Is It Illegal To Register Your Maryland Trailer In Maine

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Maine's trailer registration process is fairly simple. However, it's helpful to know a few things before you get started. To register a trailer, you'll generally need to have your bill of sale, title and any taxes and fees associated with the trailer. You can register a trailer at your local Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch or your town's municipal offices.

Registering a Trailer

In Maine, you must register a trailer to legally haul it on the road. Trailers include flatbed car trailers, boat trailers, horse trailers, camping trailers, semi-trailers and ATV and snowmobile trailers. You can register your trailer for either one or two years.

To register your trailer, you need your bill of sale and a blue title application. If you purchased your trailer privately, you also need to pay a sales tax which totals 5.5 percent of the purchase price. Note that you need the title only if the trailer is over 3,000 pounds and has a model year of 1995 or later. Trailers from 1994 or earlier are title-exempt.

You also need to pay the registration fee for your trailer. For trailers under 2,000 pounds, the registration fee is $10.50 per year, and for trailers over 2,000 pounds, the fee is $20 per year.

To register your trailer for the first time, visit your local BMV branch or your town's municipal offices. Registration renewals, on the other hand, can usually be processed online.

Camping Trailers Have Additional Taxes

Unlike boat/utility trailers or semi-trailers, camping trailers are subject to excise taxes, otherwise known as additional municipal taxes. According to Maine's tax code, a camping trailer is defined as "a trailer or semitrailer less than 32 feet long or a popup camper, primarily designed and constructed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational use, camping, or travel." Contact your local municipality for more information on your excise tax.

Read More: Laws About Riding in Fifth Wheel Trailers

Do You Have to Insure Your Trailer?

You are not required by Maine state law to buy insurance coverage for trailers. That said, it's not a bad idea to have some coverage. Trailer accidents do happen, and you'll want to make sure you're covered just in case. Check to see if your current auto insurance policy includes trailers. If not, you can likely add additional coverage to protect yourself.

What if Your Trailer Doesn't Have a Title?

If your trailer's model year is from 1994 or any year prior, you don't need to have a title in order to register it. These older trailers are title-exempt. If your trailer's model year is 1995 or after, you will need a valid title to register it in Maine.

If your trailer is from 1995 or later and doesn't have a valid title, visit your local BMV branch for assistance. Alternatively, you could enlist the help of one of the many private companies that register trailers in Maine.

Tips

To register a trailer in Maine, you need your bill of sale, title and any taxes and fees associated with the trailer. For first-time registrations, visit your local Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch or your town's municipal offices. Registration renewals can usually be processed online.