ATTENTION TINY HOME DYI BUILDERS.
HEADS UP! to all potential or current DO-IT-YOURSELF TINY HOME BUILDERS.
READ THE FOLLOWING POST CREATED ESPECIALLY FOR YOU. IT WILL SAVE YOU HUGE AMOUNTS OF GRIEF AND REMORSE WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO REGISTER YOUR TINY HOME IN CALIFORNIA.
REAL LIFE EXAMPLES THREE CLIENTS EXPERIENCED WITHIN THE LAST 30 DAYS, TWO OF WHICH EXPERIENCED TOTAL FAILURE WITHIN THE LAST WEEK.
ONE CLIENT BUILT A TINY HOME ON A (OLD) USED TRAILER HE BOUGHT THEN TRIED TO REGISTER IT. 1. THE TRAILER DID NOT HAVE A U.S. FEDERAL CERTIFICATION LABEL SHOWING THAT IT COMPLIES WITH ALL FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS. 2. THE TRAILER'S VIN NUMBER HAD BEEN GROUND OFF UNTIL IT WAS NOT LEGIBLE. THIS PERSON ALSO DID NOT HAVE A TITLE OR BILL OF SALE FOR THE TRAILER.
THE SAME ISSUE FOR CLIENT NUMBER TWO THIS PAST WEEK. EVEN WORSE, THIS PERSON NOR THEIR BUILDER EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE NEED FOR A VIN NUMBER OR FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY LABEL AND DIDN'T CHECK UNTIL THEY CALLED ME (AS DID CLIENT NUMBER TWO) NEITHER ONE EXISTED ON THE TRAILER OR WAS COVERED UP WITH THE TINY HOME ON IT (MAYBE). HUGE AMOUNTS OF EXPENSE AND EXTRA WORK FOR BOTH THESE PEOPLE.
THEIR ONLY OPTIONS ARE TO HIRE A TRUCK WITH A FLAT BED TRAILER TO TOW THEIR TINY HOME TO CHP/DMV BY APPOINTMENT. MY POINT IS:
TO ALL DYI people, BEFORE YOU BUY THE TRAILER YOUR TINY HOME WILL BE BUILT ON.....BE SURE IT HAS BOTH THE U.S. FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY LABEL -AND- A VIN ATTACHED OR STAMPED ON THE FRAME. ADDITIONALLY, MAKE SURE YOU GET A TITLE OR BILL OF SALE FOR THE TRAILER, OTHERWISE DMV WILL NOT GIVE YOU A TEMPORARY PERMIT TO TOW IT TO THE FIELD OFFICE IF REQUIRED. IT WILL HAVE TO BE ON A FLATBED.
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer or employee of California DMV. This message is not to be
construed as legal advice or directive of any kind. I am passing along information I learned from potential clients I ended up referring to DMV & CHP because their vehicle did not qualify for VIN VERIFICATION by me or ANY Ca/DMV Licensed Vin Verifier.
There is some good news in this story. The first person who called me four weeks ago who didn't know about Federal Safety Label, and the VIN Verification requirement until he went to DMV and was directed to acquire one, then phoned me was lucky. The trailer did have both, although he had built the Tiny Home on it completely without ever knowing it needed them for VIN VERIFICATION to enable registration in California.
Whew!
Call me if YOU have any questions regarding your vehicle's VIN VERIFICATION. 707-694-3202 Bob Alligood