Registering a trailer with no paperwork (2024)

I'm about to move, and Uhaul trailers have gotten stupidly expensive.

A friend of mine has an old POS trailer sitting around, that he'd be happy to have gone. It needs a little work, but even with work it should be cheaper than renting a trailer twice (likely cheaper than renting it once). Looks like Harbor Freight or similar, and not very new.

I'm not sure if he has any paperwork for it, and know it doesn't have a plate on it. If he doesn't have paperwork, what would it take to get a plate for it? I know I'd need to put fenders on and mount the lights properly, I don't know if it has a blue tag on it or not.

edit: and if this is better off in KS feel free to move it, I'm not sure which makes more sense

How far are you moving?

You can rent a uhaul trailer for an 'in town' move, even if you are going a distance, you just have to drive it back to the same location. You can even rent for 2 days.

Even a one way move in state is likely to be less hassle than registering that POS.

Can it be done? Probably - though with no paperwork you will have fun at the DMV. Probably several statements of facts, bill of sale from your friend, etc. Hopefully there is a VIN plate on there somewhere, otherwise you may have to go to CHP to get a new VIN.

VIN plate should be on a front A Frame member if it is a harborfreight. Hopefully it has not been sprayed over.

BTW - if it is a HF, you can call HF for spares such as Fender brackets and Fenders if you go that route. Good luck!

200+mi (SLO to bay area) so gas and time to return it makes that less fun.

The Uhaul trailers are also extremely heavy, which isn't so much fun behind my old Subaru as a lighter trailer.

I reg'd a trailer without paper work. Take it to DMV and they inspect it and issue it a new id number sticker. It was super easy.

Mine was a crusty old tow dolly from uhaul that somebody used to move here. It had nothing, no vin, no plate.

MrIncredible said:

Define moving soon? I need to go to the bay area from arroyo grande with an empty flatbed trailer-I can haul anything you'd like.

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Wow! Awesome offer there. I hope you two can work something out.

Wow, didn't expect an offer like that.

Lease is up at the end of July. Most of my stuff could head north well before that, though, although not quite yet. When are you going north?

edit: on the other hand, I'm still interested in the trailer. It would make a reasonable trackday trailer. I suppose I'll go to DMV and see what they say.

Junkie said:

Wow, didn't expect an offer like that.

Lease is up at the end of July. Most of my stuff could head north well before that, though, although not quite yet. When are you going north?

edit: on the other hand, I'm still interested in the trailer. It would make a reasonable trackday trailer. I suppose I'll go to DMV and see what they say.

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End of this month/early next month-it's not set in stone.

I'll have an 18' car trailer behind a full size pickup-I'll haul whatever you want, but if I'm unloading it you're buying me a bottle of scotch.