Trailer registration
Trailer registration in California: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Who to contact
California Department of Motor Vehicles
Visit the official California pageStep by step
Complete titling/application documents: Application for Registration of New Vehicle (REG 397) OR Application for Title or Registration (REG 343)
If no REG 397, also provide Verification of Vehicle (REG 31) and a Statement of Facts (REG 256) declaring the trailer's unladen weight
Submit proof of ownership (out-of-state title, manufacturer's certificate of origin, etc.)
Pay applicable PTI fees at a DMV office; a PTI license plate and permanent identification card are issued
What to bring
Fees & renewal
Fees
Not published on the official page as of September 2, 2026 — confirm the exact fee with California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Renewal
Renews PTI maintenance service fee every 5 years (not annual).
Good to know
California registers essentially all trailers under the Permanent Trailer Identification (PTI) program, which issues a permanent PTI plate + ID card. Park trailers and trailer coaches are EXCLUDED from PTI and registered separately.
More for California
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 — California requires registration for this vehicle type. California Department of Motor Vehicles handles it; see the steps above.
California lists a PTI maintenance service fee every 5 years (not annual) 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.