Travel Trailer Inspections

[avasquez]

This might be a very dumb question but it's something I did not think about when purchasing a camper.

We purchased our first camper this summer, everything is going great and we love it. Currently looking at seasonal sites and the few we found allow you to keep your camper there throughout the off-season.

I didn't realize (in NY) you had to get your camper inspected every year. We wanted to just plop it down and build a nice patio around it etc etc - maybe find a different spot every couple of years. I see tons of other campers that practically have a house built around their campers so how does one do all of that but then be able to take it out to get inspected... yearly? Some of these campers in seasonal spots look like they've been there for years. How does all this work? I appreciate any feedback!

[flybouy]

Why don't you simply call the MVA or DMV or whatever NY calls it and ask them? I don't know your states laws but I'd suspect you need the inspection to get the tags. Jo inspection means no tags, not moving the camper means no need for tags. Just a guess.

[avasquez]

I will certainly call the DMV again - was hoping some other NY campers could shed some light on it that's all. NYS DMV is horrible, When I called this morning I had almost a 40 minute wait time and yesterday when I called I had to wait 30 minutes and then got disconnected a minute into the conversation lol.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Why don't you simply call the MVA or DMV or whatever NY calls it and ask them? I don't know your states laws but I'd suspect you need the inspection to get the tags. Jo inspection means no tags, not moving the camper means no need for tags. Just a guess.

This how it works in Texas. It's a safety inspection to insure lights, tires & the breakaway system work properly for highway use before issuing tags.

[NH_Bulldog]

I have never had a trailer inspected nor has anyone ever made it an issue. Maybe just lucky but not high on the law enforcement radar for traffic violations

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by avasquez

I will certainly call the DMV again - was hoping some other NY campers could shed some light on it that's all. NYS DMV is horrible, When I called this morning I had almost a 40 minute wait time and yesterday when I called I had to wait 30 minutes and then got disconnected a minute into the conversation lol.

Not an insult for anyone working there but an overall observation..... The MVA during the Covid 19 pandemic is like the worst of 2 worlds.

[QCMan]

In New York if the trailer is not inspected the registration cannot be renewed. NYS is in desperate need of money and Will go to any length to get it. In a lot of areas even a non-roadworthy vehicle needs to be registered and inspected just to keep it on your property.
I would contact the campground and see if they have an issue with an unregistered/uninsured/uninspected unit on their property. They might have a go around for that and when you want to move it have it towed to the new spot so that you do not have to register it. New York is greedy and nasty about it!

[Ken / Claudia]

Just about everything is available on line, I would not waste time phoning, check out the DMV regs online. But sounds like you got an answer.
I just moved into a new state for us. Needed 5 vehicles titled, registered and licensed besides 2 drivers licenses. Only information not found was how much time needed to stand in line with docs. Neighbor told us an hour.

[WNY Bullet]

I wouldn't worry about registering it or having the inspection done if you are just parking it at a seasonal spot. But both would be required if you are pulling it down the road.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

This how it works in Texas. It's a safety inspection to insure lights, tires & the breakaway system work properly for highway use before issuing tags.

Not exactly... in Texas, inspection for registration certificate ONLY if the trailer weighs in excess of some given weight. Our DMV goes off some book or such and my fifth wheel doesn't need to be inspected; it is about 7K lbs unloaded and about 8500 lbs loaded (guesstimations). I think the magic weight is 7500 and under NO INSPECTION! This came about in 2017 when Gov. A. signed a bill moving inspectable weight from 4500 to 7500 lbs.

As I said, don't know how they come up with my fifth wheel's weight as you can't read any of the original weight or info tags on my 2002.


https://www.chron.com/news/transport...t-11214355.php

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Not an insult for anyone working there but an overall observation..... The MVA during the Covid 19 pandemic is like the worst of 2 worlds.

The MVA in NY is probably highly motivated and he will probably get his answer within 30 seconds!

[sourdough]

Just an off the wall observation but as was mentioned the inspection is to make sure it is roadworthy generally. Registration is where the state wants their money (inspection is not much). Lots of places you can register keeping you OK with the state as long as you don't transport it on the highway which would then require the inspection. In TX it used to be that way, now you cannot register the vehicle unless it has been inspected which then can potentially open a can of worms if you don't.

The other side of that coin is that I've been in many campgrounds where the rules state that all trailers must have a current registration...never anything about an "inspection".

[Badbart56]

Florida doesn't even have vehicle inspections anymore, let alone trailers.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Badbart56

Florida doesn't even have vehicle inspections anymore, let alone trailers.

NM doesn't either. I guess it is less of a hassle but I have never in my life seen more unroadworthy/dangerous vehicles in my life than in those states - 8 mos. in FL this year (by end of year).

[GMH]

If you only want to move it once to a campground, you could possibly get a wrecker to haul it uninsured? My contractor used to move an office/storeage trailer from one construction site to another that way.

[Gumby52]

Sure hope the Gov. of CT doesn't read these forums...
If he realizes NY gets more money by having trailers inspected he'll want to do the same here (for public safety, of course). As it stands now, the only thing that will prevent you from renewing the trailer registration is if you didn't pay your property tax on it.

Did you know... the largest employer in the State of CT is the State of CT. Just sayin'

[Badbart56]

Originally Posted by sourdough

NM doesn't either. I guess it is less of a hassle but I have never in my life seen more unroadworthy/dangerous vehicles in my life than in those states - 8 mos. in FL this year (by end of year).

Same here. I don't know why the stopped doing it. I mean, if ONLY for the revenue....

[avasquez]

Thank you for all of the feedback, I was able to get some answers after digging around a bit more. Fortunately the campground we've chosen as our seasonal site starting next year does not require plates / active registration on a camper so assuming we won't plan on taking it out for a random trip we should be good with it being "off the road" while still maintaining insurance coverage on it since it's brand new.

New York is money hungry, always... I'll be happy I don't have to spend the extra money on registrations/inspections every years since I already give NYS too much of my money!

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by avasquez

Thank you for all of the feedback, I was able to get some answers after digging around a bit more. Fortunately the campground we've chosen as our seasonal site starting next year does not require plates / active registration on a camper so assuming we won't plan on taking it out for a random trip we should be good with it being "off the road" while still maintaining insurance coverage on it since it's brand new.

New York is money hungry, always... I'll be happy I don't have to spend the extra money on registrations/inspections every years since I already give NYS too much of my money!

You might want to ask the "pointed question": When I do need to re-register my trailer and put license plates on it again, what is the penalty charge for not having maintained a current registration???

In some states, you can't "drop a registration" and then 2 years later, register it again without paying either "all the back fees" or "a substantial penalty"... I got caught up in that with a boat registration several years ago, when a rowboat that was registered was used only on our private lake. 10 years later, when I wanted to use it with a small outboard on a public lake, I needed to re-register it. I was faced with a "completely new registration, title and transfer fees" or paying all the "back registrations for those 10 years, to bring it up to date with the old title".... It was cheaper to start fresh, but it still was not as simple as just paying the current year fees and putting a new tag on the boat.... You may encounter the same type of penalties if you skip the annual registration fees....

[bobz89013]

Might also check with your county assessor to see if you have the option of registering it as personal property. They will do that here in Nevada and the taxes are less