Minnesota Trailer License Plates – Bill in Senate

As I’m sure all of you know, on July 1, 2001 a law went into place that required a permanent registration sticker instead of a license plate on all trailers under 3,000 GVW. I thought this was a fantastic idea!

There is a new bill in the senate (SF191) that proposes putting a license plate back on small trailers IN ADDITION TO the permanent registration. It would still be a lifetime registration.

I’ve lost at least two trailer license plates in my day, and I’m irritated by the idea that I’d need two items on my trailer … and that one of them would no doubt fall off and have to be replaced eventually.

The bill is sponsored by a democrat (Gary Kubly, district 20, which is west of the TC’s) and a republican (Claire Robling, district 35, which is Prior Lake). I’m going to contact them for their justification of the bill and explain my potential frustration with it.

This is not a huge deal, but I can’t understand the need for a license plate on my 14′ boat trailer. I can’t see many people speeding away from a bank robbery with a trailer in tow! Any opinions out there? Here is a link to the info on SF191: SF191

John

John
Thanks for posting this. I agree with you on the loss of the plates from time to time. Seems like there may be some other motives here. Maybe add a survay of who wants them and who doesn’t, or which people preffer.

They should have left it alone for that one year where they issued the “Permanent Plate”. Still have it sitting on the shelf in the garage.

I can understand the need for a plate. Either EVERY state has them or not. Travel to another state or Canada without a plate on your trailer and you will get pulled over!

-J.

Some of these elected officials just have to make up something so they feel like they have contributed to society. Somewhere, it will cost us money, you can count on that.

Jon,

That makes some sense to me. However, I’ve hauled my boat to Canada and WI probably 50-100 times without a plate and never been pulled over.

A plate AND a sticker? Maybe my lost license plate experience supports the idea of both… Lose the plate and you’ve still got the sticker.

I don’t think WI requires a license on small trailers at all. Is that true, Cheeseheads?

John

See that’s why it’s nice to be from Wisconsin sometimes You never have to worry about having those plates get lost.

WI doesn’t require ANY license for trailers…boat trailers at least.

I’m happy with the way it is now…don’t change it!

You might want to email your senator and let them know your feelings…either way. (although I’ve found out just latly, that some of the older senators doen’t like email or computers)

Wisconsin does not require plates on boat trailers or any trailers that haul less then 5,000 lbs.

I already contacted the bill’s authors and my senator. Here’s a response from one of the authors followed by my original message:

Dear Mr. Nesse: Since you did not attack us, I believe you deserve

a response. Thanks for your note. This issue comes to us from law

enforcement which is interested in identifying a trailer’s owner

without having to partially pass a longer than average vehicle.

Actually, these trailers still do require a plate, but it is not enforced.

They want to tighten it up so the plate is required although they have

no problem with permanent registration for trailers. Thanks again.

It’s nice to know some folks are just seeking information. Gary

Kubly, member of the Minnesota Senate

>On 26 Jan 2005 at 10:25, John_Nesse wrote:

>

>From: “John_Nesse” <[email protected]>

>To: [email protected], [email protected]

>BCC to:

>Subject: SF191

>Date sent: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 10:25:48 -0600

>

>Dear Senators Robling and Kubly:

>

>Hello. I am writing to you in regards to SF191, which proposes to require a

>license plate on trailers under 3,000 GVW in addition to the permanent

>registration sticker.

>

>First, I am not a resident in either of your districts. I am writing as a

>concered citizen on St. Paul. I will also be contacting my state senator,

>Senator Richard Cohen.

>

>I own one small trailer, upon which I tow my 14′ fishing boat. I believe

>that I have benefitted from the permanent registration sticker law because I

>have not had to worry about paying for, maintaining, or replacing a license

>plate on my trailer. Small trailers take quite a bit of abuse on a regular

>basis, and I recall replacing at least two license plates on boat trailers

>growing up. They’re constantly being hit by debris and being damaged in

>various ways. Quite simply, they’re a pain in the neck and I much prefer

>not having to deal with them.

>

>Perhaps I am missing something, but I don’t see the need for a license plate

>in addition to a permanent registration sticker on small trailers. I

>understand that a license plate makes a trailer easier to identify on the

>road, but I can’t imagine a situation in which identifying a moving small

>trailer would be absolutely necessary.

>

>A durable sticker or a license place: one or the other makes sense, and a

>sticker makes the most sense because they don’t get damanged or fall off as

>easily. I don’t want to have to pay for a license plate, nor do I want my

>tax dollars to go towards an unnecessary expense like this.

>

>I cannot currently support SF191. I would appreciate a statement of your

>justification for SF191.

>

>Finally, I’d like to thank you for not proposing to change the permanent

>registration law to one that would require renewal.

Sincerely,

———-

I’m pretty sure that Sen. Kubly is incorrect in stating that the law currently requires a license plate. The law has some confusing language that seems to refer to the registration sticker as a “plate” (left over, no doubt, from the permanent plate thing Jon mentioned), but it clarifies at the end:

Subd. 3. [REAR DISPLAY OF SINGLE PLATE.] If the vehicle is a motorcycle, motor scooter, motorized bicycle, motorcycle sidecar, trailer registered at greater than 3,000 pounds gross vehicle weight (GVW), semitrailer, or vehicle playing a dealer plate, then one license plate must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle.

Subd. 3a. [SMALL TRAILER.] If the vehicle is a trailer with 3,000 pounds or less GVW with lifetime registration, the numbered plate or sticker must be adhered to the side of the trailer frame tongue near the hitch.

It sure is nice to get a response from a Senator so quickly, regardless.

John

When they switched to the sticker, the instructions in clearly indicated to REMOVE the plate.

Thanks for that post.

I remember the wording as if it were yesterday…thought it was humorus!

“you may despose of the plate, or some people display it on there garage wall”

I ‘spose it would be too easy to place a little larger sticker on the back of a fender.

The only reason I can think of for an officer to run a plate (on a trailor) is to see if it has registration…unless the trailor blocks the car/trucks plate and they are looking to get around that.

Maybe they’re trying to balance the budget with all of us that would need to buy new plates because we threw out the old ones.

It it true, Wisconsin requires neither a plate nor a license which is fine on this end.

I received another response from Sen. Kubly on this issue:

Dear Mr. Nesse: YOu are correct. Apparently, the department has told people that they are interpreting the “plate law” to mean a “sticker plate” is okay. Law enforcement agencies across the state do not like
this and are pursuing something different. I can see no reason not to keep the permanent part, but don’t know what would be the best option for the “visible from behind plate” part wanted by law enforcement. Thanks, Gary Kubly, member of the Minnesota Senate

>>> <[email protected]> 1/26/2005 11:03:04 AM >>>
Dear Senator Kubly:

I reviewed the existing law in regards to the permanent trailer registration. There is some confusing language in the law that seems to refer to the permanent registration as a “plate,” without regard to whether the registration display method is a license plate or a sticker. Subd.
3a clarifies:

Subd. 3a. [SMALL TRAILER.] If the vehicle is a trailer with 3,000 pounds or less GVW with lifetime registration, the numbered plate or sticker must be adhered to the side of the trailer frame tongue near the hitch.

I don’t believe the current law requires a license plate to be displayed on trailers with 3,000 pounds or less GVW with lifetime registration.

Thank you again.

———————–

Any “visible from behind” plate ideas? I suppose a license plate is it. I’m stumped on other options, but I really like the fact that Sen. Kubly is listening. If you guys can think of anything, please let me know.

John

There is clearly better issues in the state of Minnesota that need more attention than small trailer registration display. I understand that it is something that the law enforcement is asking for but what I don’t understand is why. What is the main driver for this issue? Is it because if they find it parked on a road by itself they wouldn’t need to get out of the car to be able to run the # to find the owner? Small trailers get borrowed so much that running a plate on the back of one doesn’t necessarily give you the name of the person pulling it.

I agree with ( I don’t know if I want to say this) Cooner about who is pulling the thing. Just kidding cooner. What about a sticker large enough to hold numbers big enought that could be stuck to the back of the trailer or would that get wrecked also?
I get back to work I’ll ask the cops I work with What they think of this whole deal. I won’t be back for a few week on vacation now.

Sen. Kubly tells me that some states let you basically make your own license plate with stick-on numbers you that you could figure out how to display on the back of your trailer. Not a bad idea, I suppose. Certainly easier to replace. What do you guys think of that?

Making your own plate is the same scheme they use for ATV’s. Makes about as much sense too. Ever look at all the weird combination of plates and stickers people use. I know the DNR people in WI just shook their heads and said “Huh” 10 years ago when they checked me.