Trailer registration
Trailer registration in Arizona: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD).
Who to contact
Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD)
Visit the official Arizona pageStep by step
Determine whether the trailer is commercial or non-commercial and its declared gross vehicle weight (GVW)
Apply for title and registration at an MVD or Authorized Third Party office (or online via AZ MVD Now where eligible)
Choose regular (1, 2, or 5 year) or permanent registration if eligible
For non-commercial permanent trailers 10,000 lbs or less, certify non-commercial use (check the box on the T&R Application or file the Noncommercial Use Certificate)
Pay applicable fees and receive plate/tab
What to bring
Fees & renewal
Fees
Permanent registration: one-time $125 for non-commercial trailers with declared GVW of 10,000 lbs or less ($75 if converting a current commercial trailer registration to non-commercial); one-time $800 for trailers over 10,000 lbs GVW (reduced to $500 if previously registered out-of-state and less than six model years old, or $195 if at least six years old). Additional fees may apply.
Renewal
Renews permanent (no annual billing) or 1/2/5-year for regular registration.
Good to know
Registration type turns on commercial-vs-non-commercial use and declared GVW, both certified by the owner. Permanent registration (one-time fee, PERM plate tab, no recurring vehicle license tax or registration fees) is available for non-commercial trailers 10,000 lbs or less and for trailers over 10,000 lbs. Travel/tent/camper trailers, commercial trailers 10,000 lbs or less, and historic commercially-designed trailers are NOT eligible for permanent registration and use regular 1/2/5-year registration.
More for Arizona
General guidance
Most states require any trailer towed on public roads to carry a title or registration, but the agency, the paperwork, and whether the rule depends on trailer weight vary by state. Pick your state below for the sourced, step-by-step process.
Nearly every state asks for a title, a manufacturer’s certificate of origin, or a bill of sale before it will issue a registration or plate. A homemade or older trailer without a title usually needs a separate title-application process before registration.
A number of states only require registration above a set gross weight, or price the fee by weight class. Check your state’s page below for whether a weight threshold applies before you assume a small utility trailer is exempt.
Most states issue the trailer plate through a county tag office, license plate agent, or DMV field office rather than by mail from the state capital. Confirm the exact office in the state guide below before you drive over.
Common questions
Yes — Arizona requires registration for this vehicle type. Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) handles it; see the steps above.
Arizona lists a permanent (no annual billing) or 1/2/5-year for regular registration renewal cadence for this vehicle type.
It depends on the state and, in several states, on the trailer’s weight. Some states exempt trailers under a set gross weight from registration entirely, while others require every trailer towed on public roads to carry a plate. Check your state’s guide below — never assume a small trailer is exempt without confirming with the agency listed there.
Homemade trailers and some older trailers were never titled. Most states have a bonded-title or title-application process for exactly this situation — it usually starts at the same agency that handles trailer registration. The state guide below names that agency.