Trailer registration
Trailer registration in Minnesota: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), Dept. of Public Safety.
Who to contact
Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), Dept. of Public Safety
Visit the official Minnesota pageStep by step
Complete an Application to title/register a vehicle
Register at a deputy registrar office (or by mail) and pay fees/taxes
Renew annually (tabs expire the last day of the month shown on the plate)
What to bring
Fees & renewal
Fees
Not published on the official page as of September 2, 2026 — confirm the exact fee with Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), Dept. of Public Safety.
Renewal
Renews annual.
Good to know
DVS registers all motor vehicles annually; trailers (utility/house trailers) are registered through DVS. New residents have 60 days to register a utility trailer or house trailer. Exact trailer fee not stated on the fetched page.
More for Minnesota
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 — Minnesota requires registration for this vehicle type. Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), Dept. of Public Safety handles it; see the steps above.
Minnesota lists a 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.