Trailer registration
Trailer registration in Missouri: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from Missouri Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau.
Who to contact
Missouri Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau
Visit the official Missouri pageStep by step
Title the trailer within 30 days of purchase (pay state and local sales tax).
Submit the title work by mail or in person at any Missouri license office.
Choose a registration term (1-year, 3-year, or permanent) when registering for road use.
For a homemade trailer, first have it inspected by the county sheriff or Missouri State Highway Patrol and submit Form 5062.
What to bring
Fees & renewal
Fees
Title fee $8.50 plus $9.00 title processing fee. Registration: $7.50 (1-year) + $9.00 processing; $22.50 (3-year) + $27.00 processing; $52.50 (permanent) + $45.00 processing. State sales tax 4.225% plus local (no sales tax on homemade trailers).
Renewal
Renews annual, triennial, or permanent (owner's choice at registration).
Good to know
Trailers must be titled; registration is required to use the trailer on the road. Title penalty is $25 on day 31 after purchase, increasing $25 per 30 days up to a $200 maximum. No weight thresholds stated on the DOR trailer page.
More for Missouri
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 — Missouri requires registration for this vehicle type. Missouri Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Bureau handles it; see the steps above.
Missouri lists a annual, triennial, or permanent (owner's choice at 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.