Just a quick question, do ALL trailers in NC have to be registered and tagged? I was thinking of getting a super small trailer just to haul some stuff behind my car. It seems silly to have to undergo all that expense and bother over something that would be the size of a hitch haul. Thanks in advance.

1/23/2009 4:04:47 PM

Farm trailers going a short distance don't have to be registered, but I think all non farm trailers do.

1/23/2009 4:58:52 PM

All trailers are considered motor vehicles, therefore they must be registered just like a car.

1/23/2009 5:27:42 PM

I *think* trailers under a certian size are exempt.

1/23/2009 6:28:56 PM

even my little 40x48" trailer had to be registered.

1/23/2009 8:09:23 PM

Yeah, if it's not a cement mixer or a farm trailer, it needs a tag. And the cement mixer probably needed one, but I was never stopped for it.

Tax and tags cost three times more than my trailer did. (~$170)

[Edited on January 23, 2009 at 8:39 PM. Reason : trailers don't require insurance, of course.]

1/23/2009 8:38:21 PM

legally it has to be registered. however, if you are just going to use it rarely i wouldn't personally worry about it. the money you'll save will be more than the cost of the ticket if you get pulled one day.

1/23/2009 9:15:25 PM

No trailer plates required in SC according to a buddy of mine whose parents on a condo on the ICW down there. He claims that if he ever gets pulled he will tell them he borrowed it from his parents who are SC residents. Not sure how much good that will do, but just throwing it out there.

1/23/2009 11:59:22 PM

he is right about the SC thing.

My 18ft car trailer is registered in SC. No tags on it at all. Ive towed it around several states and never had an issue. Never been pulled with it. Dont act a fool and you shouldnt have much an issue. I just carry a copy of the title in the truck when I have the trailer behind me. There is no such thing as a trailer plate in SC, so even if I were to WANT one...there is no way to get one. It is registered to my lake house near Charleston, but it stays here in charlotte with me all the time.

1/25/2009 3:18:48 PM

if you know you'll be keeping the trailer a while, just get a lifetime tag/registration. $75 and you never have to worry about it again. if you did happen to ever get pulled for it, court costs + fine would be more than that.

Quote :

"trailers don't require insurance, of course"

true, but it's still not a bad idea to carry a seperate policy on one unless it's just not worth much of anything. otherwise, the only coverage it has is liability under the policy of whatever vehicle it's hooked to. you're screwed in the event of accident damages that would fall under comprehensive, a tree falling on it, theft, or whatever. the extra coverage is cheap too. i have full coverage on my 32ft. car hauler and it's only about $25 a year.

1/25/2009 8:36:08 PM

^ the man speaks wisdom, he employs three full time insurance agents and a tag/title clerk that is a notary just to manage his personal fleet

1/25/2009 8:51:10 PM

lol..funny, but true

1/25/2009 9:41:11 PM

back in the 80's, my father had a friend from Indiana who was farming around here. apparently in Indiana (at least at that time) the trailer carried the weight of the license, and in NC the truck carries it. They made a trip to Indiana with a truck licensed in Indiana and a trailer licensed in NC. They had to spend a long time late one night at a weigh station getting things straight.

1/25/2009 10:04:54 PM

Ack, long story short it looks like Im going to have to be inconvenienced by the man

1/25/2009 11:43:06 PM