OT Only in Illinois

super99 · Jun 2, 2013

I have been looking for a small trailer to haul my lawn mower for some time now. Passed on several decent ones that didn't have title or license so I didn't have to go thru the hassle of getting a title in Illinois. I found a nice homemade 8 1/2 x 7 trailer in Iowa with license on it so I bought it. Tried to get licensed in Illinois yesterday. Iowa doesn't title small trailers, just registers them. Not good enough for Illinois. Now I have to go thru the process as if I built it myself. Where did I get the steel, what size steel, pictures from 3 sides, hitch and lights, and send in $99 for title and $18 for license and wait for someone to drive 200 miles from Springfield to OK it. If I didn't own the farm my grandparents bought in 1945, I would move to Iowa and learn to speak Iowegian. My tax dollars at work!!

centralilbaler · Jun 2, 2013

Keep supportin the governor!! I know your frustration. Earlier this year, i paid $29 to get the right to buy a $88 license plate.

FBH44 · Jun 2, 2013

Here in MO., we went to get our 16-year old's license a month ago. DMV went through a huge deal trying to figure out his address, for some reason. Told them he was my son, always had been, had always lived on the family farm, his address was our address, always had been, etc. etc. The gal made me sign an affadivat that my son's address WAS NOT this address. I told her that was stupid (wrong word at the DMV.) Went through it, over and over, told her she was telling me to falsify an official document. Told her she oughta call Jeff City and tell them. She said she gets that comment each time and every time some parent has to sign. I signed it, verifying to the State of MO. that my son's address was not this address. His license came, mailed to this address, and his address was listed as this address.
"There's no reason for it, it's our policy."

ericlb · Jun 2, 2013

how much do they check that kind of thing? i traded for a 12 foot utility trailer, [ hauled the man about 100 tons of fill dirt] the state here would not license it since i couldn't show where money was exchanged for the trailer, they told me i would have to put up 6000 dollar bond and other stuff, i told them where they could stuff that idea, and never did license that trailer,pulled it about 10 years, wound up selling it to a guy who wanted it for his gator, as it has a bi fold full width ramp attached to the back that doubled as a tailgate, i saw it the other day and it had a tag, not sure on how he did it or if it even actually went to that trailer, ive played musical license plates myself, -1 tag several similar trailers,

Anonymous-0 · Jun 2, 2013

Unless they just changed it recently you could get a home built title easily at your local DVM as long as it wasn't titled above a B license. Anything above a B would have to be taken to Springfield and inspected by the DOT. This information is from 2010 Sec. of State info, but could have changed by now.

tomtirediron · Jun 2, 2013

LOL, just came back 10 mins. ago from a 35 mile roadabout the police on the gravel roads with a trailer I can't muster up enough patience to attempt to license. It's a home made tandom dump trailer. Minnesota and Ill. form must be similar as they want a full accounting of all the materials used ect. Built it close to 20 years ago from a lengthened 63 Chevrolet truck box, the running gear out from under a large portable welder- air compressor combo and sheet steel I cut out of 2 old fireplace inserts and they think there going to see recepts? Yup, mighty important to make it as darned difficult and expensive as can be.

37chief · Jun 2, 2013

Why don't you put lights on the trailer, stop, and turn. Then hang a equipment hazard sign on the back of the trailer and use it. Chances you will not get stopped. If you do get a ticket it will probably be much cheaper that going through the title bs. Stan

toolz · Jun 2, 2013

I just went through this in Illinois with a boat trailer from Wisconsin. Same deal- Wisconsin doesn't title the small trailers. I had a bill of sale, but the DMV was arguing with me about Wisconsin law, which I had a copy of. A friend of mine who works at the DMV overheard the conversation, got out the Illinois regulations book, pointed out the rules to the uninformed worker and said "read this and give him his title and plates". You DO NOT need to call that trailer homebuilt if you have a bill of sale (or make one up) from the previous owner. Your DMV has it wrong. You can go to the Iowa DMV website and print off their rules to prove it to them.

danmcdonald · Jun 2, 2013

The first thing I do when I retire is get out of Illinois. I hate it here!!

ss55 · Jun 2, 2013

I can sympathize with your frustration. But, you couldn't really beleive that a home-made trailer from another state could be licensed without an inspection? On the bright side, you probably saved enough on the price of the home-made trailer to offset the extra time and expense of licensing it, so you should still be ahead.

earlschieb · Jun 2, 2013

Indiana isn"t much different, same type of crap to get a trailer title on a home made, or one from another state without title or C of O. Here in Ohio, we don"t have that problem.

Ellis Kinney · Jun 2, 2013

All you guys that live in a state that begins with an I need to move to Kentucky. Ellis

Anonymous-0 · Jun 2, 2013

Perhaps the Illinois laws have changed, but I suspect that you just didn't go to the correct place. A local licensing/title transfer business that has been around a long time and just inside a marginal urban location seems to be able to get any problems solved. Been down there a couple of times when documentation was legitimate but did not quite met strict requirements and wanted to avoid a hassle. One wonders if it was a wise decision when you step into the place, but they get things done. One example: had them license a home built trailer with absolutely no issues.

El Toro · Jun 2, 2013

The state of MD is just as bad. The bridge tolls has went from one penny in 1951 to $13.00 in 2013. You have to get a transponder for $10.00 for unlimited crossings and it will go to $20.00 in July. Now the governor is tacking on gas tax starting in July. You have to be almost destitute to get a reduction on your real estate taxes. In 1968 my taxes were about $400.00 now they're closer to $5000.00. Hal

jm. · Jun 2, 2013

You guys sure make be glad to live in Tennessee, Stock trailers, boat trailers, small tag along trailers no plates no title. Larger like 18 wheeler trailers one plate for the live of the unit.

Richard from SE AZ · Jun 2, 2013

DMV employees seen to all be poured from the same mold no matter which state you live in. Do they ALL have to fail an IQ test to work there?

Lou from Wi. · Jun 2, 2013

Super 99" you are not the only one who had to prove builder ownership of a trailer. we built an equipment trailer to haul our equipment around on. went to plate it and WHAM ! !! back came notification from D.M.V. they wanted a list of materials we used to mfg it. sent then photo copies of steel purchases 50 in all, and then we got notification that the tag would have to be placed on the trailer at a certain place by an officer who had to sign the paperwork. what a crock. sold the trailer last year. Government intrusion if you ask me.
LOU

GeneMO · Jun 2, 2013

I had a home made trailer licensed here in MO.. You take it to a private garage or shop that is an inspection station. They look it over, attach an ID plate to the frame, they fill out a sheet or two of paper and you give them $12 or $15. Then take that paperwork to the license bureau and get a one or three year license. $11 for 1 year, $26 for three year.

We knew the inspection station owner and never even took in the trailer. He did the paperwork, handed us the little ID tag and we took it home an stuck it on ourselves.

The biggest hassel of the process is you have to list all the trailers, and even boat motors on you property tax statements and pay a little dab of property tax.

If you have a bunch of boat trailers, even boats, and the motors, it keeps you buys just keeping up with it all.

Gene

todd hamilton · Jun 2, 2013

Boat owner from crossville says amen brother

keh · Jun 2, 2013

SC laws on trailer licenses similar to TN.

KEH

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Jun 2, 2013

Iowa DOES title small trailers. I have 2 of them under 3K titled and registered. Sounds like the guy who sold you your trailer must have lost the title and didn"t want to go through the motions of getting a duplicate.

OT Only in Illinois

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