Register Abandoned Trailer

[FlyingDutchman]

Hopefully someone here has been down this road before.. So I bought a house last July (2017) from my brother-in-law. He had been living there for about 3 years. The homeowner before him had left a smallish HD utility trailer tucked in the corner behind a horse barn and moved out of state. The trailer has been sitting for probably close to 4 years now. Being that I don't have a pickup, it would be nice to use when picking up bulky items.

How can I register and legally own/use this trailer? Although it wasn't specifically stated in my closing documents, I kind of assume it's mine now?

It's not a homemade job, it has a plate riveted on with manufacture info. It also has a license plate on it, too. However, it will need some work to be road worthy (tires, jack, lights, etc).

Any advice/input is greatly appreciated, thanks!

[WildBillyT]

You probably need to talk with the DMV since it's plated.

Does the manufacturing info have a serial number or other unique identifier?

[FlyingDutchman]

Yes there are serial and model numbers, made by Tarrant Manufacturing, although the date of manufacture is blank. The plate has a sticker from March 2011.

Just trying to get a heads up so I give the right info when I inquire and avoid any headaches if possible (like a letter signed stating it has been abandoned by the owner)

[LS1ow]

Eliminate all signs of serial numbers and register as home made?

[V]

Eliminate all signs of serial numbers and register as home made?

That's about your only option without getting in contact with the previous owner.
You could buy a cheap junky trailer from harbor freight and use that registration on this one. But that's not exactly legal either, but just saying...'

Here's the legal stuff...
Must post/sell at auction etc, 16 pages of forms...
http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/vehicletopics/abandoned.htm

apparently harbor freight stopped selling trailers, lol.
http://www.rubbernews.com/article/20171024/NEWS/171029982/harbor-freight-tools-recalls-173000-trailer-tires

[WildBillyT]

Eliminate all signs of serial numbers and register as home made?

LOL that was actually going to be my first post, but I was thinking he might want to be legal about it.

[FlyingDutchman]

Eliminate all signs of serial numbers and register as home made?

Worst case I will have to. Maybe buy some parts and say the bed/axle came from a farm ?

That's about your only option without getting in contact with the previous owner.
You could buy a cheap junky trailer from harbor freight and use that registration on this one. But that's not exactly legal either, but just saying...'

Here's the legal stuff...
Must post/sell at auction etc, 16 pages of forms...
http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/vehicletopics/abandoned.htm

apparently harbor freight stopped selling trailers, lol.
http://www.rubbernews.com/article/20171024/NEWS/171029982/harbor-freight-tools-recalls-173000-trailer-tires

Yeah, came across that idea several times, seems like a terrible idea lol but the 'legal' process is lengthy, especially for something seemingly so simple (to me at least). I stopped by a local DMV just to inquire and was basically told I need a notarized bill of sale. When pressed further with the circumstances, I was given a phone number and told to call Trenton and let them deal with it. Not exactly very helpful (as expected, of course).

[The_Bishop]

You're overthinking this. They don't scrutinize trailers like cars.

Remove all factory tags, do repairs, register as home built. Nice and easy, no headaches.

[V]

Homemade you need plans, materials list, and receipts for materials. Possibly build photos too. Thats what I was told when trying to register my last trailer when I tried going that route. Lucky for me I was still in touch with the seller and able to get a notorized bill of sale in the actual registered owners name(not the seller).

[The_Bishop]

That's really odd, as I registered a trailer as homebuilt without all that stuff some years ago.

[LTb1ow]

That's really odd, as I registered a trailer as homebuilt without all that stuff some years ago.

Key word.

My family's boat has a unregistered trailer cause the DMV won't allow home built tags anymore.

[qwikz28]

I have the same issue. Two trailers on the property that my parents bought. No serial numbers or markings. Was going to register as homemade and then sell, but too lazy.