Exempting certain trailers from annual registration fees and registration plate issuance requirements

Under current law, motor vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers, when driven or moved upon a highway, are subject to the registration provisions in Code chapters 321 (motor vehicles and law of the road) and 326 (registration reciprocity), as applicable, unless specifically exempted. Each vehicle is subject to an annual registration fee and also subject to a fee for new registration when the vehicle is registered for the first time by the vehicle owner. This bill eliminates the annual registration fee for a non-revenue-producing trailer owned by a person who owns three or more such trailers. However, the two non-revenue-producing trailers with the highest annual registration fees owned by the person are still subject to the fee. Trailers exempt from the annual registration fee by the bill are still required to be registered in accordance with current law. Under the bill, the owner of a non-revenue-producing trailer exempt from the annual registration fee is not issued a registration plate for the trailer, but instead must display the registration plate issued for either of the two non-revenue-producing trailers for which the annual registration fee applies in order to be moved upon a highway. The bill defines “non-revenue-producing trailer” as a trailer that is not subject to permanent registration under Code chapter 326 and that is only moved upon a highway for purposes other than a private commercial purpose or a purpose associated with a commercial enterprise. The annual registration fee for trailers with an empty weight of 2,000 pounds or less is $20, and the annual registration fee for trailers with an empty weight in excess of 2,000 pounds is $30. Travel trailers and fifth-wheel travel trailers have an annual registration fee based on the trailer’s square footage.