Maine registration issue
 

Since 2013 my boat trailer has been registered in Maine. Today I was stopped by aNew York state Trooper. Insisted it was not legal for me as a NY resident and issued me a ticket for no registration. I have had Maine registration since 2013 and never been stopped. I know that many boaters have their trailers registered in Maine.. Have any others been ticketed and what were the results.
Thanks

Padraig

Where do you store the trailer?

It's a sticky wicket. TECHNICALLY speaking, in many states one is SUPPOSED to have the boat/trailer registered/tagged out of the state they have their primary residence. It is very common in Kansas for example to have a boat or camper registered in Oklahoma or Missouri, especially if that is where the lake/location one uses the boat/camper at is located.
A friend of mine (who happens to be a cop) recently went through what you did...had a trailer registered/tagged out of Arkansas, got pulled over for having a flickering tail light, and then the trooper proceeded to read my friend the Riot Act. Only "professional courtesy" got my friend out of a ticket that night.
I am not sure of all the details of NY state registration but I did find this:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...dc21cd1733.png

Helmwurst, Trailer stored in NY

Bajaman, boat trailer not boat.

Thanks,

Padraig

That’s weird, as long as the trailer is registered why would the officer care? My boat and trailer are both registered in Montana and I live in Florida and have never had an issue.

It has a license plate though? A Maine license plate? Is it titled?

Just curious as having went through some weird stuff selling my 208. Kansas no longer titles boats, they title trailers...odd as hell to me but oh well. So, long story short, I'd never had a title for my trailer...not in 29 years. Kansas used to title BOATS not trailers but have changed 180 degrees. Anyway, so the guy brokering my boat was like, "This is a big problem, if the buyer is from Kansas/registering the boat out of Kansas, it must have a trailer title. If no title, only option is to get a 'quiet title' and that costs a thousand bucks. Best bet is to sell to an out of state buyer". Which I did. It just brought up the whole weird stuff with trailers...sorry for the rambling. So you actually got a ticket?

It's all about the benjamins. If you have it registered out of state, your state "misses" out on the taxes. Here in VA there are state sales taxes and local county "Personal Property" taxes each year. I won't get into the BS side of all this, but that's what it's really about. The cop hassling you is being nothing more than a revenue man. Nothing to do with "Protect and Serve". He's right in most states though.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...dc21cd1733.png[/QUOTE]
Missouri laws are very similar to NY on watercraft registration. You can have an out of state boat/Documented on the waters of MO for 60-90 days, cant remember the exact, then you have to purchase a state sticker. I used to be a Kansas resident before full time at LOTO. Had a documented boat out of Kansas, but also had to but a MO state sticker because boat was kept at LOTO. Call your DMV, they might help.

Blue state trying to F uck you as usual.

I guess I don't understand why a cop would pull one over unless there wasn't a tag on the trailer? To even KNOW it was registered in another state? And does Maine not require tags on trailers?

I did a search under Maine Trailer Registration in NY and multiple discussions on troopers where told st some point to crack down on this.

Lots of peep’s say it’s legal, lots of peeps say it’s not legal in NY to have NY plated vehicle pulling out of stater trailer. Private/commercial etc...,laws made for places like Uhaul and etc.

Lots of conflicting info. :(

In OK no tag required for any trailers. You can register it but Not required.
That is probably why we have one of the highest trailer thefts around.

Unless you can show proof of residence it’s not going to fly, it may take some time but when you get pulled over you’re going to get fined,ask me how I know

Maine will tell you it’s perfectly fine but they’re just after the money as well and what happens once you get pulled over at another state it’s on you

I`ve had a Main plate for the last 5 years I think .. no issues here in any state and I been pulled over for speed.

Well I can not find anything definitive so I will register in NY and pay the fine. J have a clean driver's license so hopefully they will be lenient. Irritates the he'll out of me but attorney would likely cost more.

Padraig

let me throw this out there. How come every other tractor trailer has Maine plates?

So what I get out of this is. If you have multiple homes you can't trailer your boat in NY while driving your NY plated vehicle if your trailer isn't also NY plated or you will get a fine from NY? That seems really weird.

Maine enables you to NOT be a resident, and register a trailer completely online. It's a revenue generator for them. Many corporations take advantage of this.
Also, for a state like Virginia where I live, we have Personal Property Tax on vehicles (trailers), as well as Annual Safety Inspections, even on trailers.

Registering in Maine (or Montana via an LLC) allows residents of said states to avoid, tax, licensing, and inspections.
The laws of said states DO NOT LIKE that for obvious reasons. And LEO are allowed to write tickets for operating a vehicle that is not registered to your primary or alternate address.
It's no different than becoming a new state resident, and not transferring your license and registrations to your home state address.

Doh !

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbi...=47&__tn__=R-R

Why am I not surprised..

Padraig

Maine trailer tag
 

Maryland law states that you have to have a towing vehicle and a trailer with Maryland tags before you can register a second trailer out of state. That makes a lot of sense???

The other Maine loophole is the ME trailer reg places make themselves your trailer’s power of attorney, giving your registration your name but also Maine address.

So, more complicating for the other state to know what the real law is. Lol.

1. Be sure to tell him that you know your rights!
2. At the traffic stop be sure to mention you are a member of a sovereign nation and do not recognize his authority
3. Start video taping, get Ben Crump on speed dial fast!
4. Tell him Trump got things right and because he had blue lights he must be a Biden supporter
5. Mention you feel you were profiled for the traffic stop, if you were black you certainly wouldn't have been pulled over.


Please report back how this goes next time! On the trailer issue, I have no idea. :D

I’ve always had my Maine plates in NY as well, and was unsure on the legal to it. My idea was to sell my trailer to my brother in-law for $1 and have him register it in Maine. Then I would be using a borrowed/rented trailer that was registered by the owner out of state. Not sure if that’s allowed but create another layer of protection for myself.

I know my rights Got-dagnet!

It's 100% legal! Do you think these big shipping companies with hundreds of trailers on the road with Maine plates are stupid? They aren't risking being stopped every other day losing time in the process and being fined!

I wouldn`t lay over and play dead , get an attorney and let him do some work. Don`t give the state any money or make em feel like this is okay.

This is interesting:
http://www.old.dangeroustrailers.org..._Off.html#2804

Esoecially Delaware. They get mad about trailers and car reg’s in Maine, but yet Delaware lets out if state corporations to have shells companies in Delaware to save tremendously on taxes and etc.

Interesting state vs state screwings. Lol.

Well, last week I mailed the ticker to the town court with a plea of guilty and a letter of explanation and a copy of my new NY registration. I also asked for lienecy. Low and behold the fine was zero but he had to hit me with a NY surcharge. Not too bad and cheaper then an attorney. Besides I am too old to waste time in court.

Padraig

Most, if not all states require that after 30 days being a resident you must change you license and registrations to that state. That being said it's 100% up to the discretion of the cop. Most cops don't worry about it. I know for a fact every so often MD will do a "sting" and specifically target trailers with Maine tags. If the trailer registration doesn't match your drivers license they will issue you a ticket. As said before it's a $$$$ thing. It's a BIG money maker for Maine. Tractor trailers are commercial. That's a whole nother ballgame.

100% correct

I was told a long time ago... trailer registered to the State on your driver's license. Never had a problem with boats being registered in RI. But, trailers were always registered in Texas.

I have all my trailers, boats, equipment trailers, everything that meets Maine's minimum weight requirements titled and registered in Maine. Its great do 5 years at a time for each trailer for less than 1 year in NY and the commie state of NY rapes you on these fees and have to renew every year. Been doing this for over 10 years and im out of the Commie state of NY. No issues, just need to know your rights.

I tied this once and ended up in Hospital! MSP don't play that game

Good info