Texas trailer regulations???

[RickS]

I have purchased 33 acres of mesquite and dry dirt near Wichita Falls, TX, and plan to cultivate it for hay and such. Nothing commercial. Just for myself. I am looking at different tractors and trailers to haul a tractor on. Here is my question...

Having been inspired by several posts here about not overloading a trailer, I'm considering skipping the tandem 3500 lb car hauler trailer and going up to a tandem 5200 lb axle trailer. I have even considered a tandem 7000 lb axle trailer. I have an F150 and will likely purchase a JD 3038e which will not even approach the limits of a light duty trailer. But I've started looking at heavier trailers just to have the extra limits.

What sort of regulations would be involved in owning a heavier trailer? Would I have to have a higher class of drivers license?

Thanks to any and all.

 

[Bird]

No higher class of drivers license until you get over 26,000 pounds (gross combined weight), but your trailer registration (license plate) will cost more for heavier trailers unless you can register it as a farm trailer.

 

[JIGBUILDER]

I had a 16' car hauler with two 3500 lb axles/8 ply rated tires carrying my 50 hp blue tractor/FEL/6' mower. I knew the trailers tires was ok but was over its axle ratings so I bought a 18'/dove tail 10k GVWR car hauler with two 5200 lb axles and 16" 3500 lb capacity tires. Ran the combo down to my area feed mill scales and it grossed 9420 lbs on the trailers axles and 980 lbs on the wifes 1500 crew cab chevy Z71 truck rear axle.

I don't know how heavy your JD is but two 3500 lb axles isn't much considering the trailer may weigh 1750-2000 lbs depending. That leaves around 5000-5200 lbs for your tractor and equipment.

 

[RickS]

Thanks, guys. A local dealer has a 20' carhauler (18'+2' dovetail) with tandem 5200# axles that is rated for 9998 lbs. Is it rated thus to avoid a higher registration fee?

 

[Bird]

Thanks, guys. A local dealer has a 20' carhauler (18'+2' dovetail) with tandem 5200# axles that is rated for 9998 lbs. Is it rated thus to avoid a higher registration fee?

Probably, but you need to ask your local county tax collector because there are some variations in different counties.

 

[tractorboy5500]

I have a GN and have it rated for 25,900lbs, as of now I have farm plates on it and it cost me $6.38 a year, now if I had regular plates it would cost me $225 a year, I have been looking to get regular plates since I am starting to use my trailer for other than farm use, dont know what the fine would be, just trying to do the right thing. And this was just a few days ago on the price differents.

 

[PoorMansCat]

Thanks, guys. A local dealer has a 20' carhauler (18'+2' dovetail) with tandem 5200# axles that is rated for 9998 lbs. Is it rated thus to avoid a higher registration fee?

Make sure it has atleast 1 braking axle and definitely register it as a farm use trailer.

 

[StanR]

Not many know about this but if it will haul over a certain weight you have to get it inspected. I am pretty sure if it has a farm tag it is exempt.

 

[PoorMansCat]

Not many know about this but if it will haul over a certain weight you have to get it inspected. I am pretty sure if it has a farm tag it is exempt.

years ago, the law book in Texas read something along the lines of " single axle trailers did NOT require annual inspection." BUT, it never stated that multiple axle trailers DID require it..... I'm sure they have since corrected it... I used to keep a copy of it in my glovebox due to an overzealous DPS officer that kept trying to interpet the law as he saw fit....

 

[downslope]

Thanks, guys. A local dealer has a 20' carhauler (18'+2' dovetail) with tandem 5200# axles that is rated for 9998 lbs. Is it rated thus to avoid a higher registration fee?

It is probably rated thus because you can pull it with a heavier truck where the combined weights are over 26,000 pounds and still not be required to have a CDL.
Of course it may also save on registration fees, depending on your location.

 

[dynasim]

I found something interesting that isn't typically brought up here. If one gets a 4WD, particularly a 3/4 ton, pickup, it'll weigh 8k#. The typical tag is 13K#. That only leaves 5 K# of trailer+load available.

If you want to get a bigger tag, there is a ream of paperwork to fill out, and it costs a significant amount of money if it is non-farm.

I was shocked when I weighed my pickup. It is my belief that most people ought to get one of the high towing capacity 1/2 ton pickups, unless they are all in, and are willing to go down the paperwork trough.

My heaviest normal load is right at 13K GVW. It irritates me that the 4WD cost me so much, usefulness wise, and I would have held out for a 2WD if I had know the consquences. I bought to he heavy duty pickup and trailer to expand my capability, and it hasn't moved one bit.

Chris

 

[jinman]

Not many know about this but if it will haul over a certain weight you have to get it inspected. I am pretty sure if it has a farm tag it is exempt.

House trailers (RVs) and some horse trailers with living accommodations require inspection, but farm trailers and most small utility trailers do not require inspections. The standard registration fee for trailers 10,000 to 17,000 lb is $0.66 per 100 lb of rated axle weight plus a flat $25 fee. A trailer with two 5,000 lb axles would be $66 + $25 = $91 plus any local fees. If you want to be legal for every use and not worry about it, even a 14000 lb trailer will be around $118 - very reasonable when you compare that to a fine of $25 up to $200 for improper use of a farm trailer.

Rick, since you plan to tow with an F-150, make sure the tongue weight and towing weight for that vehicle are not exceeded when hauling your tractor.

If you decide to register as a farm trailer, you won't need a title. You have to keep the original bill-of-sale and farm trailer declaration to show if ownership is ever challenged by law enforcement. You pass those documents on to the next buyer if you ever sell the trailer so that person can obtain registration.

I would say you really raise your chances of being stopped if you buy the car hauler and then put farm tags on it. I'm not sure hauling vehicles of any kind (even tractors) is covered in the farm trailer exemption. When you read the law, you'd think that you could only use that trailer to haul produce to market and seed and fertilizer to grow crops. Hauling tractors is not listed as one of the things allowed. People are not supposed to haul animals to shows and events in farm trailers, but that rule is ignored regularly. The law allows only hauling to and from market and can be interpreted very stringently in some areas.

Good luck with your purchase. You've had some great advice and you just want to make sure you know all the rules and facts to help with your final decision.:thumbsup:

 

[RickS]

Jinman is right, lots of great advise. Thanks for all who have chimed in.

I'm going to seriously consider the 9998# rated trailer. It does have brakes on the rear axle only (would like it to be both but it is what it is). On the sticker on the tongue it says that payload should not exceed 8,001 lbs. I assume that to mean that the trailer weighs about 2000 lbs (9998-8001 = approx. 2000). My F150 has the trailer towing package and I have a Prodigy brake controller. I think my towing limit is 7,700 lbs. I'll have to check up on that.

Good stuff, guys. Thanks!

 

[StanR]

I think this is current.

05.06 Inspect All Trailers, Semitrailers, Pole Trailers, or Mobile Homes Exceeding 4,500 Pounds Actual Gross Weight or Registered Weight For: (Listed in suggested order of inspection) Refer to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, if required.

* Check for evidence of Financial Responsibility on towing vehicle

1. Brakes (system) (If gross weight exceeds 4,500 pounds)
2. Tires
3. Wheel Assembly
4. Safety Guards or Flaps (if four tires or more on rearmost axle) Pole trailers exempt.
5. Tail Lamps (2)
6. Stop Lamps (2)
7. License Plate Lamp (1)
8. Rear Red Reflectors (2)
9. Turn Signal Lamps
10. Clearance Lamps
11. Side Marker Lamps
12. Side Reflectors
13. Side Marker Lamps and Reflectors (30 feet or more in overall length)
(Refer to Reference Section as per lighting diagrams and as applicable to the particular trailer being inspected.)
14. Serial or Vehicle Identification Number


And I found this

§ 548.052. VEHICLES NOT SUBJECT TO INSPECTION. This
chapter does not apply to:
(1) a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile
home moving under or bearing a current factory-delivery license
plate or current in-transit license plate;
(2) a vehicle moving under or bearing a paper dealer
in-transit tag, machinery license, disaster license, parade
license, prorate tab, one-trip permit, antique license, temporary
24-hour permit, or permit license;
(3) a trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer, or mobile
home having an actual gross weight or registered gross weight of
4,500 pounds or less;
(4) farm machinery, road-building equipment, a farm
trailer, or a vehicle required to display a slow-moving-vehicle
emblem under Section 547.703;
(5) a former military vehicle, as defined by Section
502.275;
(6) a vehicle qualified for a tax exemption under
Section 152.092, Tax Code; or
(7) a vehicle for which a certificate of title has been
issued but that is not required to be registered.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended
by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, § 30.121(a), eff. Sept. 1,
1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 963, § 1, eff. June 18, 1999;
Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1423, § 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts
2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, § 19.006, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

 

[jinman]

Good specific details Stan. I found that same material, but you took the time to post it and remove speculation.:thumbsup:

 

[ModMech]

We were told by TWO Ag dealers that you *can* transport a tractor "to or from the 'farm'" on any trailer you wish and it is within the legal use of a "farm trailer" to do so.

We confirmed this with the county when we obtained the registration and plates for our farm trailer.

They did suggest that using a "farm trailer" to haul your cart to the golf course could cause you to mis your t-time and some financial difficulties

 

[jinman]

We were told by TWO Ag dealers that you *can* transport a tractor "to or from the 'farm'" on any trailer you wish and it is within the legal use of a "farm trailer" to do so.

Yep, I never meant to question the legality of hauling a tractor, but rather just to point out that hauling "farm equipment" is not clearly spelled out in the documents. The application for farm trailer tags has a section where you check the primary use of the trailer as shown in the attachment. You really have to interpret the language they use to mean hauling farm equipment. I'm sure other documents are clearer, but this document leaves a lot to be desired. I don't know why our laws have to be full of legal jargon and complex interpretations, but that's the way it is and probably keeps lots of lawyers in good paying jobs.

 

[TRR]

The trailers have a change in driver license requirements at the 10,000# point. Anyone can pull a trailer under 10K. It takes a class B to tow a trailer over 10K. However, there are 2 significant modifiers. 1) If the trailer is hauling perishable farm commodities the farmer is allowed to go over that and cannot be detained at a weigh station even if over the limit. (Be sure you carry a copy of the law with you if you do this.) 2) You do NOT need a CDL to get a class B license - there is a "Class B - exempt" meaning it allows operating Class B equipment without a CDL. This is generally limited to farmers and ranchers who run heavy trucks and trailers. I can't find the actual law at the moment, but here's a extract from the Texas DPS website:

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/InternetForms/Forms/CVE-13.pdf

Classes of Texas Driver License: Non-Commercial Driver License (Non-CDL)
Class A Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the GVWR of
the vehicle, or vehicles being towed, exceeds 10,000 pounds.
Class B Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more towing a vehicle with a GVWR of
10,000 pounds or less.
Exception in Texas only: (TRC (Transportation Code) 521.082)
(a) towing a vehicle, other than a farm trailer, with a gross weight rating that is not more than
10,000 pounds; or
(b) a farm trailer with a gross vehicle weight rating that is not more than 20,000 pounds.
Class C Any single vehicle or combination of vehicles that does not conform to the description under
Class A or B of this section.Revised 5/20/2010
6
CDL Exceptions
(a) Farm vehicle drivers are exempt from CDL requirements if:
(1) Used to transport their own agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies to or from
their farm;
(2) Used within 150 miles of the person痴 farm.
(b) FMCSR interpretation - Farm supplies are placardable amounts of hazardous materials, including
fuels such as diesel or gasoline, and all types of fertilizers such as anhydrous ammonia, etc.

 

[Duffster]

The trailers have a change in driver license requirements at the 10,000# point. Anyone can pull a trailer under 10K. It takes a class B to tow a trailer over 10K.

That isn't how it goes. Ture, anybody can pull a trailer 10k and under but anybody can also pull a trialer over 10k if the CGVWR is under 26k. If the trailer is over 10k and the CGVWR is over 26k it requires a class A. You can't tow a trailer over 10k with a class B unless the CGVWR is under 26k.

:thumbsup:

 

[TRR]

I am aware that different people interpret what is written differently. That is why I posted the extract from the DPS web site. Everyone can draw their own conclusion and make their own decision. I have no further comment on this.