New York Trailering Rules

[fried1765]

One issue with Maine registered trailers is they do not associate a weight rating for trailers. Maine places that on the tow vehicle. Towing a Maine registered trailer with a Massachusetts registered vehicle with anything on the trailer it is overweight. Just ask anyone from Maine. They have to register their pickup trucks for a combined weight that they think they will not exceed. The DOT police up there weighs them all the time. Massachusetts registered trailers you register it for a certain weight rating.

Seems like getting stopped by the Maine DOT would not be a problem for me, as it is unlikely that I will ever tow any load in Maine.
Why is it that my Maine trailer registration very clearly does show a trailer weight rating of 14K?
Any towing I do, is for my personal use, and not for hire, or tractor work for pay.

 

[CADplans]

There are some issues with registering a trailer with Maine tags and living in Massachusetts. I知 not going to get into specifics, just beware if you get stopped by the right police officer it could cost you big $$$.

This out of state registration and tags issue must not be a problem,,

There is a trucking company near me, the 18 wheelers haul cement all over Virginia, and possibly further,
The trucks and trailers live their entire life in Virginia,, all of the trucks and trailers have Wisconsin plates.

They have been running like that since 1982 when I moved here.

(The cement they haul is made into concrete at the destination)

 

[coldsteelva]

And every single Uhaul truck/van has an Arizona tag. Most jurisdictions do not care where the vehicle is registered HOWEVER, they do care about their tax money. Here in VA, you must report a vehicle 'garaged' in the jurisdiction regardless of the registration location. People do skirt the law, but when the 'man' figures it out, they come after you for the back taxes and penalties and interest.

 

[nybirdman]

Just heard recently that NY state is going to crack down on Maine registered trailers operated in the state.

 

[JJZ 109]

Just heard recently that NY state is going to crack down on Maine registered trailers operated in the state.

In the meantime I've saved a ton of money, having four trailers. $75 each per year vs. $100 for 5 years. $300 per year for 4 trailers X 5 years = $1500 in NY. 4 Maine plates for 5 years = $400.

 

[fried1765]

In the meantime I've saved a ton of money, having four trailers. $75 each per year vs. $100 for 5 years. $300 per year for 4 trailers X 5 years = $1500 in NY. 4 Maine plates for 5 years = $400.

Works for me too!
I am way ahead of the game!

 

[Btown]

This out of state registration and tags issue must not be a problem,,

There is a trucking company near me, the 18 wheelers haul cement all over Virginia, and possibly further,
The trucks and trailers live their entire life in Virginia,, all of the trucks and trailers have Wisconsin plates.

They have been running like that since 1982 when I moved here.

(The cement they haul is made into concrete at the destination)

They get past this by registering the vehicle with Apportioned license plates. Apportioned plates include the GCVW of both the truck and trailer. Just like Maine requires people in Maine to tow a trailer.

I only listed one issue with Maine tags on trailers in Mass. there are other issues and fines associated with them are very high.

I have also heard that Mass DOT and Maine have started talks about who has trailers registered up there and will be fining them. Only time will tell.

 

[some zilch]

my new dumper trailer, a 14k sure-trac, was $177/yr here in NY, and $90/5yr in maine. when i turned my NY plates back in so i could get ME plates, i was told NY does not refund unused trailer registration money; i paid $177 to tow my trailer 30 miles home from the dealer.......

 

[JJZ 109]

my new dumper trailer, a 14k sure-trac, was $177/yr here in NY, and $90/5yr in maine. when i turned my NY plates back in so i could get ME plates, i was told NY does not refund unused trailer registration money; i paid $177 to tow my trailer 30 miles home from the dealer.......

That sucks. My last trailer was bought in PA. So no sales tax there because I live in NY. Towed it home with a temp plate, registered it in Maine. Cut NY out of the equation completely.

 

[fried1765]

That sucks. My last trailer was bought in PA. So no sales tax there because I live in NY. Towed it home with a temp plate, registered it in Maine. Cut NY out of the equation completely.

GOOD WORK !!!!

 

[mini14]

I live in ny and my trailer is reg in Maine. I've had Maine reg now for 6 years. Have never been pulled over. For years I've heard of penalties and crack downs and how wrong it is but have never ever heard of anyone getting cited for it on any forum I belong to.

 

[nyone]

I have 2 Maine plates. One i have had for about 12 years. Never been stopped but i did hear aboit them "cracking down". I looked up the NYS law. Your trailer needs to be registered. It dosnt say anything about it having to be tegistered in the state the owner lives in, motor vehicle registration it does say that.

Also anything 1995 and older all you need is a bill of sale for Maine.

 

[JJZ 109]

This out of state registration and tags issue must not be a problem,,

There is a trucking company near me, the 18 wheelers haul cement all over Virginia, and possibly further,
The trucks and trailers live their entire life in Virginia,, all of the trucks and trailers have Wisconsin plates.

They have been running like that since 1982 when I moved here.

(The cement they haul is made into concrete at the destination)

Next time you're out on an interstate keep an eye on the trailer tags of any tractor/trailers you see. There's large number of Maine tags out there no matter where the tractor is tagged or the company is based.

 

[Howling]

Next time you're out on an interstate keep an eye on the trailer tags of any tractor/trailers you see. There's large number of Maine tags out there no matter where the tractor is tagged or the company is based.

Should see the APPORTIONED line on most of those plates. Trucks over certain size pay road use taxes to the various states they travel through. That apportioned plate and card in cab identifies the states their road use taxes are split up between and they can travel in for interstate commerce. Outside of those states they may need to trip permits.

 

[JJZ 109]

Should see the APPORTIONED line on most of those plates. Trucks over certain size pay road use taxes to the various states they travel through. That apportioned plate and card in cab identifies the states their road use taxes are split up between and they can travel in for interstate commerce. Outside of those states they may need to trip permits.

I've seen Maine trailer plates on tractors from all over the country. I'm not an over the road guy or a DOT worker so I can say anything certain about tax/fuel permit rules, etc.
Most tractors seem to have stickers from the appropriate states. But I can't see trailers being stickered with the uncertainty of who will be pulling them. Especially for company trailers or leased trailers that are pulled by an independent or leased on rig that could be from anywhere and hauling them anywhere.

 

[sandman2234]

There are some issues with registering a trailer with Maine tags and living in Massachusetts. I知 not going to get into specifics, just beware if you get stopped by the right police officer it could cost you big $$$.

If you have a Florida drivers license, or suspected to live in Florida, or work in Florida, then you are pretty much going to get nailed at some point if you have a trailer registered in any other state, unless you are paying road use taxes for it (which is how semi-trucks get away with it).
You can and will get away with it for years, but when you get caught, it won't be cheap.
David from jax

 

[mini14]

Yes sandman I understand that but I’m not driving an 18 wheeler 30 foot trailer. It’s a 14ft equipment trailer that weighs 2000lbs.

 

[fried1765]

If you have a Florida drivers license, or suspected to live in Florida, or work in Florida, then you are pretty much going to get nailed at some point if you have a trailer registered in any other state, unless you are paying road use taxes for it (which is how semi-trucks get away with it).
You can and will get away with it for years, but when you get caught, it won't be cheap.
David from jax

I do have a Florida drivers license, and I do live in Florida, but my Maine registered trailer does not go to Florida, and I do not use a Florida registered tow vehicle.
How am I "going to get nailed" pulling my Maine registered 14K equipment trailer in Massachusetts?
"You can and will get away with it for years"..... I am 79 years old....so I really ain't gonna sweat it!

 

[mini14]

It is the road tax issue that sandman brings up but that only applies to the towing vehicles wether or not the vehicle towing the trailer meets the criteria for needing a highway use tax permit, then the issue of out of state would apply. My dodge 2500 doesn’t require a hut permit

 

[JJZ 109]

I do have a Florida drivers license, and I do live in Florida, but my Maine registered trailer does not go to Florida, and I do not use a Florida registered tow vehicle.
How am I "going to get nailed" pulling my Maine registered 14K equipment trailer in Massachusetts?
"You can and will get away with it for years"..... I am 79 years old....so I really ain't gonna sweat it!

If I read David's post correctly, I think he meant that if you're pulling that Maine trailer in the state of Florida and you're Florida licensed, Florida resident or Florida tow vehicle is when you're in for a potential problem.