Trailer registration in Maine

Sterff · Feb 28, 2012

Do you get a new plate then since it's registered to Maine?

aczlan · Feb 28, 2012

Sterff said:
Do you get a new plate then since it's registered to Maine?

Yes, it is a Maine plate that is labeled as "Apportioned" The one my parents have has a expiration date stamped into it (Feb of some year).

Aaron Z

Tomtint · Mar 7, 2012

My 5 year plate showed up yesterday. Whoo Hoo! just that one plate change is a savings of more than 1700.00 over the 5 years. I will be doing 2 more in November!

nybirdman · Mar 7, 2012

I live in NY state..see Maine trailer tags all the time.

Ductape · Mar 7, 2012

I know someone will correct me if i'm wrong, but I researched this as well. The cost to register trailers here in NH is getting out of control also (along with everything else).

For those who claim its illegal if you live in a state other than Maine:

My understanding is that when you file the paperwork with the broker, essentially you become a 'partner' with them in maine. Since you now have stake in a business in Maine where your trailer is registered.... all is legal.

No?

F250DSLPWR · Mar 7, 2012

I would go the cheapest route possible. Start looking at all the bills you get and look at all the fees, charges, recovery fees extra taxes that have nothing to do with the service or product that are being added to everyting... The working man is just being nickled and dimed... I recently found out that if you get a new loan for a home there is now a 1/10 of 1% fee added to be given to Congress supposedly to pay for the pay role tax cut. However the funds put into Congress general fund... I will get off the soap box now... I just think it is aburb to have to pay such large fees for a trailer license plate...

aczlan · Mar 7, 2012

F250DSLPWR said:
I just think it is aburb to have to pay such large fees for a trailer license plate...

I agree. It costs about $60 to register my wife's Caravan for 2 years here in NY. It gets driven for 8-12k miles each year weighing at least 3500# at all times.
A one year registration for a 3000# trailer that gets used once a month (if that) is about $40.

Aaron Z

mjncad · Mar 7, 2012

I saw a dry van semi trailer with Maine tags yesterday, and I'm in Colorado.

Some trucking companies open a minimal office in Wyoming to quit paying Colorado's exorbitant license plate fees by registering their vehicles there.

As far as I know, we're the only state that penalizes people for buying new vehicles with ridiculous license plate fees. A $50k vehicle will easily cost about a $1,000 or more per year to register and the slow decrease in license fees can take easily 10-years or more before they bottom out to a flat rate.

Colorado bases it's fees on year of manufacture, manufacturer's cost (~2%), vehicle type, and weight.

We are getting more like Taxachussetts and Mexifornia every year.

Diamondpilot · Mar 7, 2012

aczlan said:
I agree. It costs about $60 to register my wife's Caravan for 2 years here in NY. It gets driven for 8-12k miles each year weighing at least 3500# at all times.
A one year registration for a 3000# trailer that gets used once a month (if that) is about $40.

Aaron Z

It would not be worth the hassle for a $40 trailer to me but for one that is more than a few hundred like my old GN its what I did.

Chris

aczlan · Mar 7, 2012

Diamondpilot said:
It would not be worth the hassle for a $40 trailer to me but for one that is more than a few hundred like my old GN its what I did.

The hassle is getting it inspected $10/year, plus an hour or more to get the inspection done.
So, to register in NY for 5 years it would be $250 ($40/year for registration and $10/year for inspection).
To register in ME for 5 years would be $90 (per Maine Trailer Registration Pricing Information - MaineTrailerRegistrations.com ).
Worth it to me not to have to get the stupid thing inspected every year.

Aaron Z