Register your trailer in Maine

NYSpeed Automotive
1

Interesting way to save some money, but more importantly keep it out of NYS’s hands.

http://www.improvedtouring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22873

I have heard that a resident of a state other than Maine can legally register a trailer in that state at a very large savings. Looking at the Maine.gov website, it appears to be 1/3 the cost of registering my race trailer here in NY.

Does anyone have any info on this process?
Has anyone else do this?

Team Jagermeister has just purchased a 2-car trailer and we are looking for ways to legally save some scratch on registering it.

Thanks in advance.

  • Dave

OK all,

Here’s the dillio.

To Jake G’s point, the agency that he used is:

STAAB AGENCY
Shirley St. Pierre / Statutory Agent
P.O. Box 942 / 259 Goose Hill Road
Jefferson, ME 04348
800-648-8805 Tel.
207-549-7541 Tel.
207-549-7638 Fax
207-549-5138 Fax.
staab@staabagency.com

In case the attached documents do not come through properly, here’s an outline of the attached documents that were faxed to me today:

Staab Cover - The Staab agency is a Statutory Agent that represents out-of-state individuals and companies at the Maine DMV in order to obtain a Maine license plate for your trailer. Maine is a 15 year title state. If your trailer is older than 15yrs, all you need to show is a Bill of Sale or a prior registration. If it is newer than 15 years and more than 3000lbs dry weight, you must provide them with a copy of the existing title already in your name, or an original title to be titled in Maine. Under 3000lbs is exempt. You must provide them with

  1. Phone Number, Date of Birth if an individual customer, or Federal ID if a company.
  2. Correct amount of money (Check or Visa/MC accepted)
  3. The Power of Attorney for filled out, signed, AND NOTARIZED (paid by customer)
  • Maine trailer plates expire on the last day of February for the year in which you register. The company will notify you prior to the expiration.

Staab POA - The Power of Attorney document. This allows Staab to act on your behalf in the State of Maine to license the trailer. The fees collected also apply to the titling of the vehicle in Maine. this document DOES NOT give them the ability to sell, lease, trade, utilize, or dispose of vehicles. POA fee = $20.00

Staab New Registration Form - Your registration will have your name at the top, with the Staab Agency’s Maine address.

Staab Charges - Fee schedule for going through their agency.

Staab Annual Program - Fee schedule for registering annually.

Staab Long Term Program - Fee shedule for multi-year registration of your trailer.
Example:
5yr (1-9 trailers) $87/each
8yr (1-9 trailers) $138/each
12yr (1-9 trailers) $206/each

Same Day with Overnight service: 1-4 plates $20.00 per plate. 5+ plates $10 per plate.

Lastly, I asked the very pleasent lady if I EVER need to bring my trailer to Maine to be inspected. She replied that MAINE DOES NOT REQUIRE TRAILER INSPECTIONS.

I hope this info helps everyone. It seem like a no brainer for those of us here in NY paying big bucks YEARLY for our race trailers.

Regards,

Dave A.

It seems that all of the documents that I described above (and scanned), are too big to put up in my post.

If someone wants to host them on their website, I can send them to you. Each one is about 700-800K in size.

Dave A.

Fed Ex just dropped off the trailer plate.

Plate Stamped:
Maine Exp 2/28/13

Received 2 copies of the trailer Registration (My Name, their mailing address),
Application for Certificate of Title in Maine (to receive later)
C.Card Receipt for $162.75.

No specific line charge of Maine Sales Tax.

In my other hand is the NY Registration Renewal for my 16ft enclosed trailer : $60.25/yr.

I don’t think so !!

2

staab FTW!

3

my carnival boss i work for during hte summer has all 10 of his registered there, never bothered asking him why as long as he kept feedin me the cash

4

My animal trailer is registered in Maine and this year I am registering the car hauler there too. A lot of my friends have their animal trailers registered in Maine also. Less than half the cost of NYS and no inspection either.

5

This is good to know, thanks for sharing :tup:

6

Awesome, thanks! When I get a new trailer next winter I’ll be doing this.

7

I always see trailers in NY that are registered in maine…now I know why.

8

Is it really expensive to register a trailer in NY?

9

I have a trailer that has Maine plates on it. I have been pulled over b4 with it and it brings up a lot of questions…

10

Mine is $87/yr in NY and $47/2 yrs in Maine and no inspection.

One of things that gets me the most is how much I pay for how little I use it. I take the car hauler out maybe a dozen times a year. That ends up costing me roughly $7 each time I use it if registerd in NY. That’s insane!

11

I know a guy that moved his business from CO to NY and every truck and trailer he owns is still registered in CO because NY is so FUCKING GREEDY.

12

I just talked to my friend who registered my trailer last time. I told her about Staab, and she said you don’t need them.

She said all she did was get the title in her name in NY. She paid a $10 title transfer fee for that. She then photocopied the the title to be sure, and sent the title, DMV forms and payment to Maine and they sent her the title back and the plates, done deal.

It might be that if you want to title it in Maine that you need to go through them. You can keep it titled in NY but registered in Miane though.

13

my dad did this when he bought his trailer, Not only does it bring up a bunch of questions when/if you get pulled over. BUT his insurance would not cover it, or what was in it in case of an accident.

So just beware if you have an expensive trailer with even more expensive cargo find out if your insurance company will cover you.

It sucks that NYS is so fucking greedy!

14

The insurance has to cover it. Just make sure you carry the registration with you. Worst case you have to go to traffic court with some letters from Maine and NY DMV’s. Has not happened to me but has happened to others.

No inspection permanent plates are the best way to go. That is why most trucking companies use Maine, Iowa, or Oklahoma for trailers. Look at plates next time you are on the highway.

Also, if you buy a trailer out of state, and then register it in Maine, you don’t pay sales tax on it IIRC.

15

My friend bought her new trailer here, and from a dealer so it had to get NY plates on it. But as of Dec 31st they expired so now she’s doing it in Maine. I am doing both of mine there too. The trailer I got from her I drove all year with no problems, and she’s been driving it for a long time too.

I asked my insurance(Allstate) and they said the trailer is covered by my truck policy too.

16

I’ll have to check when the boat trailer expires.

As for inspection, I have never had my trailer inspected and never once been asked about it. Towing at least 2k a year, some highway and a lot of Amherst/Tonawanda.

I thought they only had to be inspected if they were homebuilt, but I can’t find anything official on the NYDMV site.

17

In NY it has to be insepcted but they don’t really say anything about it. I suppose if you ever got stopped they might have something to say though. You keep the sticker with your reg to show if asked for it. They punch out the top portion so you can’t use it for a motor vehicle though.

18

Until you can post an official link saying that, I’ll have to disagree based on the simple fact that I have been towing trailers for the last 15 years and have never inspected one of them or been pulled over for it. Same with all the members of my family who have been towing much longer than me. I searched the DMV site for a while and couldn’t find any mention of trailer inspections except for home built trailers.

The DMV sends the renewal and there is a spot for inspection number but I’ve always just left it blank. They always send me the new registration sticker.

This is the only section of the NY DMV site that I can find that talks about trailer inspections:
http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/trailer.htm

19

I think Jay is right. With my home made trailer it initially needed an inspection, but after that they said it was fine. All my car trailers have never been inspected as they where built from a registered factory.

20

Technically you need an inspection. It has to have a hole punched in it so it won’t go on a car. It also has to be stapled to the trailer registration. You may get away with a boat trailer but if you have a trailer with a business name on it they will own you at a DOT stop.