Does your state required trailer inspection?? - Montana Owners Club

carlson · 07-21-2005, 09:58 AM

I was talking to a friend of mine that runs a trailer repair and welding shop.
Did you know that in the State of NH, a trailer over 3,001 pound requires a yearly inspection.
It includes the inspection of the trailer brakes, the brake-away switch, lights, hitch coupling and on regular trailers safety chains.
They give you a regular inspection sticker with the 4 corners cut-off and you keep it with the registration.
He said most state DOT don't push it, but I am probably going to get it done, as we are looking at going to NH to MN the end of August and stopping at the Great Lakes Rally on the way home and probably to CA next winter for 6 weeks.
Just FYI, you may want to check, just encase.

Countryfolks · 07-21-2005, 10:20 AM

No state inspection in AR, trailor or vehicle. We bought the permanent license available here for $40.00, no yearly renewal, no insp required.

Skip

Kathi · 07-21-2005, 10:46 AM

Don't think there is one here in California. Came all the way from Montana threw Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and didn't get inspected one time. Truck or Trailer. Kathi

Bill and Ann · 07-21-2005, 11:05 AM

No inspections in Ontario, Canada

harleyrider · 07-21-2005, 11:05 AM

In pennsylvania you need to get yout trailer inspected once a year.They put the sticker right on one of the windows.Had a friend that has a travel trailer(sunline)he has had it for 2 years,bought it in Maryland.he didn`t know it needed to be inspected.he hasn`t been stoped once for the violation.I`am guessing the state police really don`t pay much attention to trailers as they do cars and trucks.

Broome101 · 07-21-2005, 11:35 AM

None in NC

Montana_2753 · 07-21-2005, 11:38 AM

Because I'm eventually going to be moving to Arizona, went to local DMV office in Parker. Was told that to register my fifth-wheel and truck in AZ I have to bring both to the office for an inspection before registering. To get a driver's license, I need to fill out an application form, take an eye test, pay $15.00 and I get a driver's license. Will wait until tags expire in October (truck) and December (trailer) before registering in AZ.

Bruce

syplace · 07-21-2005, 12:02 PM

None is Wis.

Glenn and Lorraine · 07-21-2005, 01:39 PM

New York does! Pennsylvania does!

Florida does NOT. Another "RV Friendly" thing about the Sunshine state.

Montana_738 · 07-21-2005, 01:54 PM

Hi,

No inspection necessary in Illinois yet. But I hear California is requiring a CDL license, I'm not sure how big the rig has to be or the weights, maybe someone from California can comeback and tell us?
Also, the state of Nevada and Utah are starting to make 5ers use the scales and are starting to push this hard. I'm sure it is just a matter of time and all the states will follow suit.
I am doing some research on this subject and from what I understand it will be hard for most of us to make the legal weight. I hope I can post more info on this within a couple days.
If anyone else knows anything please let us know, I know it has to do with the GCVW, I'm still trying to make sure how you figure this out. There are a lot of things that come into play such as if you have a stick shift you can pull more weight then an automatic. It also depends on the size of your tow vehicle and what it's tow capacity is. From the looks of things a lot of us will be adding some item's to our wife's garage sale.

Bill

Charlie · 07-21-2005, 02:08 PM

No inspections in Texas.

Searchers · 07-21-2005, 03:26 PM

According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles Handbook titled Recreational Vehicles and Trailers Handbook it appears a Commercial Class A license with endorsement is required to tow more than one other vehicle.

A Non-Commercial Class A license allows pulling a travel trailer weighing over 10,000 GVWR not used for hire, and a 5th wheel over 15,000 GVWR not used for hire.

A Class C license (which most of us have) allows towing a travel trailer or 5th wheel under 10,000 GVWR not for hire and a 5th wheel exceeding 10,000, but under 15,000 GVWR not for hire.

Another section of the handbook states that "A driver must have a 5th wheel recreational trailer endorsement added to the Class C drivers license to pull a 5th wheel trailer over 10,00 lbs., but not over 15,000 lbs.

The last I heard there is confusion at the various DMV offices over this and the California Highway Patrol doesn't know how to interpret it either.

There is no recreational trailer inspection required that I'm aware of, but certain counties do require motor vehicle inspections on a regular basis. My home county, Siskiyou is one that doesn't require them.

This is something I need to check into for clarification, but expect to get different answers from among the various offices.

Confused yet?

Bill Hill · 07-21-2005, 04:52 PM

We're in Los Angeles and all I have is the standard Class C license (we each also have a Class M for motorcycles, but that doesn't count). No mention ever made of any additional requirements for pulling either our old TT (7K gross) or our Montana (12.5K gross). You'd think the DMV would ask about your license when you registered the unit.

HamRad · 07-21-2005, 08:04 PM

Well I know of no annual trailer inspection in California.... But one MAY need an endorsement to tow a recreational vehicle that weighs between 10,001 and 15,000 pounds GVWR. And the only reason I pursued this process was because I'd read that the CHP was stopping rigs on I-80 east of Sacramento toward Reno. If you didn't have the required license then they were making you drop your rig in a safe place until you got your license. Don't know if it was true or not but it scared me enough to investigate. Sure enough it appears that you do need an endorsement on you license. I didn't want to have to leave my rig along side the road while I would go and get the license. Took some doing since the DMV offices may or may not know what you're talking about.

For your info for a class C license the endorsement you need is number 41.

Good luck.

HamRad

Gypsy · 07-22-2005, 02:44 AM

No trailer inspections are required in South Dakota. In fact, vehicles can be registered (first time) and renewed by mail. It's very easy to become a SD resident; the only thing required in person is getting your driver license, so they can take your picture! I'm actually in Rapid City as I write this, and will be until the end of August.

Sharon

DCP · 07-22-2005, 02:53 AM

Nothing for Ohio!

tweir · 07-22-2005, 03:47 AM

OK---check this out. I have a Commercial Class B License with a passenger endorsement so I can drive busses and trucks that fall into this classification. We had a terminal inspection here at work and I asked the Motor Carrier Inspector (part of the Ca. CHP) about this. He said that the "B" should suffice without any extra endorsements but to be safe, check with the DMV. Checked with the DMV and of course, they said I needed an endorsement but were not sure how to do the paperwork because I already had a commercial license---something about not the right box on their forms to check-off...! It took 3 supervisors and over an hour of my time to be told "come back in a week & we'll have an answer for you". Think I'll just plead ignorance if I get stopped and tell the officer that "Motor Carrier Division said my Commercial ticket suffices". Sometimes here in the Golden State, BUZZ words work miracles...!

Bear Hunter · 07-22-2005, 03:50 AM

None required in Michigan. All trailers now have perm license. Our 3255 was $300.00. Boat and snowmobile are $75

SEMPER FI

Bill Hill · 07-22-2005, 04:35 AM

Thanks HamRad, I'm going to check it out, although we only have another 2 years (or less) in the Golden State before we migrate permantly to Arizona.

drhowell · 07-22-2005, 04:57 AM

Here in California the Class A and B Commercial licenses require a bi-annual physical to be valid. The Class C does not require any physical. I have had a Class B for many years and use my bi-annual aircraft medical (physical) to comply with the DMV requirements. I make copies of the FAA & Dr forms and take them into the DMV and they accept them as meeting the CA requirements.
The following web page explains the CA requirements for the house car endorsement.
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/about/lad/pdfs...r/hscr_txt.pdf

I guess I will need to get an endorsement for my commercial Class B CDL, I think?
Opps! If you read a little further it appears my Commercial Class B is exempt from the House Car endorsement?

I sure hope they don't start enforceing this section of the CA code. That area on Highway 80 out of Sacramento is a training area for CHP and they are gung ho about any speeding or other violations. You do not want to break any vehicle codes on that streach of highway!

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