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towing a new to me trailer from govplanet pickup location

jpfever

Member
65
-1
8
Location
Hagerstown, MD
Won a trailer on Govplanet, going through the Trade Securities approval process. The question I have, once approved, can I tow the trailer home from the pickup location without a tag or get a temp tag? Is there a way to get a temp tag for the trailer prior to removal (withtout the SF-97 in hand)? I'm also not sure if the site will let me tow the trailer off the site without a tag. The other issue, having to travel through multiple states without a tag on the trailer. Purchase date 1.5 months ago, getting the release hopefully in the next 2 weeks.

I have travelled without a tag in the past, but had a bill of sale with that specific day of the sale listed. Get pulled over, show them that I just purchased the trailer. My understanding, LEO will let you off most of the time.

If any of you have purchased a trailer from Govplanet and towed it home, what have you done in this situation.
 

NDT

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Camp Wood/LC, TX
Most states have some kind of 72 hour permit paper tag that you can purchase inexpensively from the DMV with only a VIN number.
 

glcaines

Well-known member
3,917
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Location
Hiawassee, Georgia
In Georgia you can simply give DMV a VIN number and they will provide a temporary tag free. However, the last time I picked up a trailer and had the temporary tag, I couldn't get any kind of tape to stick to the fresh CARC on the trailer and ended up carrying the temporary paper tag in the truck cab. You should check with Maryland DMV. You should also confirm with your insurance company that the trailer is covered in the event of an accident. I know Maryland has some especially strict motor vehicle rules compared to other states. My daughter lives in Baltimore now, but recently moved back from the United Kingdom where she was working for a few years. She wanted to import a 60 something right hand drive Jaguar from England but found out that Maryland would refuse to register it and additionally that it is illegal to drive a right hand drive vehicle in MD on public roads. I wonder how the post office gets by with their right hand drive vehicles?
 

snowtrac nome

Well-known member
1,674
139
63
Location
western alaska
Won a trailer on Govplanet, going through the Trade Securities approval process. The question I have, once approved, can I tow the trailer home from the pickup location without a tag or get a temp tag? Is there a way to get a temp tag for the trailer prior to removal (withtout the SF-97 in hand)? I'm also not sure if the site will let me tow the trailer off the site without a tag. The other issue, having to travel through multiple states without a tag on the trailer. Purchase date 1.5 months ago, getting the release hopefully in the next 2 weeks.

I have travelled without a tag in the past, but had a bill of sale with that specific day of the sale listed. Get pulled over, show them that I just purchased the trailer. My understanding, LEO will let you off most of the time.

If any of you have purchased a trailer from Govplanet and towed it home, what have you done in this situation.
they let me drive an lmtv off site without a tag when I asked about getting pinched by law enforcement, I was told how many of those did you pass law enforcement just thinks its a government vehicle . that said I did drive straight to dmv for a temp permit
 

DeadParrot

Active member
213
47
28
Location
oklahoma city, ok
Is a utility type trailer like a M1101 or a semi type trailer? In OK, utility trailers don't require either tag or registration but I know that isn't the case in most states. In both of my purchases from OK GL sites, I just showed my purchase documents, hooked up and towed off.

I would think that all states would have a way for a person to tow a newly purchased trailer home from 'Honest Kilroy's Trailer Emporium' without having the final tag on it. As others have said, check with your local DMV or local LEO office. I would make sure you have your printed invoice/auction paperwork(print to pdf is your friend) for your auction win. And the matching paperwork for your Trade Securities check to document why it is several days/weeks after your purchase before you are doing your initial tow home.
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
Supporting Vendor
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Location
Mason, TN
Its a M1082, lmtv trailer. I was planning on picking it up in mt LMTV and bringing it back to Maryland.
As long as your truck is insured. I wouldn't even worry with tag on the trailer. Some states, like TN, we dont even have to register trailers.
 

fasttruck

Well-known member
1,265
636
113
Location
Mesa, AZ
Is this trailer coming from Letterkenny Depot in Chambersburg, PA ? What kind of trailer is it ? If it is RATED for over 3000 pounds some form of working brake will be required: surge, air over hydraulic, electric or straight air or what have you. As has been reported on this site recently, the Chambersburg area has been designated a hostile fire zone and impact area by the DOT. "DOT" means death on truckers. If you search around in the memory bank you will find the tale of woe of a pilgrim who tried to haul 3 M332 casions out of Letterkenny with a pickup truck and discovered what the phrase "bear bait" means. Your feces will become flakey if your activities are discovered by a hungry truck inspector who has recently been counseled by his sergeant about his abysmal lack of summons or impound statistics.
 

Scrounger

Active member
496
67
28
Location
Southern, Maryland
The site doesn’t care if you have tags, insurance, working lights or even rubber on the wheels. All they care about is you signing for it.

Trailer liability insurance for Maryland is covered by the tow vehicle.

The important thing is what the tow vehicle is. Tow a M1082 behind a military vehicle and you won’t get a first look, let alone a second. Towing one behind a pickup will draw attention.

You can get a temp tag or if you have a friend at an automotive shop barrow their transport tag. Most decent shops will have one.
 

FloridaAKM

Well-known member
2,699
392
83
Location
Gainesville, Florida
I agree with Scrounger's post. After towing 3 M-1102's from Ft Stewart & the Atlanta DRMO facility, pulling a non tagged trailer home for the initial recovery was a breeze. The M-1082 was trucked to a members property by Wes & 30 miles home with a Deuce with no issues. All of this is here in the Southeastern US. If you go further North, things change a bit for the cops opinion of what is legal & what is not.
All the trailers you see in my sig line were towed home by me using the Deuce or the Toyota 4wd Tacoma. Of course the M-1082 was not towed by the Toyota as it out weighs the Toyota by several thousand pounds.
 

98G

Former SSG
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
AZ/KS/MO/OK/NM/NE, varies by the day...
Varies. Most of the time you won't get a second glance.

But occasionally you'll get stopped and ticketed. Yesterday I paid a $158 ticket generated by towing an unplated M989A1 trailer with a plated M925. In rural southeast KS.

It was a calculated risk. I got caught. I paid the fine. No big deal.

20191010_090749.jpg
 

FloridaAKM

Well-known member
2,699
392
83
Location
Gainesville, Florida
I won't continue to tow a trailer after it has gotten home from the original recovery, unless it has plates on it. The trips to the meetings & rallys are sans a trailer since they are not plated. A friend told me that if the truck is plated, it covers the trailer also (which I know not to be true). 98G 's post proves that in his AO & it more than likely is the same everywhere else too. All trucks & trailers operated by me are tagged, titled & insured or they don't leave the property under my control. I do not like giving my hard earned money to the taxman with blue lights.
 

juanprado

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Metairie/La (N'awlins)
since you have time, register in Maine with a bill of sale (your invoice) online with a credit card. Super easy, all online, with a credit card. Hardest thing is to pdf or upload your invoice. Shiny new perfectly legal plate in a week or pay expedited shipping.

http://www.mainetrailerregistration.com

Good folks, great service. All my trailers and ones I have bought/resold flipped had Maine Plates
 

Scrounger

Active member
496
67
28
Location
Southern, Maryland
This is in reference to a pickup situation.

I have always considered it strange how the “law” works. I can go and tow bar/ tow an untagged M816, M817, M923, M1009, M1028, etc. and be legal. Tow an untagged trailer and it is not legal.

Now in my case I carry some heavy insurance. One of my insurance carriers automatically covers any prime mover, i.e., cargo truck, tractor, with liability for 72 hours starting when I pick the vehicle up. For vehicles that will end up tagged I call them up and add them to a binder after recovery. As already mentioned, trailer liability is covered by the tow vehicle.
 

Scrounger

Active member
496
67
28
Location
Southern, Maryland
since you have time, register in Maine with a bill of sale (your invoice) online with a credit card. Super easy, all online, with a credit card. Hardest thing is to pdf or upload your invoice. Shiny new perfectly legal plate in a week or pay expedited shipping.

http://www.mainetrailerregistration.com

Good folks, great service. All my trailers and ones I have bought/resold flipped had Maine Plates

I agree with tagging trailers in Maine. All of mine have Maine tags. As an example. When I first tagged a trailer in Maryland, it was $20 a year. The last time was $180 a year. Ten-year tags in Maine are $177.
I use a different company in Maine. There are several handling tags.
 

juanprado

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,638
2,957
113
Location
Metairie/La (N'awlins)
I agree with tagging trailers in Maine. All of mine have Maine tags. As an example. When I first tagged a trailer in Maryland, it was $20 a year. The last time was $180 a year. Ten-year tags in Maine are $177.
I use a different company in Maine. There are several handling tags.
I found the other one is higher and like to do longer terms. I also found it sneaky the urls are the same except for one "s" When I flipped my trailers, I wanted cheapest route.
 

jpfever

Member
65
-1
8
Location
Hagerstown, MD
The site doesn’t care if you have tags, insurance, working lights or even rubber on the wheels. All they care about is you signing for it.

Trailer liability insurance for Maryland is covered by the tow vehicle.

The important thing is what the tow vehicle is. Tow a M1082 behind a military vehicle and you won’t get a first look, let alone a second. Towing one behind a pickup will draw attention.

You can get a temp tag or if you have a friend at an automotive shop barrow their transport tag. Most decent shops will have one.
I'll be towing with a former military vehicle.
 

jpfever

Member
65
-1
8
Location
Hagerstown, MD
My generator trailer is registered in Maine, I'll go the same route with the new trailer. I'd almost rather play it safe then sorry. Hate giving my hard earned income to the tax man with the flashing lights as well.
 

j10jim

New member
28
6
3
Location
Simi Valley, So Cal
When I towed my M101A3 home, I had the paperwork showing I won the auction and I had the stamp from the base. I got stopped (had lights and everything hooked up), I was going a bit faster than I should. Anyway, he looked at paperwork, handed it back and said have a good day. That was in California.
 
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