License Plates for Wheeled Fishhouse

[Robbo17]

I heard some rumors of this coming--- I spoke with CO Brian Mies. And Yes, you will need to have a License Plate on the back of your fishhouse. It came to him as, "That all trailers the are pulled on the highway will need a license plate."  All the details have not been worked out yet. From what I have heard, wheeled fishhouse are going to be classified as Travel Trailers. He was not sure of the cost of the plates or the yearly fee for renewal.  It told me you should be able to find info on this on the MNDOT website. I have looked everywhere and can not find anything.
   Some people have went and got there license plate and were charged $42.50. While another person went to a different DMV and was only charged $9.50. So I guess if you go and get the plates make sure your getting the right one.
I will keep looking for Law as it is written and have been told who to email at the dnr to get this info sent to me, so as soon as I get any info I will pass it along.
   Also--- He did say, No date as been established to start enforcing this.

Robbo

[JohnWester]

He did say, No date as been established to start enforcing this.

translation... i am not getting one yet.

I will call a contact at the DNR and someone I know at the DMV monday and get the straight dope, unless someone can post a link to an official site first.

I think this sucks, and you know that having it licensed by the dmv in no way means you don't have to have it licensed by the DNR too.  If you fish out of it over night, must have a dark house license.  How the F@#$$ did they sneak this law by us??  sneaky, slick politicians... always looking for a buck.

[JohnWester]

oh and BTW... if you built your drop down by yourself (like me) good luck getting a license plate for it...  they will want a vin number and they will want to know the value.  tell them no vin number and they won't license it.  I know for a fact, because I tried 2 years ago when I built my house... I went to the DMV then and asked them if I needed any license from them and they ultimately said no.
so how will they do it if it's a homemade with no vin?  homemade trailers are one thing, but homemade campers/rvs??  no vin, no license.  This will be very interesting talking to the DMV.

[tripnchip]

$42.50 is a rip off, I just double checked what the plates for my 35' 5th wheel will be and they are 36.20.

[Randy Kaar]

wait til you see what your atv stickers are
now!

randy aka bh

[tripnchip]

I have seen it bone, another ripe off, I wouldn't mind if the trails were on the ground instead of somthing they just keep saying they are planing.

[thunderpout]

Ya guys...I bought an ultra shack/drop down trailer a few years back...wasnt going to license it as was told all ya need is your ice fishing shelter license(told by frankies rv, the mfg.'s) But as I was also using it in the summer and fall, for grouse & deer hunting and camping, I licensed it as an enclosed utility trailer...mine has double doors on the back for puttin an atv in the back.  Its a lifetime license/fee!  I believe to be classed as an rv, its got to have a bathroom....(mine dosent)   -thunderpout

[JohnWester]

here is the straight dope.... as far as the DNR is concerned, you need a dark house license, nothing new there. (assuming with their new laws you intend to leave it out over night, blah, blah, blah)

Now Minnesota Statutes 2007 Chapter 168. which covers Vehicle Registration, Taxation, Sale supposedly was modified to say any structure enclosed on wheels (like a fishhouse), needs a lifetime utility trailer license if under 3000 pounds, if over 3000 then it would need to be registered yearly as utility trailer.  You don't need to register it as a camper or anything, just simply a utility trailer. 

I talked to a rep from the DMV and Denny McNamera, a member of the state house.  Denny is going to get me the exact number of the law, but it is in chapter 168 somewhere.  So guys, get your lifetime license.  And great job by the DMV to get the word out.  If it wasn't for sites like this, a lot of guys could potentially get fines for not properly registering a trailer. 


see if you can find it. http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/statute/statute_chapter_toc.php?year=2007&chapter=168

[thunderpout]

Hey John... thats right, I forgot about the 3000lb part.  But Im pretty sure about the toilet/bathroom part turning the utility trailer into an rv.  I was told by the DMV about it...beds, tv, heater, what ever...just no toilet they said.  Id check on that if ye has the flush-o-matic in the corner...        -thunderpout

[Robbo17]

Thanks John for doing the investigating.

Robbo

[mshs1]

Thanks for the info. I got the same issue with a new house--as far as the biffo matic in the corner what corner??

[thunderpout]

Allways put the biff in the downwind corner!      -thunderpout

[GRIZ]

When they are talking about 3000 lb do they mean loaded or unloaded. The reason I ask is my shack is 3520 lbs loaded. If I took all the stuff out of it when headin out to the lake an put it in the back of the truck I could get it under 3000. What a crock the shelter lic should be enough registration. I think we should all go an TP the politicians places so they can take a cane pole and remove it from the trees in their spare time instead of harrass us poor fisherman. At least then they'd have something productive to do. 

[thunderpout]

I believe its just the trailer weight, not like a limit as with big rigs.  Thats what ive been told anyhow.... But yeah, same old government over regulation eh?  I knew somthin would pop up later like this when they said we didnt need to license the portables any more.  Just like when Jesse dropped our car tabs $ down, & the DOT got cuts, the plowing cut back, ummm...no $ for bridges and roads... Its the ole nutshell game, movin the money around.....     -thunderpout