Texas Residency

2psnapod1 · Jul 3, 2012

As we near Michael's retirement from the Army and really have no 'home' to go to (our sons live in WA & NY & our only living parent in AR) - we have pretty much decided to make Texas our 'home state'. Michael was born and raised much of his childhood there and still has family there.

Since we intend to 'full-time' and travel this beautiful country of ours we will use Michael's brothers address in Plano as our permanent address.

I'm hoping that someone can shed some light on a few questions I have:

1. Is it true that an annual safety inspection must be done on vehicles? Does that include the coach?

2. Registration fee for a truck is based on truck's gross weight? (We have an F-350 & our Key Largo) I wasn't able to find what the fee is to register the coach - any ideas?

3. Any bits of wisdom from my full-timing Texans?

tmcran · Jul 3, 2012

Annual safety inspection is required. However, the inspections differ depending on what area of Texas you live in. You can get an inspection on the RV. I have never gotten one. I checked with a State Trooper I know and he said he has never stopped are ticketed an RV for not having an RV Sticker. My lic fee on my Sundance was about $129.00 for 2012.My lic on my 2500 Chevy was about $47.00 . I do have farm tags so not sure about regular truck tags.

jayc · Jul 3, 2012

Kelly,
Yes, both your truck and trailer must be inspected. HERE is a link to registration fees in Texas. We use a private mail service in Texas but many people use the Escapees for mail forwarding.

Hope this helps.

pegmikef · Jul 3, 2012

tmcran said:
Annual safety inspection is required. However, the inspections differ depending on what area of Texas you live in. You can get an inspection on the RV. I have never gotten one. I checked with a State Trooper I know and he said he has never stopped are ticketed an RV for not having an RV Sticker.

That may be true in some areas, but the folks where I get mine inspected (a custom stock/cargo trailer fabrication shop) have told me that the inspection comes into play in the event of an accident or traffic stop for some other violation. My grand daughter's father sells and hauls oil field remediation chemicals and gets stopped periodically and they always check his trailer inspection (of course that's commercial). To me, the fifteen bucks or so it costs is cheap insurance against any potential problems.

Oh yeah, I forgot, if you are going to register an out of state trailer in Texas, then the inspection is a must and they will have to verify the VIN on your trailer as well

danemayer · Jul 3, 2012

Just renewed the registration on our 2011 Landmark: $123.50
Also just renewed the registration on the 2011 GMC 3500: $70.50
Truck inspection in Travis County was about $14
Trailer inspection was also about $14.

2psnapod1 · Jul 3, 2012

Dan, this is perfect as we have a 2011 Landmark and a 2010 truck so the cost should be comparable. Also gives me an idea on inspection costs. I guess we'll just have to make sure that we are back in Texas every November to get that inspection done. Perhaps we can get an annual rally in Texas in November!?

If you have any other tips, tricks or secrets - please pass them on!

danemayer said:
Just renewed the registration on our 2011 Landmark: $123.50
Also just renewed the registration on the 2011 GMC 3500: $70.50
Truck inspection in Travis County was about $14
Trailer inspection was also about $14.

tmcran · Jul 3, 2012

Mike, right on about the commerical trailers. I have ask about the inspection sticker several times and get the same reply form the RV dealers and trailer places. They tell me get it if ya want but know ones gonna bother ya. I would like to know if anyone has gotten a ticket for not having RV Inspection sticker in Texas.

TravelTiger · Jul 3, 2012

Your inspection may be higher for the truck if your address is in Plano. You have to get your inspection in the county you reside in. Dallas/Ft Worth area has stricter emissions testing than other counties. Tony just told me diesels don't have to meet those strict standards, but just so you know.

danemayer · Jul 3, 2012

Perhaps we can get an annual rally in Texas in November!?

You don't have to wait - The new North Texas Chapter has just opened registration for a rally in Canton October 12-14
There's also a South Texas Chapter rally in Boerne, near San Antonio, the week before.

October seems to be the month for Texas Rallies.

TXBobcat · Jul 3, 2012

Kelly
We are members of the Escapees RV Club, and have been since 2007. We use their mail services and are members of the Escapees Forum. There are a number of reasons to join the Escapees Club, one of which is they are there to help you with anything to do with RVing.

Truck registration in Polk County on your Diesel Pickup is for safety only. My 2006 is not required to go through the emissions test and such. The cost is $14.50 and you can get it in any county because it is only a safety inspection. I get mine in Collin County in December when I visit my daughter and her family. If you have a gas vehicle then you have to get it inspected in the county you are registered. Dallas, Tarrent and Collin countys have a higher inspection cost and requirements that a county such as Plok county.

As for Trailer inspection. I have never had my trailer inspected. I have only seen one trailer that carried an inspection sticker and I would not know where to have it inspected. As far as I know the normal state inspections centers do not inspect trailers. Now I am not telling you to not get your trailer inspected or that you don't have to. You may have to get it inspected when you register for license plates. You will for your truck.

If I were you I would absolutely go to Livingston TX, Polk County. Get you an address with the Escapees, Register your truck and trailer and have the truck inspected there because they are all use to working with RVers such as the Escapees.

If I receive a jury summons I can call the county clerk and tell them I am an Escapee an I am not in the area. They will ask you to please volunteer the next time you are in Livingston. I have done this twice since 2007.

If I can be any help please contact me and I will assist you in any way I can.

BC

TravelTiger · Jul 3, 2012

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/vi/inspection/inspectionCriteria.aspx

It is a requirement to have them inspected. Here is where to look for a Trailer Inspection facility: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/vi/VIactiveStationLocator/default.aspx

jimtoo · Jul 3, 2012

In addition to bringing a vehicle into Texas for registration and state safety inspection, you will be required to pay a tax on the value of the vehicle the first time it is registered along with the license fees.

Almost all vehicle inspection stations that do cars and pickups and motorcycles also do inspections on the trailers. Lights, reflectors, operation of brakes, tires and insurance on the towing vehicle are required for the inspection. Well worth the $14.50 to have a current inspection just in case.

Jim M

Paul & Nan · Jul 3, 2012

danemayer said:
Just renewed the registration on our 2011 Landmark: $123.50
Also just renewed the registration on the 2011 GMC 3500: $70.50
Truck inspection in Travis County was about $14
Trailer inspection was also about $14.

Our fees for the Bighorn are $122 and the 3500 truck was $67. So close to the above. Our inspections are one month after the license, but that can be good as you can renew license by mail for an extra fee. Maybe that is what Dan was quoting. We are 5 miles from the county seat so go there for the renewall. By the way we were inspected before the licence as that was a requirement last year when we moved here. They just space it out for some reason, that is OK for the budget though. The inspection is about $15 per vehilce and with the trailer all they did was check lights.

2psnapod1 · Jul 4, 2012

TXBobcat said:
Kelly
We are members of the Escapees RV Club, and have been since 2007. We use their mail services and are members of the Escapees Forum. There are a number of reasons to join the Escapees Club, one of which is they are there to help you with anything to do with RVing.

Truck registration in Polk County on your Diesel Pickup is for safety only. My 2006 is not required to go through the emissions test and such. The cost is $14.50 and you can get it in any county because it is only a safety inspection. I get mine in Collin County in December when I visit my daughter and her family. If you have a gas vehicle then you have to get it inspected in the county you are registered. Dallas, Tarrent and Collin countys have a higher inspection cost and requirements that a county such as Plok county.

As for Trailer inspection. I have never had my trailer inspected. I have only seen one trailer that carried an inspection sticker and I would not know where to have it inspected. As far as I know the normal state inspections centers do not inspect trailers. Now I am not telling you to not get your trailer inspected or that you don't have to. You may have to get it inspected when you register for license plates. You will for your truck.

If I were you I would absolutely go to Livingston TX, Polk County. Get you an address with the Escapees, Register your truck and trailer and have the truck inspected there because they are all use to working with RVers such as the Escapees.

If I receive a jury summons I can call the county clerk and tell them I am an Escapee an I am not in the area. They will ask you to please volunteer the next time you are in Livingston. I have done this twice since 2007.

If I can be any help please contact me and I will assist you in any way I can.

BC

Bob - LOTS of great information here...we've been talking about joining escapees for a while and I think we're going to look into it more today and look at the mail service a little more - maybe it'll be in our best interests to register in Polk county rather than in Collin county. Besides having higher emissions standards and possibly higher fees I'm thinking that our truck & coach insurance will be pretty high as well. (at least it is here in Montgomery).

TravelTiger said:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/vi/inspection/inspectionCriteria.aspx

It is a requirement to have them inspected. Here is where to look for a Trailer Inspection facility: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/vi/VIactiveStationLocator/default.aspx

Don't worry Erika - we'll get both the truck and RV inspected - For $15ish dollars each it's little to pay for peace of mind.

jimtoo said:
In addition to bringing a vehicle into Texas for registration and state safety inspection, you will be required to pay a tax on the value of the vehicle the first time it is registered along with the license fees.

Almost all vehicle inspection stations that do cars and pickups and motorcycles also do inspections on the trailers. Lights, reflectors, operation of brakes, tires and insurance on the towing vehicle are required for the inspection. Well worth the $14.50 to have a current inspection just in case.

Jim M

Jim - If I'm understanding correctly we'll have to pay tax on a coach that we bought in Florida and brought to Alabama and had to pay tax on when we registered it here? Kind of seems like double taxation.

danemayer said:
You don't have to wait - The new North Texas Chapter has just opened registration for a rally in Canton October 12-14
There's also a South Texas Chapter rally in Boerne, near San Antonio, the week before.

October seems to be the month for Texas Rallies.

We'll be in San Antonio the month of October visitin our son who will be schooling at Ft. Sam. We plan to 'visit' the Boerne rally but won't be able to make it to Canton at all

. But we'll be in Canton from November 1 - 8! Hopefully we'll finally get to meet some of our Texas Heartland family!

danemayer · Jul 4, 2012

Jim - If I'm understanding correctly we'll have to pay tax on a coach that we bought in Florida and brought to Alabama and had to pay tax on when we registered it here? Kind of seems like double taxation.

From the State website:
"Sales tax fees on a vehicle can be $90 or the difference between your previous state's sales tax and the Texas sales tax." Texas charges 6 1/4% sales tax on vehicle sales.

jmgratz · Jul 4, 2012

In Texas your RV must be inspected. If you fail to do so you risk getting a ticket and having your insurance deny coverage by you not having it inspected. They only check lights tires and brakes on the trailer so it is an easy inspection. Polk County (Livingston - home of Escapees) is the county adjacent to our county (Trinity) and neither require emission testing for the vehicle so inspection fees are much cheaper than Harris (Houston) and several other countries in Texas. If your county requires emission testing then you cannot get it inspected in a county that does not require emission testing. Example: If your vehicle is registered in Harris county you cannot go to Polk or Trinity county to get the inspection. This prevent people from circumventing the emission testing requirement. I do have an inspection sticker on my RV (always have) and get it done the same place I get my truck inspected at.

2psnapod1 · Jul 4, 2012

Ok...that clarifies a little better. We paid 'some' tax in Florida when we purchased it and then 'more' when we registered it here. The difference between the 2 states but we may have gotten a break in Alabama because we're military but we can't remember for sure.

So if I'm thinking correctly we may not have to pay tax or may only have a reduced amount to pay as tax where we registered it is 8.5%. Sound right?

Lance & Jo · Jul 4, 2012

We also are full timers and have been with the Escapees since 2001. We have spent most of our time in Mexico since 2001 and have found that it is only necessary to have the safety inspection if the truck is driven in Texas. We get back to Texas every couple of years and generally the first thing to do is get the truck/trailer inspected.

danemayer · Jul 4, 2012

2psnapod1 said:
So if I'm thinking correctly we may not have to pay tax or may only have a reduced amount to pay as tax where we registered it is 8.5%. Sound right?

Not sure but it wouldn't surprise me if $90 was the minimum.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

jmgratz · Jul 5, 2012

Texas law requires a State safety inspection if your vehicle is registered in Texas. Period.

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