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Trailer Queens and licensing/registration

JayH

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2006
Messages
329
Location
Maple Valley
What do you guys who trailer your rigs/buggies do about vehicle licensing, registration, and insurance?

My wreck is probably going to be totalled and I'm wondering if I eve want to deal with the hassles of a salvage title, etc. if I have to license and register the thing just to be in the ORV areas anyway.

Laws and practical experience with them greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
 
My trailered rig is fully licensed, registered and insured. But it also is 'streadable' (note I did not say 'street legal', don't want to get in that argument). But thats probably not what your shooting for.



I've started looking into an ORV tab for my racer/trail rig, which probably won't ever see any street time. Just to save some money. But I'm wondering if in the long run it might just be better to leave it plated and insured (to that if I tree falls on it or it gets stolen I'm covered).

I would like to hear more info on ORV tags and the limitations that come with it.
________
ANAL SHOCKER
 
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The main problem with a salvage title is you need to fix the vehicle up to spec in order to get it licensed again for road use before you chop it up. That all depends on the damage though.

Mine is also licensed and streetable. Far from legal, but enough I won't get pulled over unless it's all muddy. Insured for Liability only. If you can keep it licensed with actual plates I say keep doing it. 47 a year is a small price to pay in order to not have to worry about what logging roads your allowed to drive it on to the trail.
 
It's not hard at all to deal with a salvage title. Just tell the insurance company you want to buy it back. Even if you don't want it, someone else probably will. ;)

Just need to fix whatever's broken to make it street legal again, get it inspected, smogged and do the registration.

Our trail rig was a totaled ZJ. Guy bought it back but never had it inspected. I got it inspected, smogged, registered and added it to my insurance. Think it costs about 300/year for insurance for me and it's nice to have a second vehicle in case the DD needs to go into the shop.
 
OK, so what's involved in the inspection?


Also, I'm not hearing anything from anyone who's rig / buggy is NOT registered or insured. Do I take it from that that all off road vehicles, street-legal or not, are registered, plated and insured? No one has a buggy that isn't?
 
Is Not

MY rig has no plates no registration that you would call registration, had no inspection ..is registered with Oregon DMV as a "home built vehicle" cost me $10 bucks for a stupid sticker That specifies "OFF ROAD VEHICLE" and is cleared to go anywhere well ..offroad... Could'nt drive it on the road if i wanted .LOL all the people honkin at me doin like 25 miles an hour LOL
 
Is Not

Sorry Jay to answer your question.. I did nothing ...i brought a picture and the old registration. and they gave me my sticker.. they did not seem to even want to inspect it, and for insurance ...again a picture and ( MY AGENT LIKED THAT) and an estimated value on what i thought it was worth time and recipts and they gave me a add on rate for it..
 
there is a thread that just went through, it was talking about getting his Jeep back to street legal after having an ORV tag. Someone put a bit in there about running a rig through inspection not even close to street legal, IIRC, all you have to do is prove the rig is your, title, receipts, some sort of paperwork.
 
ORV tag...done.

At naches....all the rangers ever looked at was the orv tag and the usfs spark arrester and said "cool" and wandered off to hassle someone else.

The next car,soon to be done,is gonna have liability ins. on it.I like to drive around the 'hood and the few times I've been stopped all the PO ever had issue with was no insurance.Also if I feel the need to run over or smash into someone I'll be covered:awesomework:
 
HA HA !!LOL!!!! so running over someones rig is not an "at fault incident "anymore LOL!!! ..........OK .. i'll throw that in the "WOOOOPS" catagory!! GOD YER FUNNY ! oh yeah and I'll get liability....
 
OK, so a quick google on 'Washington state ORV tag' yields no helpful info on how to get one. Anyone got a link?
 
Robin got one as soon as we pulled the thing off the trailer at the camp site (Naches). we weren't even on a trail yet. And The Sheriff was waiting for porter after his famous tip going down the can-opener. (moon rocks)
 
Oregon Resident

I live in Oregon I do not think that Washington has an orv tag that dismisses these vehicles like this . If they do i have never heard of them or seen them. but that was a few years ago. As far as gettin them if you :D :D are in Oregon then just go to the DMV get a number and tell them what you want when ya get there!
 
OK, so what's involved in the inspection?


Also, I'm not hearing anything from anyone who's rig / buggy is NOT registered or insured. Do I take it from that that all off road vehicles, street-legal or not, are registered, plated and insured? No one has a buggy that isn't?
For an ispection, you need to make an appointment with your local WSP office. they will tell you where to go and when to bring it in. Bring all your receipts, etc. Make sure it is as close to street legal as possible (bumper heights, tires not sticking out, all doors on, etc). Mostly, they are just checking for VINs to see if there are any stolen parts.
 
I built a sand buggy a few years back , at that time I wanted to get a WA ORV tag, I gave up as they want proof of ownership for the parts, we took it to Oregon and like others have said all they require is whatever description you give them, and $10 no proof of anything and no inspection, when I run Walker valley its always been a licensed streetable rig ( not the sand buggy) one off the guys had expired tabs and the lady only said she could give him a ticket but never did Scott
 
I have the WA state ORV tag.

My truck was formerly fully licensed (had a title, registration, plates, tabs, etc...etc.). When they expired I couldn't license it because its far from legal, and has a V8 in place of a 4 cyl so it wouldn't pass emessions.

I took my TITLE down to the DOL, told them I wanted to switch it to ORV tags. It took a little negotiating because I did this in Redmond (ie yuppieville) and they had no clue as to what I was talking about. I just kept insisting its a normal thing, and that otehr guys do it all the time. Finally I spoke with the manager. She hooked me up.

I can't remember what I paid, it was fairly cheap. ORV's don't have titles in WA State, they only have a registration that is the only proof of ownership.

So they gave me a little ORV Tag (see pic below) that you put your month/year tabs on. And the new registration for it.

As for insurance, I don't keep it. But places like Geico will insure snowmobiles and quads/atv's so I'm sure you could get your ORV 4x4 insured.

Next issue is exhaust, everyone kept telling me I needed a USFS approved spark arrester. So I callled the ranger's office and spoke with a very nice lady. she said any non-glasspack muffler is an approved spark-arrestor. She said if the muffler is baffled (ie you can't see through it, like cherry bombs) its fine. I saved the email incase I ever got hassled or ticketed. I'm running a generic brand muffler I bought from B&B Autoparts for $30 (flowmaster knock off).

As for FS roads, they are not open to non-street licensed vehicles per the rangers office I spoke with unless posted otherwise, such as a few of the roads up at Evans.

I've used FS roads before to access trail heads but I just drive normal and don't draw attention to myself by driving like a total moron.

April15010.jpg
 

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