes at the tax office and waiting another 10 minutes while the lady took a call, I was told that I was missing two more forms (damn) – a form VTR-61 (Rebuilt Affidavit), and an inspection ‘green sheet’, which can be provided by any place that does car safety inspections. The form 61 had to be notarized, so I rushed back to the bank, and then went home to get the truck and trailer.

I took the trailer to the Kwik-Kar at Josey & Valley View, who I normally use for our car inspections, but they do not do trailer inspections. They referred me to the Texaco at Forest and Webb Chapel. The Texaco does not do them either, but sent me to the Exxon across the street. The Exxon guys argued with me for 20 minutes saying that they had to do the truck at the same time (although the truck is good until November); they finally called the DOT, and came back and said they could not do it and sent me to the Firestone at Marsh and Forest. Firestone had never heard of a ‘green sheet’ and referred me back to the DPS.

At this point it was 3:00pm, and the tax office closed at 4:00pm … I was running out of time. I went back to the tax office and told them, “since you require me to have this ‘green sheet', you’re going to have to tell me where to get one!” After calling the DPS and DOT for 15 minutes, they could not give me an answer, but gave me a phone number at the DPS. I called the DPS and they said they would call me back (yeah, right – I’ll hold my breath).

I left the tax office and stopped at Pruitt Car Care at Valley View and Bee; surprise, surprise, they don’t do them either, but recommended Valley View Car Care at Valley View and Josey. Valley View Car Care did not do them, but one of their guys said he got his trailer inspected at UMW, the big quonset hut on at I-35 and Belt Line. It’s now 3:35pm as I rush over there.

Yahoo – the guys at UMW do trailer inspections! Unfortunately, they are out of stickers. They sent me over to Paddy’s Texaco at I-35 and Crosby. Hot dog – Paddy’s does trailer inspections AND they have stickers! Unfortunately, it’s now 3:45pm and I’m running out of time. I gave the guy $20 to speed it up, got the sticker and green sheet, and raced back to the tax office.

I got to the tax office at 4:02, and the doors were locked (double damn!). A guy was standing at the door complaining that they had told him on the phone that they were open until 4:30, but the door was locked … the guy would not shut up as I peered through the window. A lady came to the door (the same one who had been such a pain earlier in the day) and told me that they were closed. I pleaded with her that I had been there earlier, and that I rushed as fast as I could, and that I had all my forms together. She said, “You just ran out to your car to get your insurance card, right?” It took me a few beats to catch on, and then I replied, “Yeah, that’s it – that’s the ticket!” She let me in (oh boy!), but cut off the whining guy (ha ha).

After waiting 20 minutes for my number to come up, I realized I had left my checkbook in the Jeep (at the house) and my cash in the console of the truck (in the parking lot). The lady let me run out to the truck, so with the money in my wallet and the money from the console I had $62.00. Since it costs $61 to register a car, I figured I had plenty for registering a trailer. Guess again.

The guy ran the numbers based on a GVWR of 4500 lbs and the fee came to $65 (crap). When I told him I only had $62, he refigured it at 4000 lbs, which was only $24.00 (cool). He then told me that I would not get a title for 4000 lbs or less (which would negate all the work I had been doing the last few weeks), so I had him refigure it at 4100 lbs., bringing the total to $63.00. I begged the guy to loan me a buck so I could get this thing put to bed, and he did (I think just to get rid of me so he could go home). FINALLY! I have a title and plates!

I went back over to the tax office this morning and gave the guy his dollar and a box of donuts! The look on his face told me that he did not expect to ever see me again – he had kissed that dollar goodbye!