Licensing a homemade shack with the DMV

Hi guys,

I’m stumped as to what I should do next…I purchased homemade wheelhouse from my cabin neighbor a few years back that I never towed on any county roads, just off of the shoreline landing at our lake. We never had it licensed and he is since long gone. I decided to get a permanent license for it to tow and what I got in return from the DMV was the affidavit requiring receipts and values that I don’t have access to, nor can I get it. The “pleasant” lady across the counter yesterday INSISTED I must have receipts. All I have is the bill of sale from when we made the transaction, which I didn’t have with me yesterday as I didn’t think I would need it.

Obviously I can’t be the first guy to encounter this at the always-enjoyable license bureau. First timer here in the way of licensing a shack to tow. It’s under 3000lbs. Will the bill of sale be enough to get a license for it? There’s no way I can get my hands on the receipts this long after… Any help you can render would be appreciated! The GF wants to spend a weekend fishing on Mille Lacs this season!

You do not need receipts from materials because YOU did not buy materials and build a trailer. You do have a receipt for the trailer you bought. Give her the receipt, that is what YOU paid for ALL the materials AND labor that went into that trailer. You made one purchase, a finished trailer, period. At least that is the way it would work in Iowa.

I have had issues with this in the past. I found that DMV/Lic centers that are privately owned vs govt run was the key. Govt run are the “problem” ones. Waconia and Cambridge are the two I have found when I ran into such problems.

You can try a different DMV, Mark is right.

However… As I’ve pointed out in other threads about trailer boat licenses, the chickens are coming home to roost on this end-run guys thought they had figured out about classifying any trailer they didn’t have paperwork for as “homemade”. I’ve heard several reports about this new demand for receipts to get registration on a home built trailer, so this may well be part of taking a harder line on this.

Grouse

I thought about moving to MN when I retire because of more reasonable property taxes. But after reading all the BS you go though with AIS, trailers, and other stuff, I think WI high taxes aren’t so bad.

Thanks guys. They’re definitely starting to close several of what they perceive to be “loopholes.” I don’t mind paying for the privilege to fish and tow it around to different lakes, but it’s like taxing me on a 10 year old car based on what I paid for it brand new. Mark, how did you find the ones that were not government-run?

From what I have seen up here in the 2-1-8, all they require is your signature on the affidavit stating that it is home made. After all, then they get some money$. Going up nort anytime soon?

Well, one day I made a comment at the Waconia Lic center. Something around the lines that I really like coming to this DMV because you ladies know what is going on and I have never had any issues. The replied that is because we are not government operated.

My advice is to call a couple of them and ask if they are govt run or not. I know it sounds silly but trust me, nobody will know it is you over the phone… The 2 that I like are just small buildings and not in large govt centers.

Cottage Grove is privately owned

The smaller the better when it comes to license bureaus.
DT

Inver grove heights mn is the best one I have ever seen. The people are super nice. And they have helped me in the past. Good luck.

Maybe I’m missing something??? If you have a bill of sale for the item, all you need to do is return to where you went and provide the bill of sale.

All I have is the bill of sale from when we made the transaction, which I didn’t have with me yesterday

No different than when I build a house. I get a bill from Sparky for the job, NOT the manufacture that made the boxes, the wire , the oulets, wire caps, staples… Same goes for every single trade from Excavation to Final Cleaning.

icenutz wrote:

I thought about moving to MN when I retire because of more reasonable property taxes. But after reading all the BS you go though with AIS, trailers, and other stuff, I think WI high taxes aren’t so bad.

I lived there my whole life until I moved here. You’re not missing anything. I think it’s a lot nicer here, and I can visit once and a while if need be.

Thanks again for the tips, guys. You were right, I called back to the same location when I got home today, and spoke to a different employee. Again, she tried REALLY hard to get me to obtain the exact prices for each component, but I insisted all I had, and needed was the bill of sale and that was enough. Went in and got the permanent tag.